or Pentapolis, in Ancient Geography, a district of Africa, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, lying exactly opposite to Greece in a southerly direction, at the distance of about 250 miles. It received the name of Cyrenaica from Cyrene, its chief city; and that of Pentapolis from the fact of its containing five principal cities, Berenic or Hesperus, Barce, Cyrene, Apollonia, and Arsinoe. The district included that portion of the African continent which stretched from the borders of Africa Propria, beginning at the town of Ara Philemon on the west, to the frontier of Egypt on the east. The breadth of the district, measuring from the Mediterranean to the confines of the great desert, is about 80 miles. On its southern frontier Cyrenaica is protected from the scorching winds of the Sahara by a range of lofty mountains which descend in gradual slopes to the sea, producing thus within a small compass a great variety of climate and temperature. From this circumstance the vegetable products of Cyrenaica comprise almost every species to be found both in the tropical and temperate zones; and as its position was admirably adapted for commerce, nothing was wanting but an enterprising population to turn these advantages to account, and make the country one of the most valuable in the world. The people of Thera, under Battus a native of that island, were the first to colonize Cyrenaica. After a slight opposition from the native tribes, they established themselves in the country, and founded Cyrene B.C. 631. Other cities soon began to spring up in advantageous situations, which acknowledged Cyrene as the capital of the country, but were really quite independent of it, and at length threw off its yoke altogether. After the invasion of Cambyses the regal form of government was entirely abolished, and the republican substituted in its room. Under the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt (with which country Cyrenaica was incorporated B.C. 321), Cyrenaica rose into great importance from the extent and value of its commerce. At the beginning of the first century B.C. it was bequeathed by will to the Romans by Apion, the last lineal representative of the Ptolemies. Soon afterwards it became a Roman province, and along with the island of Crete was governed by a Roman proconsul. The commercial prosperity of Cyrenaica, however, continued unimpaired till the revolt of the Jews in the province during the reign of Trajan. This revolt was only quelled after the most bloody atrocities had been perpetrated on both sides; and the population was so much diminished in the contest, that the native tribes recommenced their incursions, and overrun the province up to the walls of the principal cities. In the middle of the seventh century of the Christian era the whole country passed into the hands of the Saracens. From that time till the present the country has been occupied by tribes of wandering Arabs nominally subject to the pasha of Tripoli. See Beechy's Expedition; Paech; Barth, &c.