Ptolemais, Cyrenaica

Ptolemais
Πτολεμαΐς
Ruins of Ptolemais
Ptolemais, Cyrenaica is located in Libya
Ptolemais, Cyrenaica
Shown within Libya
LocationNear Tolmeita, Libya
RegionCyrenaica
Coordinates32°42′25″N 20°57′10″E / 32.7069°N 20.9529°E / 32.7069; 20.9529
TypeSettlement
History
Founded3rd century BC
Abandoned7th century AD
PeriodsHellenistic period to Byzantine Empire
Site notes
ConditionIn ruins

Ptolemais (Greek: Πτολεμαΐς) was one of the five cities that formed the Pentapolis of Cyrenaica, the others being Cyrene, Euesperides (later known as Berenice, now Benghazi), Tauchira/Teuchira (later Arsinoe, and now Tocra), and Apollonia (now Susa).[1]

Its ruins are at a small village in modern Libya called Tolmeita (Arabic طلميتة), after the ancient name.[2]

  1. ^ Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya: Continuity and Change (Routledge 2013 ISBN 9781136824050), p.3
  2. ^ Jane Soames Nickerson (Biblo & Tannen Publishers 1968 ISBN 9780819602190), p. 20