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Cyrene
CYRE'NE (si're'ne).
A city founded by the Greeks upon a beautiful tableland eighteen hundred feet
above sea level. It was the capital of the district of Cyrenaica in Africa. It
was a Greek city but contained many Jews. Cyrene was represented in
Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts 2:10).
Simon, one of its people, helped
Jesus bear His
cross (Mt 27:32). Cyrenian Jews had a
synagogue at Jerusalem (Acts 6:9).
Cyrene was a great city in antiquity. The central part of the city was
surrounded by a wall four miles in circumference, but large temples and other isolated
structures stood far outside the walls. At its height it was said to have had
a population of more than 100,000. It was noted among the ancients for its
intellectual life, and its medical school was famous.
The city was devastated due to the Jewish revolt of A.D. 115-16 and the
measures taken by the Roman government to quell it. It was descibed as deserted in
the fourth century. Several fine buildings and some excellent sculpture were
excavated there early in this century.