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Ptolemais (Greek: Πτολεμαΐς) was one of the five cities that formed the Pentapolis of Cyrenaica, the others being Cyrene, Euesperides (later Berenice, and now Benghazi), Tauchira/Teuchira (later Arsinoe, and now Tocra), and Apollonia (now Susa).〔(Ronald Bruce St John, ''Libya: Continuity and Change'' (Routledge 2013 ISBN 9781136824050), p.3 )〕 Its ruins are at a small village in modern Libya called Tolmeita (''Arabic'' طلميتة), after the ancient name.〔(Jane Soames Nickerson (Biblo & Tannen Publishers 1968 ISBN 9780819602190), p. 20 )〕 ==History== The city was founded by and named after one of the kings of Ptolemaic Egypt, probably Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BC). What had been a small Greek settlement of unknown name that originated in the late 7th century BC and that acted as a port for the city of Barca, 24 km inland, he transformed into a city that enclosed 280 hectares within its walls. Ptolemais probably served as the residence of the Ptolemaic governor of the region but, in spite of its large area, its population did not rival that of Cyrene, which under Roman rule became the capital of the region that, from then on, and still today, is called Cyrenaica. However, the term "Pentapolis" also continued to be used.〔(O. Brogan, "Ptolemais (Tolmeta), Cyrenaica, Libya" in Richard Stillwell et alii, ''The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites'' (Princeton University Press 1976) )〕〔(Colin McEvedy, ''Cities of the Classical World'' (Penguin UK 2011 ISBN 9780141967639) )〕 Ptolemais became a Roman possession in 96 BC. It was soon included in the Roman province of Creta et Cyrenaica. With Diocletian's alteration of the administrative structure, Ptolemais became the capital of the province of Libya Superior or Libya Pentapolis. It later decayed and was replaced as capital of the province by Apollonia.〔 In 365 a major earthquake struck the region and destroyed all the five major cities of the Pentapolis. Ptolemais survived the tragedy in relatively good condition. It served as capital of Cyrenaica until 428. The city was destroyed by the Vandals after they established their kingdom in 439. During the reign of Justinian I the city was rebuilt, but it never regained its powers and was again destroyed by the Arabs in the 7th century. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ptolemais, Cyrenaica」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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