Barca (Arabic: برقة, Barqa; Berber: Berqa), also called Barce (Greek: Βάρκη, Bárkē), was an ancient city and former bishopric, which survives as both a Latin Catholic and an Orthodox titular see.
Barca appears to be originally a settlement of the Libyan tribe Barraci. Later, around 560 BC Greek settlers from Cyrene colonized it and it became very powerful. Its name was Barce (Βάρκη). Later it was taken by the Persians, who moved most of its inhabitants to Bactria.[2] Then became a Roman and a Byzantine. It was in the coastal area of what is today Libya. As a Greek city, it was part of the Cyrenaican Pentapolis along with the city of Cyrene itself. Achaemenid king Darius I established Barcaean captives in a village in Bactria, which was still flourishing in Herodotus' time.[3]
According to most archeologists, it was situated at Marj, approximately 100 kilometers northeast of Benghazi, but according to Alexander Graham it was at Tolmeita (Ptolemais).[4] No remains of the ancient settlement are visible at Marj, but some of the finds made there during the Italian colonial dominance of Libya (1913–41) are on display in the museum at Tolmeita.
The city's name, Arabized as Barqah, came to refer to the former state and province of Cyrenaica.[5]
Since the Arab conquest
Main railway station in Italian Barce.
Barce was part of the Exarchate of Africa until it was conquered by the Arabs in 643–644 during the Islamic conquest of North Africa. It originally served as the capital of the Barqah province of the Caliphate. When the Ottoman Turks conquered the region in 1521, they used the Turkish form "Barka" for the province, but did not retain the city's status as its capital.
Barca and Christianity
Early Christianity spread to the Pentapolis of North Africa from Egypt. Synesius of Cyrene (370–414 AD), Bishop of Ptolemais, received his instruction at Alexandria in both the Catechetical School and the Museion, and he retained a great deal of reverence and affection for Hypatia, the last pagan Neoplatonist, whose classes he had attended. Synesius was raised to the episcopate by Theophilus, patriarch of Alexandria, in 410.
Also for the Catholic Church, Barca, no longer a residential bishopric, is today listed as a titular see.[15] Over the past century there have been 11 bishops of the Catholic titular See. The most recent has been Andraos Salama prior to his appointment as bishop of the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Giza.[16]
^Matthew S. Gordon; Chase F. Robinson; Everett K. Rowson; Michael Fishbein, eds. (2017). The Works of Ibn Wāḍiḥ al-Yaʿqūbī (Volume 1): An English Translation. Brill. p. 182. ISBN9789004364141.
^Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, Barca
^Graham, Alexander (1902) Roman Africa: an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa, based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country Longmans, Green, and Co., London, p. 312, OCLC 2735641
^"Barce" Encyclopædia Britannica (1964 edition) p. 153
^Atiya, Aziz S. "The Copts and Christian Civilization" Coptic.net, accessed 19 May 2009
^. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
^Mansi, Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, t. II, coll. 693 e 698.
barca, ancient, city, other, uses, barca, disambiguation, barca, arabic, برقة, barqa, berber, berqa, also, called, barce, greek, Βάρκη, bárkē, ancient, city, former, bishopric, which, survives, both, latin, catholic, orthodox, titular, barcaarabic, برقةshown, . For other uses see Barca disambiguation Barca Arabic برقة Barqa Berber Berqa also called Barce Greek Barkh Barke was an ancient city and former bishopric which survives as both a Latin Catholic and an Orthodox titular see BarcaArabic برقةShown within LibyaAlternative nameLatin Antaeopolis 1 LocationLibyaRegionMarj DistrictCoordinates32 29 54 N 20 53 34 E 32 498333 N 20 892778 E 32 498333 20 892778 Contents 1 History 1 1 Antiquity 1 2 Since the Arab conquest 2 Barca and Christianity 2 1 Orthodox titular see 2 2 Latin catholic titular see 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources and referencesHistory EditAntiquity Edit Coin minted in Barca in the Achaemenid Empire dated 475 435 BC Barca appears to be originally a settlement of the Libyan tribe Barraci Later around 560 BC Greek settlers from Cyrene colonized it and it became very powerful Its name was Barce Barkh Later it was taken by the Persians who moved most of its inhabitants to Bactria 2 Then became a Roman and a Byzantine It was in the coastal area of what is today Libya As a Greek city it was part of the Cyrenaican Pentapolis along with the city of Cyrene itself Achaemenid king Darius I established Barcaean captives in a village in Bactria which was still flourishing in Herodotus time 3 According to most archeologists it was situated at Marj approximately 100 kilometers northeast of Benghazi but according to Alexander Graham it was at Tolmeita Ptolemais 4 No remains of the ancient settlement are visible at Marj but some of the finds made there during the Italian colonial dominance of Libya 1913 41 are on display in the museum at Tolmeita The city s name Arabized as Barqah came to refer to the former state and province of Cyrenaica 5 Since the Arab conquest Edit Main railway station in Italian Barce Barce was part of the Exarchate of Africa until it was conquered by the Arabs in 643 644 during the Islamic conquest of North Africa It originally served as the capital of the Barqah province of the Caliphate When the Ottoman Turks conquered the region in 1521 they used the Turkish form Barka for the province but did not retain the city s status as its capital Barca and Christianity EditEarly Christianity spread to the Pentapolis of North Africa from Egypt Synesius of Cyrene 370 414 AD Bishop of Ptolemais received his instruction at Alexandria in both the Catechetical School and the Museion and he retained a great deal of reverence and affection for Hypatia the last pagan Neoplatonist whose classes he had attended Synesius was raised to the episcopate by Theophilus patriarch of Alexandria in 410 In accordance with a ruling of the Council of Nicaea in 325 Cyrenaica is recognized as ecclesiastically dependent on the See of Alexandria Pentapolis is therefore included in the titles used both by the patriarch of the Coptic Church 6 and by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria 7 Although it was often destroyed and then restored during the Roman period becoming a mere borough Barca was nevertheless the seat of a bishopric The bishops who participated in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 included the Arian Zopyros of Barca 8 Zenobius signed the acts of the Council of Ephesus in 431 9 and Theodorus took part in the Robber Council of Ephesus in 449 10 whose decisions were overthrown by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 11 12 13 14 Orthodox titular see Edit The Metropolitan of Western Pentapolis held the most senior position in the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church after that of the Pope of Alexandria Since the demise of that eparchy as a major Archiepiscopal Metropolis in the days of Pope John VI of Alexandria the position is held as a titular see attached to another Diocese Latin catholic titular see Edit Also for the Catholic Church Barca no longer a residential bishopric is today listed as a titular see 15 Over the past century there have been 11 bishops of the Catholic titular See The most recent has been Andraos Salama prior to his appointment as bishop of the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Giza 16 See also EditApollonia PtolemaisReferences Edit Matthew S Gordon Chase F Robinson Everett K Rowson Michael Fishbein eds 2017 The Works of Ibn Waḍiḥ al Yaʿqubi Volume 1 An English Translation Brill p 182 ISBN 9789004364141 Harry Thurston Peck Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities Barca Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica Graham Alexander 1902 Roman Africa an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country Longmans Green and Co London p 312 OCLC 2735641 Barce Encyclopaedia Britannica 1964 edition p 153 Atiya Aziz S The Copts and Christian Civilization Coptic net accessed 19 May 2009 The Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa Archived from the original on 14 August 2014 Retrieved 12 August 2014 Mansi Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio t II coll 693 e 698 Mansi op cit t IV coll 1221 e 1367 Mansi op cit volVI col 926 e 933 Michel Lequien Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus Paris 1740 Vol II coll 625 626 Pius Bonifacius Gams Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae Leipzig 1931 p 462 Raymond Janin v Barca in Dictionnaire d Histoire et de Geographie ecclesiastiques vol VI 1932 coll 669 670 Louis Petit Barca in Catholic Encyclopedia New York 1907 Archived 19 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Annuario Pontificio 2013 Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978 88 209 9070 1 p 846 David Cheney Diocese of Barca at Catholic Hierarchy org Sources and references Edit Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Barca Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Barca Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Butler The Arab Conquest of Egypt p 430 Heinrich Gelzer Patrum Nicaenorum nomina p 231 Marquardt Staatsverwaltung I p 459 Westermann Grosser Atlas zur Weltgeschichte in German Coordinates 32 29 54 N 20 53 34 E 32 49833 N 20 89278 E 32 49833 20 89278 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Barca ancient city amp oldid 1128284610, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
