Cyrenean/Kyrenean Greeks (630-74 BC)
DBA 24e
According to Greek mythology, Cyrene (Kyrene) was the daughter of the naiad Creusa and the mortal Hypseus, king of the Lapiths. Apollo fell in love with her and took her to Africa, where he built her a city (called Cyrene), in the region that came to be known as Cyrenaica in eastern Libya. Herodotus tells a slightly different tale regarding the founding of Cyrene (or modern Shahat) circa 630 BC. According to the Histories, Grinus of Thera received a oracle at Delphi that Thera should found a colony in Libya. No notice was taken by the Therans of the oracle, until their island was afflicted with seven years of terrible drought. A visit to Delphi to determine the cause of their woes produced the advice that "that if they and Battus would make a settlement at Cyrene in Libya, things would go better with them."
Not knowing quite where Libya was, the Theran elders searched far and wide for a guide, finally finding a cloth merchant who offered to lead them to the island of Platea off the Libyan coast. After reconnoitering the island, the advance party returned to Thera where the elders drafted colonists by lots and put them under the command of Battus with two penteconters. Not long after setting out, the would-be colonists attempted to return to Thera, but were driven off with showers of missiles. They eventually settled on Platea, but the drought continued in Thera and another oracle chided the Therans for not establishing their settlement on the mainland of Libya. This they finally did, convincing Battus and the Therans on Platea to shift the colony to Aziris on the Libyan mainland, where they struggled for six years. Finally, the native Libyans led the Theran colonists to the west, across the rich district of Irasa in the dead of night, to a high plateau on the upper slopes of Jabal Al-Akhdar, overlooking the sea. Here there was a spring, dedicated to Apollo, which was named Cyre (Kyre).
During the reigns of Battus (40 years) and his son Arcesilaus (16 years), the colony struggled. During the rein of the third king, Battus the Happy, however, the oracle at Delphi encouraged the migration of Greeks to Cyrene, and the multitude of new settlers expanded outward to form new settlements and seize lands from the neighboring Libyans. The Libyan king Adicran appealed to Egypt for aid, prompting the Pharoah Apries to lead a large army against Cyrene, blissfully ignorant of the military prowess of Greek hoplites. The Cyrenaeans soundly defeated Apries, and his defeat prompted an Egyptian revolt in 570 BC.
In subsequent years, Cyrene and its port at Apollonia (Marsa Sousa) became the chief town of the Lydian region between Egypt and Carthage, and traded with all the major Greek cities, reaching the height of its prosperity in the 5th century BC. Greek colonists continued to overflow the city, creating new cities and ports, which operated within the Cyrenean sphere.
In 460 BC, Cyrene overthrew the Battiad Monarchy and became a republic. The city was subsequently absorbed into Alexander's Macedonian empire, but revolted against Macedonian rule when Alexander died in 323 BC. Cyrene was then annexed by Ptolemy I, who successfully put down the revolt (which was more in the nature of a civil war) in 322 BC. The Macedonian Ophellas was appointed Ptolemy's governor but ruled as an independent leader. Ophellas took an Cyrenean army with Athenian allies to support Agathokles of Syracuse against the Carthaginians in the first Punic War, but was murdered for his troubles in 308 BC. Again Cyrenea rebelled against Ptolemaic rule, but after five years Ptolemy's half-brother Magas (son of Berenice) was able to capture Cyrene and establish himself as governor.
After a time, Magas fashioned himself as king of Cyrene in 283 BC and planned an invasion of Egypt. Ptolemy hired mercenaries and garrisoned the frontier in anticipation of their advance, but the Cyrene army was forced to turn back to deal with the revolt of the Marmaridae, a tribe of Libyan nomads. His military plans thwarted, Magas turned to political intrique. Using his marriage ties to Apame, daughter of Antiochus, Magas persuaded Antiochus to break the treaty which his father Seleucus had made with Ptolemy and to attack Egypt. Although Antiochus' plans failed to come to fruition, the threat distracted Ptolemy's attention from Cyrene. Magas ruled until his death in 250 BC, whereupon Cyrene was reabsorbed by Egypt.
During the subsequent period of loose Ptolemaic rule, the Cyrenaican cities continued to grow and were equipped with permanent defensive walls. The old port of Barca was greatly expanded and renamed Ptolemais. Euesperides (Beaghazi) was renamed Berenice, and Taucheira (Tocra) became Arsinoe. Cyrene's port at Apollonia was recognized as an independent city, and the region of Cyrenaica became known as the Pentapolis or the land of the five cities.
According to Polybios, the Cyreneans revolted against Ptolemy Physkon in 163 BC. In a pitched battle, Physkon drove off the Cyreneans Libyan allies but was unable to crack the Cyrenean phalanx. The defeat was not decisive, however, as he was able to eventually restore Ptolomaic rule.
In 96 B.C. the region of Cyrenaica was willed by Ptolemy Apion to Rome as an independent kingdom. The quaestor Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus arrived in 74 BC and officially annexed the region as a Roman province, thus ending this army list. The city of Cyrene thrived under Roman rule until factions within the city rebelled during the Jewish revolt of 115 AD. The heavy-handed Roman General Marcus Turbo suppressed the rebellion by killing over 20,000 civilians and destroying much of the city, which never fully recovered.
Army List
The following army lists are based on a loose conversion of DBM(2d) List 56 (Kyrenean Greek - 630-74 BC), and will most likely be superceded by a specific DBA 2.0 list when those rules are published:
Greek Cyrene (630-313 BC) -- 1x Cv or LCH or Sp (General),
3 x Sp (Hoplites) or LCh, 3 x Sp (Hoplites), 1 x Ps (Archers/Slingers), 3 x Ps (Javelins)
1 x Ps (Libyan allies) Ophellan Cyrene (313-308 BC) -- 1 x Kn or LCH (General with Companions), 2 x Pk (Macedonian garrison), 1 x Ax (Macedonian peltasts) or Ps (archers/slingers), 1 x Sp (Cyrenean Hoplites) or LCh, 2 x Sp (Cyrenean Hoplites), 2 x Sp (Athenian Hoplites), 3 x Ps (Javelins and Libyan allies) Ptolemaic Cyrene (308-74 BC) -- 1 x Kn (General with Household Cavalry), 1 x Ax (Household infantry), 1 x Ps (Cretan mercenary archers or other archers/slingers), 2 x Pk or Ax (other mercenaries), 4 x Sp (Hoplites), 2 x Ps (Javelins and Libyan allies)
Notes: Four horse Libyan-style chariots with javelin armed crews are allowed only before 275 BC. I have dropped them from the Ptolemaic list as being archaic, but the DBM allows them in the early period of the list. Knights are permitted only after 313 BC and are comparable to Macedonian companions. Two Pike elements in the Ophellan and Ptolemaic lists are probably excessive, but provides some play balance. As an alternative, exchange the second element of Pike for an additional element of Psiloi.
Bernd Lehnhoff also offers the following conversion of the DBM 1st edition Kyrenean Greek List (313-74 BC): 1 Kn3* [or (until 274 BC) LCH*], 1 Ps2 or Cv3 [or (until 274 BC) LCH], 4 Sp4, 2 Sp4 or 2 Pk4 or 2 Ax4, 4 Ps2.
Enemies
Later Libyans (#14b), Saitic Egyptians (#29), Early and Later Ptolemaic Egypt (#42a & b). Hypothetical enemies might include Marian Romans (#52) in a civil war/revolt scenario. A Cyrenean army could also be employed in a double DBA game as allies of Syracuse against the Early Carthaginans in a 1st Punic War scenario.
Camps
Classical camps might include city walls, the spring at Cyre, and/or a temple to Apollo. Since the Cyrenes were known for transporting their hoplites to battle in carts, a wagon park of sorts might also make an interest subject.
Miniatures
Depending on the period chosen, a Cyrenean Greek army can be easily pieced together using miniatures from the classical or hellenistic Greek, Macedonian Successor, and early Libyan ranges offered by various manufacturers.
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Last Updated: July 28, 2000
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