Cinyps, Libya

Ka'am, Wadi Caam or Wadi Ka'am (Cinyps) is a small river in Tripolitana, site of a failed Greek attempt to build a city under the leadership of Dorieus.[1]

Source

The source of the river are in the 80km long Wadi Taraglat but they are all located at the coastal end of the Wadi in a part of the Wadi called Wadi Caam, whereas Herodotus had erroneously claimed that the source was near the Hill of Graces some 260km inland.[2]

History

The springs in Wadi Caam were the source of the water used in the Hadrianic baths of Leptis Magna with the water diversion scheme using the aqueduct built by Quintus Servillius Candidus in 119-120A.D..[2]

The Greeks under Dorieus of Sparta who was said to be angry because Cleomenes was chosen to be king of Sparta ahead of him left the Peloponnese to found his own colony He chose to found his colony at the mouth of the Cinyps. After three years, around 515B.C. they were expelled by the Carthaginians from Leptis Magna, in alliance with local Libyan tribes.[3]It was said to be the home of the Libyan tribe of the Macae, who were used as mercenaries by the Carthaginians.[4]

In Greek mythology one of the combatants in the Trojan War, Guneus and went to Libya after the war where he settled near the Cinyps River, although other myths have Guneus drowning at sea.[5]

Archaeologists have uncovered a Greek necropolis in Wadi Caam which dates to the 3rd century BC, it consists of a series of stone, box-shaped urns with the lids in the shape of a sloping roof and containing ashes and bones, as well as various types of ceramics.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Wadi Caam: The Greeks in Tripolitania!". Temehu. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 G. Cifani; M. Munzi (2003). "Alle sorgenti del Cynips Tripolitania Libya". Libyan Sudies. 34: 85–99.
  3. ↑ "Histories". A.D. Godley. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  4. ↑ Andrea Salimbeti; Raffaele D’Amato (2014). The Carthaginians 6th–2nd Century BC. Bloomsbury. p. 21. ISBN 1782007776.
  5. ↑ Bibliotheca, Epitome of Book 4, 3.11ff.; 6.15. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 899

Coordinates: 32°32′N 14°27′E / 32.533°N 14.450°E / 32.533; 14.450

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