Author(s):
Huß, Werner (Bamberg)
|
Niemeyer, Hans Georg (Hamburg)
This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre | Caesar | Africa | Wine | | Coloniae | Africa | Commerce | Colonization | Limes | Phoenicians, Poeni | Punic Wars | Punic Wars | Rome | Rome (Λέπτις μεγάλη,
Léptis megálē, Punic
Lpqj) ([1. 39-48]). [German version] A. History Originally settled by Phoenicians, the modern Lebda in Libya ([2. 36f., 74]; Sall. Iug. 78,1; 4; Sil. Pun. 3,256; Plin. HN 5,76?). Frequently given the epithet
Megálē/
Magna (‘great’), to differentiate it from Leptis Minor (Plin. HN 5,27; Ptol. 4,3,13; Stadiasmus maris magni 93; Sol. 27,8; Tab. Peut. 7,4; Procop. Aed. 6,4; Procop. Vand. 2,21,2; 13; 15; [5. no. 284]). Several Greek and Roman authors call it Neapolis (Ps.-Scyl. 109f.; Str. 17,3,18; Plin. HN 5,27; Dionys. Per. 205; Ptol. 4,3,13). So perhaps it was originally called
Qrtḥdšt (‘New-Town’). Leptis Magna (LM) developed into the most important city in Tripolitania, not least because of its trading links, which reached far into the interior of Africa. Carthage obliged the city to pay direct taxation ([2. 46813]; Liv. 34,62,3). Sometime in the middle of the 60s of the 2nd cent. BC Massinissa attacked cities and districts on the little Syrte as well as the Emporia (‘trading posts’) and LM was among these. Rome eventually decided in favour of LM ([2. 431]; Pol. 31,21). In 111 BC the city received the
amicitia societasque populi Romani and in 108 BC the prote…