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Berenice (Ancient Greek: Βερενίκη), was an ancient Greek and Roman era city near Benghazi in today's Libya, named after Berenice II of Egypt. The city was located on a raised piece of land in what is now the Eastern Benghazi suburb of Sebkha Es-Selmani (Es-Selmani Marsh).[1]
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Founded as a Greek Colony, the city became Roman when Cyrenaica became a Roman province by being bequeathed to Rome by Ptolemy Apion on his death in 96 BC.[2] At first, the Romans gave Berenice and the other cities of the Pentapolis their freedom. By 78 BC however, Cyrenaica was formally organised as one administrative province together with Crete. It became a senatorial province in 20 BC, like its far more prominent western neighbour Africa proconsularis. Diocletian in 296, made Cyrenaica into two provinces: Libya Inferior and Libya Superior (which comprised Berenice and the other cities of the Pentapolis, with Cyrene as capital). Berenice prospered for most of its 600 years as a Roman city
Many structures were built in Roman Berenice, and mosaics were to be found on the floors of several important buildings. A public bath,[3] and churches were built in the city later on in its history.[3]
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During Pagan times, the worship of Apollo was very important in Berenice. There was also a Jewish community in Berenice with a synagogue.[4] Many of the early Christians were non-trinitarian Sabellians and Carpocrations. After the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Cyrenaica had been recognized as an ecclesiastical province of the See of Alexandria.[5] Here it was also the seat of an ancient bishopric of the Roman province of Libya Pentapolitana (Cirenaica).[6][7] Today Berenice survives as a titular bishopric,[8] but the seat is vacant since October 27, 1968.[9]
By 431 Bernice was conquered by the Arian Vandals. In the 6th century and the city came under the rule of the Orthodox Justinian I.
Known bishops
- Ammon (fl.260)
- Dachis (fl.325) (Arian)
- Probazio (fl.394)
- Thomas Francis Hickey (18 February 1905 – 18 January 1909 succeeded Catholic bishop of Rochester)
- Ovide Charlebois, (August 8, 1910 – November 20, 1933, deceased)
- Alphonse Joseph Matthijsen (Matthysen), (December 11, 1933 – November 10, 1959 appointed bishop of Bunia)
- Joseph Maria Phâm-Nang-Tinh (March 5, 1960 – November 24, 1960 appointed bishop of Bùi Chu)
- Antonius Hofmann (September 20, 1961 – October 27, 1968 succeeded bishop of Passau)
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