Knowledge (XXG)

History of Benghazi

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Since the last reorganisation by the Emperor Maurice (582-602), Cyrenaica had in fact belonged to the province of Egypt, as had Tripolitania. 'Amr marched on Cyrenaica at the beginning of 643, and seized it almost without meeting any resistance. He found neither Greeks nor Byzantines to oppose him, only Berbers of the Luwata and Hawwara groups. These, surrendering, agreed to pay an annual tribute of 13,000 dinars, which henceforth constituted part of the tribute payable by Egypt. By then Berenice had dwindled to an insignificant village among magnificent ruins. It began to be known by its Arabic name Barneeq.
299:(582-602), Cyrenaica belonged to the province of Egypt. In general, Byzantine/Eastern Roman control over the region was weak, except in Berenice and other urban areas which were relatively under control. Berber rebellions were frequent in the insecure hinterland, and later reduced the area to anarchy. The potential prosperity of Berenice was thus squandered. Byzantine rule was deeply unpopular, not least because taxes were increased dramatically in order to pay for military upkeep, while Berenice and other cities were left to decay. 329: 63: 202:, around the middle of the 3rd century, many Cyrenaican cities were renamed to mark the occasion. Euesperides became Berenice and the change of name also involved a relocation. Its desertion was probably due to the silting up of the lagoons; Berenice, the place they moved to, lies underneath Benghazi's modern city centre. The Greek colony had lasted from the 6th to the mid-3rd centuries BC. The remains of this settlement were discovered in the early 1950s by Mr. Frank Jowett. 211: 256:
site. It probably contained many poor members, but three Jewish inscriptions found in Benghazi show that a comfortable and even wealthy stratum existed in the Jewish community. There was also a synagogue in Berenice. Despite relative peace, religious strife was not unheard of; a Jewish insurgency in 118 AD had destroyed much of Cyrenaica. Christianity later came to Berenice from Egypt, and many of the early Christians there were non-trinitarian
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almost extinct, due to depopulation under the Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century fearful of a Jewish rising, and its equally fearful suppression. The towns were deserted and prey to marauding bands of Berbers. Berber peasantry was exploited by crushing taxation and were keen for new rule. The official Church had alienated the mass of the population by its intransigent attitude to what it considered as heresies.
55: 754: 452:; Suq Al-Hout and al-Sabri would subsequently suffer intensified bombardment and war damage by the LNA during the closing months of the battle between late-2016 and mid-2017. Wilayat Barqa militants reportedly fled Benghazi in early January 2017, while the LNA declared the city cleared of the Shura Council on 5 July 2017; fighting would officially end on 27 July. 366: 118:. Euesperides was probably founded by people from Cyrene or Barca on the edge of a lagoon which opened from the sea. At the time, the lagoon may have been deep enough to receive small sailing vessels. The name Euesperides was attributed to the fertility of the area, and gave rise to mythological associations with the garden of 307:
Islam came to North Africa at a moment when there was nothing of a calibre sufficient to oppose it, while there were many native elements favourable to its advance. The Romans were largely obliterated except in Berenice and the rest of the small area under Byzantine rule. Civilisation in Berenice was
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The inhabitants of the city practiced different religions throughout the centuries. During Pagan times, the worship of Apollo was very important in Berenice. Whilst still a pagan city, a Jewish community existed in Berenice around the time the city was first founded after moving from the Euesperides
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in 296 changed the administrative structure and Cyrenaica was split into two provinces: Libya Inferior and Libya Superior (which comprised Berenice and the other cities of the Pentapolis, with Cyrene as capital). Berenice prospered for most of its 600 years as a Roman city; it even superseded Cyrene
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plant. Silphium once formed the crux of trade from Cyranaica because of its use as a rich seasoning and as a medicine. Euesperides's coinage suggests that it must have enjoyed an intermittent autonomy from Cyrene in the early 5th century, because Euesperidean coins had their own types, distinct from
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In February 2011 Benghazi was the scene of protests again the Gaddafi-led government, which caused numerous killings by paramilitary internal security forces and commando teams, and the burning down of the houses of those suspected of anti-Gaddafi regime sympathies. Beginning in late February 2011,
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and the Patriarch Cyrus, the last Byzantine governor of Egypt, ratifying the conquest of his territory by the Arabs. Shortly thereafter, on 17 September 642, the last Byzantine garrison evacuated Alexandria. But Amr ibn alAs, the conqueror of Egypt, thought it necessary to annex Cyrenaica as well.
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of 462 BC. to attract new settlers to Euesperides, where Arcesilaus hoped to create a safe refuge for himself against the resentment of his own people in Cyrene. This proved totally ineffective, since when the King fled to Euesperides during the anticipated revolution (around 440 BC), he was
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with as many as 80,000 settlers in tow. They sacked Cyrenaica in the 5th century, and Berenice became part of their empire. The Romans recognised the Vandal ascendancy, as long as civil administration remained in Roman hands. Berenice suffered enormous damage during the Vandal invasion.
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The Italians modernised and expanded the port, and developed the city, constructing a district of white Italianate villas and other buildings by the shore. Benghazi grew as an administrative and commercial centre, and by the start of World War II was home to about 22,000 Italians.
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in antiquity. After the war of Othomi in 464-460 BC. the Messenians settled in Naupaktos. In 399 BC, expelled once more by the Spartians, they took final refuge in Euesperides. The Greek city that existed within the modern day boundaries of Benghazi was founded around 525 BC.
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as the chief center of Cyrenaica after the 3rd century AD. Many structures were built in Roman Berenice, and mosaics were to be found on the floors of several important buildings. A public bath and churches were built in the city later on in its history.
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those of Cyrene with the legend EU(ES). An inscription found in modern Benghazi and dated around the middle of the 4th century BC, shows that the city had a similar constitution to that of Cyrene, with a board of chief magistrates (
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in Egypt conquered most of Cyrenaica and reached "as far west as Euesperides". The oldest coins minted in the city date back to 480 BC. One side of the coin has an engraving of Delphi, whilst the other has an engraving of a
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rule until 1911. Under Ottoman rule, Benghazi was the most impoverished of the Ottoman provinces. It had neither a paved road nor telegraph service, and the harbor was too silted to permit the access of shipping. Greek and
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In the 13th century, the small settlement became an important player in the trade growing up between Genoese merchants and the tribes of the hinterland. In 16th century maps, the name of Marsa ibn Ghazi appears.
424:, infighting between militias, and reemerging Islamist militancy. In 2012, Benghazi became the center of controversy in the United States when the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi 226:
on his death in 96 BC. At first, the Romans gave Berenice and the other cities of the Pentapolis their freedom. By 78 BC however, Cyrenaica was formally organised as one administrative
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Following the overthrow of the Gaddafi government, the city would be plagued by instability due to weakened interim governments, a split between the Tripoli-based government and the
186:. Later in the 4th century BC, during the unsettling period which followed Alexander's death, the Euesperides backed the losing side in a revolt led by the Spartan adventurer 166:
and his fleet, who were blown to Libya by contrary winds on their way to Sicily. Another important event in the city's history was the assassination of the Cyrenean king
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In 1911, Benghazi was invaded by the Italians, and by 1912 they had established the colony of Cyrenaica. The local population of Cyrenaica under the leadership of
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Benghazi had a strategic port location, one that was too useful to be ignored by the Ottomans. They occupied Benghazi in the 16th century and it was ruled from
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mentions a siege of the city in 414 BC. by Libyan tribes who were probably the Nasamones. Euesperides was saved by the chance arrival of Spartan general
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There was a brief period of repair when the Eastern Roman Empire took control of Berenice in the 6th century and the city came under the rule of
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David Gill and Patricia Flecks (2007). "Defining domestic space at Euesperides, Cyrenaica: Archaic structures on the Sidi Abeid".
190:; he was trying to create an empire for himself, but was defeated by the Cyreneans and their Libyan allies. After the marriage of 122:. The city was located on a raised piece of land opposite what is now the Sidi Abeid graveyard, in the Eastern Benghazi suburb of 763: 437: 405:
President Ronald Reagan justified the attacks by claiming Libya was responsible for terrorism directed at the USA, including the
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The city was located in hostile territory surrounded by inhospitable tribes, and had a turbulent history. The Greek historian
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The Ottoman flag is raised during Mawlid celebrations in Benghazi in 1896. The city was then part of the Ottoman Empire.
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resisted the Italian occupation. Cyrenaica suffered ruthless oppression, particularly under the fascist dictator
102:). It was one of five important cities in Cyrenaica known as the Pentapolis — the other four were the chief city 703:
Ahmed Buzaian; John A. Lloyd (1996). "Early Urbanism in Cyrenaica: New Evidence from Euesperides (Benghazi)".
328: 46:. Throughout its history, the city has been continuously conquered by different ancient and colonial forces. 398: 265: 167: 218:
itinerarium (road map) shows Berenice and the other cities of the Pentapolis which were bequeathed to Rome.
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Euesperides was refounded as Berenice and became part of the Roman Pentapolis. This section of the Roman
402: 191: 312: 295:, Justinian rebuilt the walls of Berenice and also built a public bath. After later reorganisation by 660: 461: 425: 421: 248: 235: 215: 147: 115: 107: 62: 444:(which have become entrenched in the central coastal quarters of Suq Al-Hout and al-Sabri) and the 353:
sponge fishermen worked its coastal waters. In 1858, and again in 1874, Benghazi was devastated by
210: 179: 397:, Benghazi was later rebuilt with the country's newly found oil wealth as a gleaming showpiece of 772: 381:; about 125,000 Libyans were forced into concentration camps, about two-thirds of whom perished. 475:
Mohammed, Charlemagne, and the Origins of Europe: The Pirenne Thesis in the Light of Archaeology
550: 712: 691: 341: 296: 279:. These Germanic people from Europe quickly set about invading the country under their leader 183: 70:
found in Benghazi from the times of Euesperides, the Ancient Greek city that is now Benghazi.
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The transport amphorae from Euesperides: The maritime trade of a Cyrenaican city 400-250 BC
234:. It became a senatorial province in 20 BC, like its far more prominent western neighbour 199: 175:
assassinated, thus terminating the almost two hundred year rule of the Battiad dynasty.
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Benghazi was no longer under control of the government in Tripoli, but was under the
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Michael Vickers; et al. (1994). "Euesperides: the Rescue of an Excavation".
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General History of Africa, III Africa from the Seventh to the Eleventh Century
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in 325 AD, Cyrenaica had been recognized as an ecclesiastical province of the
243: 159: 119: 716: 695: 528:, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia, Series in 4o No. 25, Lund/Stockholm 2007, 29. 746: 742: 292: 239: 134: 111: 75: 730:
Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
17: 727:(2003). "Une cité grecque de Libye: fouilles d'EuhespéridÚs (Benghazi)". 584:
The Hellenistic Settlements in Syria, the Red Sea Basin, and North Africa
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Cyrenaica became a Roman province when it was bequeathed to Rome by
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expedition to Cyrenaica in c.515 BC; the punitive force sent by the
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The Minoan-Mycenaean Religion and Its Survival in Greek Religion
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was attacked by a heavily armed group of Islamist 125–150 gunmen
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In the year 642, the Treaty of Alexandria was concluded between
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R. Goodchild, "Euesperides: a devastated city site",
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Euesperides is first mentioned by ancient sources in
401:. On 15 April 1986 US Airforce and Navy planes 275:By 431, the whole of Libya was conquered by the 344:from 1711 to 1835, then it passed under direct 407:bombing of La Belle discotheque in West Berlin 78:, an area which was heavily colonised by the 8: 555:Digital Library and Archives, Virginia Tech 170:. The King used his chariot victory at the 557:, August 1993, Accessed February 6, 2009. 501:Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §E282.16 490:Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §E284.19 442:Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries 436:between the Libyan National Army-aligned 137:' account of the revolt of Barca and the 661:Timeline of Benghazi § Bibliography 74:Modern Benghazi lies in the province of 578: 576: 482: 415:National Transitional Council of Libya 155:) and a council of elders (gerontes). 473:Richard Hodges and David Whitehouse, 434:heavy fighting in and around Benghazi 7: 182:and subsequently became part of the 645:World and its Peoples, North Africa 50:Ancient Greek colony of Euesperides 25: 597:Jews and Greeks in Ancient Cyrene 303:The Arabs and the advent of Islam 764:British School at Athens Studies 752: 643:Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 551:"Euesperides: A devastated Site" 568:Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece 1: 440:government, and the Islamist 178:Cyrenaica was a supporter of 403:bombed Benghazi and Tripoli. 58:Euesperides ruins, Benghazi. 670:26 (1952), pp. 208–212 198:, daughter of the Cyrenean 86:It was called Euesperides ( 810: 658: 99: 91: 688:10.1017/S0263718900006282 617:Persson Nilsson, Martin, 438:House of Representatives 30:'s second largest city, 743:10.3406/crai.2003.22676 430:second Libyan Civil War 428:. The outbreak of the 370: 333: 219: 71: 59: 524:Göransson, Kristian: 368: 331: 213: 65: 57: 462:Timeline of Benghazi 422:Libyan National Army 236:Africa proconsularis 216:Tabula Peutingeriana 794:History of Benghazi 595:Applebaum, Shimon, 566:Guy Wilson, Nigel, 477:, 1983, p. 69. 180:Alexander the Great 42:was founded in the 393:Heavily bombed in 371: 334: 220: 72: 60: 621:, 1971, pp.57-58. 549:Economou, Maria, 432:in 2014 also saw 409:ten days before. 270:See of Alexandria 266:Council of Nicaea 184:Ptolemaic Kingdom 124:Sebkha Es-Selmani 16:(Redirected from 801: 780: 757: 756: 750: 737:(4): 1647–1675. 720: 699: 648: 641: 635: 628: 622: 615: 609: 606: 600: 593: 587: 580: 571: 564: 558: 547: 541: 535: 529: 522: 516: 509: 503: 498: 492: 487: 369:Italian Benghazi 361:Italian invasion 324:Ottoman province 206:Roman settlement 101: 93: 21: 809: 808: 804: 803: 802: 800: 799: 798: 784: 783: 760: 751: 723: 702: 673: 663: 657: 652: 651: 642: 638: 629: 625: 616: 612: 608:Ham, pp. 11-12. 607: 603: 594: 590: 582:Cohen, Getzel, 581: 574: 565: 561: 548: 544: 536: 532: 523: 519: 510: 506: 499: 495: 488: 484: 470: 458: 391: 389:Modern Benghazi 363: 326: 313:'Amr ibn al-'As 305: 297:emperor Maurice 291:. According to 208: 94:) and Esperis ( 52: 44:6th century BCE 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 807: 805: 797: 796: 786: 785: 782: 781: 758: 721: 705:Libyan Studies 700: 676:Libyan Studies 671: 656: 653: 650: 649: 647:, 2006, p.1226 636: 623: 610: 601: 588: 586:, 2006, p.390. 572: 559: 542: 530: 517: 511:Ham, Anthony, 504: 493: 481: 480: 479: 478: 469: 466: 465: 464: 457: 454: 390: 387: 362: 359: 355:bubonic plague 325: 322: 304: 301: 230:together with 207: 204: 200:Governor Magas 66:A panathenaic 51: 48: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 806: 795: 792: 791: 789: 778: 774: 770: 766: 765: 759: 755: 748: 744: 740: 736: 733:(in French). 732: 731: 726: 725:Andrew Wilson 722: 718: 714: 710: 706: 701: 697: 693: 689: 685: 681: 677: 672: 669: 665: 664: 662: 654: 646: 640: 637: 633: 627: 624: 620: 614: 611: 605: 602: 599:, 1979, p.160 598: 592: 589: 585: 579: 577: 573: 570:, 2006, p.198 569: 563: 560: 556: 552: 546: 543: 540: 534: 531: 527: 521: 518: 515:, 2002, p.156 514: 508: 505: 502: 497: 494: 491: 486: 483: 476: 472: 471: 467: 463: 460: 459: 455: 453: 451: 450:Wilayat Barqa 447: 443: 439: 435: 431: 427: 423: 418: 416: 410: 408: 404: 400: 396: 388: 386: 382: 380: 376: 367: 360: 358: 356: 352: 347: 343: 339: 330: 323: 321: 317: 314: 309: 302: 300: 298: 294: 290: 285: 282: 278: 273: 271: 267: 263: 262:Carpocrations 259: 253: 250: 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 225: 224:Ptolemy Apion 217: 212: 205: 203: 201: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 176: 173: 172:Pythian Games 169: 168:Arcesilaus IV 165: 161: 156: 154: 149: 144: 140: 136: 131: 129: 125: 121: 117: 113: 109: 105: 97: 96:Ancient Greek 89: 88:Ancient Greek 84: 81: 77: 69: 64: 56: 49: 47: 45: 41: 37: 33: 29: 19: 768: 762: 745:– via 734: 728: 708: 704: 679: 675: 667: 644: 639: 631: 626: 618: 613: 604: 596: 591: 583: 567: 562: 554: 545: 538: 533: 525: 520: 512: 507: 496: 485: 474: 419: 411: 399:modern Libya 395:World War II 392: 383: 375:Omar Mukhtar 372: 335: 318: 310: 306: 286: 274: 264:. After the 254: 221: 177: 157: 132: 126:(Es-Selmani 123: 85: 73: 36:Greek colony 26: 771:: 205–211. 682:: 125–136. 537:Herodotus, 289:Justinian I 242:reforms of 192:Ptolemy III 106:, its port 92:Î•áœÎ”ÏƒÏ€Î”ÏÎŻÎŽÎ”Ï‚ 40:Euesperides 18:Euesperides 659:See also: 630:Hrbek. I, 468:References 342:Karamanlis 258:Sabellians 244:Diocletian 160:Thucydides 120:Hesperides 747:Persee.fr 717:2052-6148 696:2052-6148 668:Antiquity 448:-aligned 379:Mussolini 293:Procopius 240:Tetrarchy 135:Herodotus 112:Taucheira 108:Apollonia 76:Cyrenaica 788:Category 777:40960589 634:, p.120. 456:See also 281:Geiseric 228:province 196:Berenice 164:Gylippus 148:silphium 32:Benghazi 655:Sources 539:IV.204. 351:Italian 346:Ottoman 340:by the 338:Tripoli 277:Vandals 188:Thibron 139:Persian 100:áŒ™ÏƒÏ€Î”ÏÎŻÏ‚ 68:amphora 775:  715:  694:  238:. The 153:ephors 143:satrap 114:, and 104:Cyrene 80:Greeks 773:JSTOR 513:Libya 249:Barca 232:Crete 128:Marsh 116:Barca 28:Libya 713:ISSN 692:ISSN 446:ISIL 260:and 247:and 739:doi 735:147 684:doi 194:to 130:). 38:of 790:: 769:15 767:. 711:. 709:27 707:. 690:. 680:25 678:. 575:^ 553:, 417:. 357:. 272:. 110:, 98:: 90:: 779:. 749:. 741:: 719:. 698:. 686:: 20:)

Index

Euesperides
Libya
Benghazi
Greek colony
Euesperides
6th century BCE


amphora
Cyrenaica
Greeks
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Cyrene
Apollonia
Taucheira
Barca
Hesperides
Marsh
Herodotus
Persian
satrap
silphium
ephors
Thucydides
Gylippus
Arcesilaus IV
Pythian Games
Alexander the Great
Ptolemaic Kingdom

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