Marmarica (Ancient Greek:Μαρμαρική,Arabic:مراقيه,romanized: Maraqiyah[1]) inancient geography was a littoral area inAncient Libya, located betweenCyrenaica andAegyptus.[2] It corresponds to what is now theLibya andEgypt frontier, including the towns ofBomba (ancientPhthia),Timimi (ancientPaliurus),Tobruk (ancientAntipyrgus),Acroma (ancientGonia),Bardiya,As-Salum, andSidi Barrani (ancientZygra). The territory stretched to the far south, encompassing theSiwa Oasis, which at the time was known for its sanctuary to the deityAmun. The eastern part of Marmarica, by some geographers considered a separate district between Marmarica and Aegyptus, was known asLibycus Nomus. Inlate antiquity, Marmarica was also known asLibya Inferior, while Cyrenaica was known asLibya Superior.
Libya is found in Africa and is located west of the Nile, more precisely west of the mouth of the Nile atCanopus. ThePeriplus of Pseudo-Scylax names the Adyrmachidae as the first people of Libya (Africa).Marmarica proper was delimited towards the east by the escarpment ofCatabathmus Magnus, now known asAkabah el-Kebir, at Salum.
Under theRoman Empire, Marmarica included theLibycus Nomus, located between the Catabathmus and the Bay of Plinthine (Sinus Plinthinetes). This area had formerly been considered part of Egypt. The city ofParaetonium (alsoAmmonia, modernMersa Matruh) was the westernmost town of Egypt, for which reason it together withPelusium was known as the "horns of Egypt". About 10 stadia west of Paraetonium wasApis, marking the border to the Libyan Nomos.Menelaus Portus (near modernZawiyat Umm Rukbah), according to tradition founded byMenelaus, was known as the site of the death ofAgesilaus II.
The inhabitants of Marmarica were known generically asMarmaridae (Μαρμαρίδαι),[3] but they are given the special names ofAdyrmachidae (Ἀδυρμαχίδαι) andGiligammae (Γιλιγάμμαι and Γιλιγάμβαι) in the coastal districts, and ofNasamones (Νασαμῶνες) andAugilae (Αὔγιλαι and Αὐγιλίται) in the interior. The Adyrmachidae are said to have differed considerably from the nomadic tribes of the country, strongly resembling the Egyptians.The territory south of the Libyan Nomos was inhabited by theAmmonii (Ἀμμώνιοι), centered on the celebrated and fertile oasis of Ammon (Siwa)
Both Cyrenaica and Marmarica were included in thediocese of Egypt in the 4th century, within the largerPraetorian prefecture of the East (whileTripolitania was in thePraetorian prefecture of Italy).
Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Marmarica or Libya Inferior listed in theAnnuario Pontificio astitular sees:[4]
For the sees of Libya Superior seeCyrenaica.
