Early Urbanism in Cyrenaica: New Evidence from Euesperides (Benghazi)

Abstract

AbstractExcavations by the Department of Antiquities, Benghazi, Garyunis University, Benghazi and the Society for Libyan Studies took place at the site of Euesperides for a total of seven weeks in 1995 and 1996. Work was concentrated on the northern margins of the city, where much new evidence for its topography and development came to light. The discoveries include successive fortification walls (the earlier of which may belong to c. 600 BC), part of a necropolis, and a large extramural kiln complex of the fourth/third centuries. Evidence bearing on the infrastructure, economy, diet and cultural life of this early Cyrenaican city, which was abandoned by the mid third century BC, was also recovered.