L'Africa romana - UnissResearch - Università degli Studi di Sassari

Fadel Ali Mohamed - J oyce Reynolds
Some New Inscriptions from Cyrenaica
New inscriptions found recent1y in Cyrenaica by officers of the Libyan
Department of Antiquities at Shahat (Cyrene) and Tolmeita (Ptolemais),
or reported to them by members of the Libyan public, range
in period from archaic Greek to early Islamic. Since a number come from
rural areas, they raise hopes that it may be possible, in due course, to
piot the process of dispersal over the countryside first of Greek and then
of Islamic peoples, with some degree of detail; but they throw light on
many other aspects of Cyrenaican history too. The present authors have
been working together for the past four years on those which are of Greek,
Roman or Byzantine date, and have a series of publications pending in
Libyo Antiquo. In advance of their appearance we offer here a brief account
of three particularIy interesting discoveries followed by publication
of six texts.
1. The earliest stone in our collection is a very simpie grave-marker set
up for a Hermaios son of Agonippos, perhaps as early as the first half
of the fifth century BC, in the neighbourhood of Gasr Leibia, Byzantine
Theodorias, which has hitherto been known essential1y for its two churches,
one containing Justinianic mosaics ' . This is much the earliest
Greek monument known at present in the Iocality, a rurai one within
what must have been territory dominated by Cyrene's rival, the city of
Barka. It is a pointer, therefore, to the deveIopment of Barka's territory
and probably of the Greek road-system linking Cyrene and Barka.
2. Outstandingly useful is a text on a small marble base, washed out by
winter rains from Cyrene's extra-muraI sanctuary of Demeter and Kore
in the Wadi Bel Ghadir 2 • It was inscribed on three diffcrent occasions
I E. AlFÙLDy-ROSENBAUM and J. WARD PERKINS, Justinianic Mosaic Pavemenls in
Cyrenaican Churches, Rome, 1979, pp. 121-139.
2 Partly excavated by D. WHrTE, The'Extramural Sancluary 01 Demeler and Persephone
al Cyrene, Libya: Background and lntroduction lo the Excavations, Philadelphia,
1984.