This article discusses the origin of the three dynastic settlements, which the Ptolemies (re) founded in Cyrenaica: Arsinoe-Taucheira, Ptolemais near Barca and Berenike near Euesperides. The evidence for the dating of the foundation of Ptolemais is re-examined and a papyrological text introduced, which has so far been ignored by previous scholars. This text unambiguously attests citizens of Ptolemais near Barca as early as 252 BC in Egypt. It refutes the commonly accepted argument that all three Ptolemaic cities were founded under Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-221 BC) and within the same framework of administrative-political concerns. It will be suggested that Ptolemy I Soter had the motifs, opportunity and resources to found Ptolemais as early as the end of the fourth century BC. Several papyri further emphasise that despite the almost simultaneous demise of Euesperides and rise of Berenike nearby, ethnic designations for these two cities were simultaneously in use throughout Ptolemaic Egypt until at least the end of the third century BC.

Working with the Libyan Department of Antiquity, the Mission of the University Roma Tre in Lepcis Magna undertook, in April-May 1997 and 1998, an intensive topographic research in a broad coastal sample of the Lepcis Magna territory, west of Khoms and around the Roman villa of Sīlīn (site 29)(Fig. 1). The survey, in an area of about 20 square Km Dounded to the East by wādī al-Ṭūra/al-Fānī and to the West on wādī Jabrūn was conducted by a mixed Italian-Libyan team, consisting of five archaeologists on average; the sample depth was fixed to the South at 3 km from the coast line. The map S. 2190 III, Al-Quṣbat, on a scale of 1:50.000 was used as cartography.

One of the more unusual attractions in Windsor Great Park is the folly beside the lake at Virginia Water. Built in the 1820's in the form of an idealised Classical ruin, it incorporates a large collection of Roman antiquities from the site of Lepcis Magna in Libya. Considering the importance of this monument, not only as one of the most elaborate follies, but one of largest assemblages of Roman architectural fragments in the country, it has received relatively little scholarly attention. As a consequence, in the summer of 2003 a thorough survey and partial excavation of the site were undertaken. The results of this work, a detailed plan of the ruins, a catalogue of the items remaining and new evidence for the origin, construction and history of the site, are presented. The provenance of the Roman elements will be examined in greater detail in part 2.

Uranium/Thorium (U/Th) and 226Ra dating has been applied to spring deposits in order to determine the timing of the drying up of springs in the Wādī al-Ajāl, Fazzān, Libya. These dates are compared with results of archaeological surveys of irrigation structures and archaeobotanical studies of plant remains to further our understanding of the factors that controlled the introduction of irrigated agriculture, its nature and timing.

Though there are still important gaps in our understanding, the results suggest that by 3,100 ±125 BP surface water was either very scarce or nonexistent at the base of the escarpment, although the water table was probably very near the surface at the base of the Wādī in the vicinity of Jarma. Archaeobotanical evidence indicates that irrigated agriculture was introduced in the early part of the first millennium BC, soon after the desiccation of the springs and presumably in response to the fall in the water table and the increasingly scarce availability of surface water. No irrigation structures have been found that relate to this period, but the most likely scenario involves wells tapping the near surface water in the vicinity of Jarma. The earliest irrigation systems are foggaras which archaeological evidence suggests were probably introduced by the final few centuries BC, and definitely before the fourth century AD. The extensification of agriculture associated with extensive foggara development broadly corresponds with archaeobotanical evidence for an intensification and diversification of agriculture involving the introduction of a farming system utilising both winter and summer crops. There are likely to be strong connections between these two developments and that of the rise of the Garamantes.

This paper, prepared at the request of the Department of Antiquities of Benghazi, reports on severe erosion of the exposed seaward escarpment of the ancient site of Tocra after recent winter storms. A brief measured survey by the authors and comparison with a plan of the site made in 1966, demonstrated that up to 20 m of the coastline has been lost in 40 years. A photographic survey made at the same time records a number of new discoveries, exposed as a consequence of increasing erosion of the escarpment.

The authors believe that continuing annual erosion of the seaward facing part of the town is a serious problem requiring urgent action by the highest authorities.

In 1998 a mile-station was discovered along the ancient coastal road 1400 m east of Abu Kammash, a centre identified with ancient Pisida on the basis of the Roman itineraries: the Itinerarium Antonini records a distance of 54 miles from Sabratha; the Tabula Peutingeriana of only 53. The Department of Antiquity of Sabratha in collaboration with the Archaeological Mission of the University Roma Tre recovered a milestone of Caracalla (216 AD) and another of Diocletian and Maximian (290-292 AD). Both bear the number of 54 miles, a distance evidently reckoned from the city of Sabratha, in perfect accordance with the figure of the Itinerarium Antonini.

In 1820, when he had already been six years in Tripoli, the British Consul General, Colonel Hanmer Warrington, acquired a small country estate about a mile beyond the city walls. The move had political implications that he may not have considered or appreciated at the time. But the fact that for a quarter of a century (1820-46) Consul Warrington lived most of the year, and eventually all the year, in this so-called ‘English Garden’ in the oasis-suburb of the menscia brought this influential, larger-than-life figure into much closer, personal contact with local dissident and opposition figures than he would ever have done had he been always shut up in town. In the decade 1832-42 Consul Warrington's official diplomatic position in Tripoli, together with his informal role as doyen of the menscia residents, placed him in a unique position to meddle and mediate in the affairs of the Regency of Tripoli. Such was the case under the semi-independent Karamanli regime and, after 1835, under the Ottoman Turkish administration ruling direcdy from Constantinople. Although the rewards of this risky policy might have been spectacular for Warrington and for Great Britain (and they were nearly achieved in 1842), such success was elusive.

Three years ago, a reader of this Journal sent a photograph of an elaborate drawing from Garian, a town in the Jabal Nafusa region to the south of Tripoli and asked what information could be found about it. Noticing a similarity to another photographed drawing published by Paula Hardy (2002, 120-21) we asked Richard Simpson, an expert on World War II nose art, to give an opinion. Both images date to the Second World War and are examples of military artwork of that time.

I became President of the Society at the end of 1998. The following six years, and those immediately preceding them, saw the most positive developments in Libya's history of recent times, perhaps of any times. I have been asked to give a brief account of them.

This article reports on the sixth season of the ongoing project at Euesperides (Benghazi). Excavation in Area P established the date of construction of the penultimate phase (and therefore of the plain pebble mosaic with inscription published last year) as 300-282 BC, following the abandonment and demolition of the antepenultimate phase beneath it. An area used for the preparation and cutting of the materials employed in the final-phase mosaics has been identified. In Area Q the dismantling of the street sequence was completed, and the W building fronting the street found to date from the fifth century BC. In Area R the crushed deposits of Murex shell were removed and working surfaces associated with purple dye production defined. Geological investigations to the west of the city revealed a possible location for the ancient harbour, and showed that the waterlogged deposits of the former sebkha are a good source for further palaeoenvironmental research.

Study of the finds also continued. Further work on reconstructing the design of the final phase mosaic in Area P suggests a central motif probably of two dolphins set within a wave-crest surround. The initial results of the analysis of the mosaic samples taken from the final-phase Building A are presented. The study of the wall plaster fragments was begun, enabling some preliminary observations on the decoration. New forms of local black glaze pots have been recovered this year along with fineware imports from Attica, Corinth, East Greece, south Italy and the Punic world throwing light on the interrelations between Euesperides and the Mediterranean world from the fifth to third centuries BC. Full quantification of the coarse pottery assemblages continued this season, doubling the dataset of fully recorded pottery, whilst detailed analysis of vessel forms and their variations identified production techniques and chronological developments of vessel shapes within the local and imported wares. The study of the amphorae identified more Punic amphorae and an unusual basket-handled amphora which may be of Cypriot origin. Initial assessments of environmental and faunal remains were conducted.