Antiquity, was a title or surname borne by several ancient kings, being formed from the Greek φίλος, friend, and ἀδελφός, brother; that is, one who loves his brother or brethren.

Phileni were two brothers, citizens of Carthage, who sacrificed their lives for the benefit of their country. At the time when the Carthaginians ruled over the greater part of Africa, the Cyrenians were also a great and wealthy people. The intervening country being all sandy, and of an uniform appearance, there was neither river nor mountain to distinguish their limits; a circumstance which involved them in frequent disputes and contentions. After their armies and fleets had often been routed and put to flight on both sides, and they had weakened one another greatly, fearing lest, by and by, some third people should fall upon the conquered and the conquerors, both parties agreed to a cessation of arms, which was followed by an engagement, "that upon a day appointed deputies should set out from their respective homes, and the place where they met one another should be accounted the common boundary of both nations." Accordingly, the two brothers called Phileni, when sent from Carthage, made all despatch to perform their journey. The Cyrenians, who proceeded more slowly, found themselves somewhat late; and becoming apprehensive of punishment for mismanaging the affair, charged the Carthaginians with setting out before the appointed time, and made a mighty bustle about it, being resolved not to be overreached. But as the Carthaginians declared their willingness to accept any other terms, provided only these were fair, the Cyrenians made this proposal to the Carthaginians, viz. either to be buried alive in the place which they claimed as the boundary to their nation, or to advance forward to whatever place they inclined upon the same condition. The Phileni accepted the offer, and, sacrificing themselves to their country, were actually buried alive. In the spot where they were interred the Carthaginians dedicated to the memory of the two brothers altars, which, being called Are Philenorum, served as a boundary to the empire of the Carthaginians, which now extended from this monument to the Pillars of Hercules, or, according to the observations of the moderns, about 1420 geographical miles. Sallust, in his history of the Jugurthan war, records the singular circumstance here related.