Editing Cyrene, Libya (section)

==Archaeological site==
Cyrene is now an archaeological site north of the village of [[Shahhat]] and east of [[Bayda, Libya|Bayda]], on a ridge of the Jabal Akhdar, about 600 metres above sea level. The southern edge of the ridge and the city is formed by the Wadi Bil Ghadir and the northern edge by the Wadi Bu Turqiyah. The Acropolis, at the western edge of the ridge, was the original centre of Greek occupation. From there, a road referred to by modern scholars as the "Street of Battus" or "Skyrotà" runs along the ridge to the southeast for around 1 kilometre, past the [[Agora of Ancient Cyrene|Agora]], the [[House of Jason Magnus]] and a number of other palatial residences, the [[Stoa of Hermes and Heracles]], the [[Caesareum, Cyrene|Caesareum]], two theatres, a sacred area, and the [[Caravanserai, Cyrene|caravanserai]] until it reaches the gates of the city. Below the Acropolis to the north, the Springs of Apollo and Cyra emerge from the cliff-face onto a triangular plateau at the base of the Wadi Bu Turqiyah. This plateau contains the [[Greek Theatre of Cyrene|Greek Theatre]], the [[Sanctuary of Apollo, Cyrene|Sanctuary of Apollo]], and the [[Baths of Trajan, Cyrene|Baths of Trajan]]. From the sanctuary, a road known as "Valley Street" leads southeast up the Wadi Bu Turqiyah, roughly parallel to the "Street of Battus", lined by a stepped portico and the [[Aqua Augusta, Cyrene|Aqua Augusta]], past the [[Baths of Paris]] to the [[Market Theatre (Cyrene)|Market Theatre]] and the [[Central Quarter, Cyrene|Central Quarter]], which contains several public buildings and palatial residences. To the northeast, on another ridge, but still inside the city walls, is the largely unexcavated northeastern quarter, containing the Temple of Zeus, the hippodrome, and the East Church. Outside the city walls to the south is the [[Extramural Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, Cyrene|Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone]]. The [[necropolis of Cyrene]] covers about 20 km² to the south and north of the city.{{sfn|Kenrick|2013|pp=148-254}} 

Archaeological finds are stored and displayed in a temporary museum in the eastern portion of the site. In 2005, Italian archaeologists from the [[University of Urbino]] discovered 76 intact Roman statues at Cyrene from the 2nd century AD. The statues remained undiscovered for so long because "during the earthquake of 375 AD, a supporting wall of the temple fell on its side, burying all the statues. They remained hidden under stone, rubble and earth for 1,630 years. The other walls sheltered the statues, so we were able to recover all the pieces, even works that had been broken."<ref>{{cite web |work=[[The Art Newspaper]] |title=Interview with archaeologist Mario Luni |url=http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=11809 |access-date=2009-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514141122/http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=11809 |archive-date=2011-05-14 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Acropolis===

===Agora===

===House of Jason Magnus===

===Caesareum and Stoa of Hermes and Heracles===

===Caravanserai===
===Sanctuary of Apollo===
One of its more significant features is the [[Greek temple|temple]] of [[Apollo]], which was originally constructed as early as 7th century BC. Other ancient structures include a temple to [[Demeter]]. There is a large [[necropolis]] approximately 10&nbsp;km between Cyrene and its ancient port of Apollonia. 
===Central Quarter===
===Temple of Zeus===
[[File:Cyrene_(1)_(8289544346).jpg|thumb|The reconstructed temple of Zeus, seen from the southwest.]]
{{main|Temple of Zeus, Cyrene}}
The '''Temple of Zeus''' was the largest ancient Greek temple at Cyrene, and one of the largest Greek temples ever built. The original [[Doric order|Doric]] [[octastyle]] [[peripteral]] temple was constructed around 500-480 BC,{{sfn|Kenrick|2013|p=222}} It faced east and stood atop a three-stepped [[crepidoma]], with a length of 68.3 metres and a width of 30.4 metres,{{sfn|Dinsmoor|1950|p=86}} making it roughly the same size as the [[Temple of Zeus, Olympia|Temple of Zeus]] at [[Ancient Olympia|Olympia]] and the [[Parthenon]] at [[Athens]].{{sfn|Kenrick|2013|p=222}} The front porch ([[pronaos]]) was supported by two columns [[in antis]]; the back porch ([[opisthodomos]]) by three<!--Sic!--> columns in antis. The [[cella]] was two stories high and two rows of columns divided it into three aisles. The external colonnade ([[peripteros]]) has eight columns at the front and rear and seventeen columns on each of the long sides. It was destroyed in 115 AD during the Jewish sack of the city. Around 172-175 AD it was partially rebuilt as a non-peripteral temple. Between 185 and 192 AD, a colossal cult statue, modelled on the [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia]] was installed.{{sfn|Goodchild|Reynolds|Herington|1958|p=51-61}} The temple was destroyed once more in 365 AD by an earthquake and then burnt by Christians.{{sfn|Goodchild|Reynolds|Herington|1958|p=39}}

===East Church===


=== Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone ===
{{main|Extramural Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, Cyrene}}
The sanctuary to Demeter and Persephone, which includes a [[temple]] and theater complex, is located south of the Wadi Bil Ghadir ravine, outside the city walls.  The Sanctuary comprised structures sprawled out over twenty miles and are divided into three terraces: the Lower, Middle and Upper Sanctuaries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyrenaica.org/|title=Cyrenaica Archaeological Project|publisher=Cyrenacica.org|accessdate=19 November 2014|archive-date=21 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121141306/http://www.cyrenaica.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The archaeological remains date from the late seventh century BC to the mid-third century AD. During the time of this sacred activity at the Sanctuary a voluminous amount of [[votive]] material was accumulated in its interior: pottery, lamps, coinage, stone sculpture, jewellery, inscriptions, glass, as well as bronze and [[terracotta]] [[figurine]]s.  The pottery excavated at the Sanctuary provides useful evidence concerning both the question of its foundation and type of religious activity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sas.upenn.edu/aamw/resources/fieldwork/#Cyrene%20%28Libya%29|title=Mediterranean and Near Eastern Fieldwork at Penn|publisher=Sas.upenn.edu|accessdate=19 November 2014}}</ref>
=== Necropolis===
{{main|Necropolis of Cyrene}}
[[File:Cyrene (59) (8289473930).jpg|thumb|Rock-cut tombs in the [[necropolis of Cyrene]].]]
The necropolis consists of graves, rock-cut tombs, temple-tombs, and sarcophagi, dating from the sixth century BC until the fifth century AD. It covers about 20 km² to the south and north of the city, making it one of the largest known Greek necropoleis.{{sfn|Kenrick|2013|p=235}} The southern section has been encroached upon by the growing city of Shahat, especially after 2013, when many tombs were bulldozed.<ref name="ANN2013">{{cite web|url=https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.de/2013/08/ancient-libyan-necropolis-bulldozed.html|title=Ancient Libyan Necropolis Bulldozed|year=2013|work=Archaeology News Network|access-date=2023-09-23 |archive-date=2017-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021220351/https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.de/2013/08/ancient-libyan-necropolis-bulldozed.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The northern portion is better preserved. Several of the tombs of the Roman period have niches for portrait busts of the deceased. A common find are statues of the so-called "Goddess of Death", a female bust - often faceless - depicted in the process of unveiling herself.{{sfn|Kenrick|2013|p=238, 244-245}}

=== Water system ===
In October 2023, a flood exposed a water canal, possibly dating back to the Roman era.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-05 |title=Libya flood disaster damaged ancient city but revealed new remains |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/libya-flood-disaster-damaged-ancient-city-revealed-new-remains-2023-10-05/ |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>