Cyrenaica

Cyrenaica (the Pentapolis of Roman times) is a district of Africa exactly opposite to Greece, about 250 miles in length, and extending inland for 80 miles. It is protected from the winds of the Sahara by mountains which slope gradually to the sea, presenting a very varied climate and temperature, and producing most of the fruits of tropical and temperate climates, corn, wine, perfumed flowers, and a plant called silphium, for which the district was noted in ancient times. Kingsley in his Hypatia speaks of the wheat ships of Pentapolis. Originally colonised by Spartans, it afterwards became a Roman province. Constantine gave it the title of Libya Superior, and it was then a highly important possession. In the seventh century it fell into the hands of the Arabs.