Ptolemais and Apollonia. Some Remarks about the Planning and Functioning of Two Port Cities in Cyrenaica

As such, both port cities shared many similarities. In the Archaic period they were set up as out-ports for inland cities – Barca and Cyrene respectively. Simple harbours were transformed into urban centres under the rule of Ptolemies when they received the status of polis. Then, the vibrant port cities flourished in the Roman period. Finally, their importance increased after the administrative reform of Diocletian when they consecutively became the capital of the newly established province Libya Inferior. Both port cities functioned continuously until the Arab conquest in the middle of the 7th century AD and the most abundant information on the cities’ layout and architecture come from the last stage of their existence. Nevertheless, despite these geographical and historical similarities, in the Hellenistic period some important differences in their planning and functioning are to be observed. Obviously, the shape, size and urban layout of Ptolemais and Apollonia resulted from their specific landforms, yet it seems that their development was primarily the consequence of the complex history of their relationships with their mother towns, Barca and Cyrene.