A Forgotten Treasure of Cyrene

The article examines human interaction with the natural environment in antiquity with a specific focus on Cyrene during the period from the sixth century B.C. to the first century A.D. The object of this examinationis silphium, a largely forgotten plant for which ancient Cyrenaica was famous. Relyingon an interdisciplinary approach, the author analyzes written and material (mainly numismatic) evidence to demonstrate how and why the discovery of silphium led to the flourishing of Cyrene, and the ways in which the undermining of environmental balance affected Cyrenaica.