# Priest of Apollo (Cyrene)

The priest of Apollo (Ancient Greek: ἱαρεὺς τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, romanized: hiareus tou Apollōnos) was the chief priesthood of Ancient Cyrene from the fifth century BC until the third century AD.
The priesthood was held for one year. According to the constitution of Cyrene issued by Ptolemy I in 322 BC, the priest had to be chosen from among the 101 members of the council of elders and had to be over the age of fifty. The priesthood was a highly symbolic role, acting as the chief representative of the city to the gods. The office was highly sought after by members of the Cyrenaean elite.
The priest was required to host several public banquets and carry out sacrifices at his own expense. The priest was the city's eponymous official, meaning that his name was used to date all civic documents produced during his year in office. Some priests also carried out building work within the sanctuary of Apollo. After his year in office the priest became a kind of "elder statesman" with privileged rights to attend various banquets and sacrifices.

## List of priests of Apollo at Cyrene

The dates and details for the priests of the 5th-1st centuries BC derive from Rosamilia 2023, pp. 99–106; IGCyr refers to the Inscriptions of Greek Cyrenaica (available here); IRCyr refers to the Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica (available here).
| Name | Date | Primary source | Note |
| Philon | End of 5th century BC | IGCyr 81200, l. 2 | |
| Philocomus | End of 5th century BC | IGCyr 81100, l. 2-3 | |
| Hermesander | End of 5th century BC | IGCyr 81100, l. 9, 25 l. 3 | Immediate successor of Philocomus |
| Philecis | ca. 390-370 BC | IGCyr 81200, l. 4 | |
| Anaxander | ca. 390-370 BC | IGCyr 81200, l. 5 | |
| Agonis son of Timocles | ca. 390-370 BC | IGCyr 81200, l. 1, 6, 10 | Last priest named on 25 |
| Ca[rtisthen]es son of Mnasias | ca. 365-350 BC | IGCyr 12500 | From a family of Olympic victors |
| Unknown | ca. 360-350 BC | IGCyr 20800 | His name was subsequently erased on IGCyr 20800 and replaced with that of Melanippus |
| Melanippus son of Aristander | ca. 350-340 BC | IGCyr 12400, 101700 and 20800 | |
| Eumelidas | ca. 350 BC | IGCyr 20900 | Probably buried at Ain Hofra |
| [Theuchres]tus son of Polytimus | ca. 350 BC | IGCyr 88100 | Also served as general |
| Iasis | ca. 345 BC | IGCyr 12200 | |
| Unknown son of [Po]lyanthes | ca. 345-338 BC | IGCyr 14800, ll. 3-4 | |
| -os son of Chi- | Before 337 BC | IGCyr 11700 | |
| -s son of A- | ca. 337 BC | IGCyr 94800 | |
| Iason son of Xouthos | ca. 336 BC | IGCyr 94800 | |
| Philothales son of Iason | ca. 335 BC | IGCyr 94800, 90 | Built the fountain northwest of the temple of Apollo |
| Epigenes son of Epitimidas | ca. 334 BC | IGCyr 94800 | |
| Cletomach[os] | ca. 333 BC | IGCyr 94800 | |
| Theochres[tus] | ca. 332 BC | IGCyr 94800 | |
| Sthen[on] | ca. 331 BC | IGCyr 94800 | Also served as nauarch |
| Timonax son of Agis | ca. 330 BC | IGCyr 94800, 11500 | |
| Sosias son of Calliadas | ca. 327-324 BC | IGCyr 10900 | |
| Peithagoras son of Anniceris | 323-320 BC | IGCyr 10800 | Served three terms in the period culminating in Ptolemy I's conquest of Cyrene; possibly spent those years in exile in Alexandria |
| Unknown son of -as | ca. 330-300 BC | IGCyr. 98400 | Built a fountain or stoa |
| Unknown | ca. 330-300 BC | IGCyr 22100 | |
| Bathycles | ca. 330-315 BC | IGCyr 13000 | |
| Euthycles son of Paraebatas | ca. 315 BC | IGCyr 11600 | His son also served as priest of Apollo |
| Ba[cal] son of Aeglanor | ca. 305-290 BC | IGCyr 92000 | Also served as nomophylax |
| Praxiadas son of Eu[cleidas] | ca. 300-290 BC | IGCyr 12700, 98200 | Built the Greek Propylon in the sanctuary of Apollo; his son may also have served as priest |
| Elaeitas son of [Theudor]us | ca. 300-290 BC | IGCyr 80500 | Built the Seat of Elaeitas in the sanctuary of Apollo; his son and grandson also served as priest |
| Magas | ca. 290-280 BC | IGCyr 63900 | Subsequently, ruled Cyrene as governor (303-276) and king (276-250) |
| Hiarocles | ca. 300-270 BC | IGCyr 9420 | |
| Unknown son of Elaeitas | ca. 275 BC | IGCyr 127800 | His father and his son or nephew also served as priests of Apollo |
| Unknown son of Philocomus | ca. 290-260 BC | IGCyr 22900 | |
| Iason son of Hippis | ca. 290-260 BC | IGCyr 95200 | |
| Nicobolus son of Iason | ca. 270 BC | IGCyr 65200 | Subsequently, also priest of King Magas |
| Unknown son of Hagesagoras | ca. 270 BC | | Identification as priest of Apollo uncertain |
| Cleuthemis son of Stasis | ca. 270-260 BC | IGCyr 65200, 93 | |
| Mnasarchus son of Theuchrestus | ca. 270-260 BC | IGCyr 98000 | |
| Cletomachus son of Praxiadas | ca. 270-260 BC | IGCyr 111100 | His father may also have served as priest. |
| Philinus son of Philinus | ca. 270-260 BC | IGCyr 9200, 13400 | Sometimes dated ca. 300 BC, but linguistic and palaeographical features of the inscription in which he is named suggest a similar date to Mnasarchus and Cletomachus. |
| Poly- | ca. 265-259 or 255 | 55 | Perhaps identical with the unknown son of Eucles |
| Unknown son of Eucles | ca. 259 BC | IGCyr 96700 | Perhaps identical with Poly- above |
| -staphan son of Itagus | ca. 258 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| -opus son of Polemarchus | ca. 257 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| Elaeitas II son of Theudorus | ca. 256 BC | IGCyr 96700 | His grandson and father or uncle also served as priests |
| [Pol]ydorus son of Polyanthes | ca. 255 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| Nautas son of Eumelidas | ca. 254 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| [I]ason son of Biander | ca. 253 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| [Po]seidis son of Theudorus | ca. 252 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| [Eu]tychus son of Heracleitus | ca. 251 BC | IGCyr 96700 | Possibly appointed by Ptolemy III and probably not Cyrenaean. |
| Glaucon son of Eteocles | ca. 250 BC | IGCyr 96700 | Ptolemaic appointee from Athens, brother of Chremonides. |
| [Etone]us son of Etoneus | ca. 249 BC | IGCyr 96700 | Ptolemaic appointee from the court at Alexandria, distantly related to Pelops, son of Pelops, governor of Cyprus (217-203 BC). |
| Unknown son of Nicanor | ca. 248 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| Unknown son of -toboulus | ca. 247 BC | IGCyr 96700 | |
| Unknown son of Zoelus | ca. 246-230 BC | IGCyr 127500 | His father was probably also priest |
| [Timonoth]us son of Com[atas] | ca. 246-220 BC | IGCyr 98100 | |
| Unknown name | ca. 230-200 BC | IGCyr 130300 | |
| Aristis son of Theudorus | ca. 230-200 BC | IGCyr 21000 | |
| Unknown son of [Cha]res | ca. 230-200 BC | IGCyr 64200 | The inscription that mentions him was found at Apollonia, so he may have been priest there, rather than at Cyrene. The father's name suggests an Athenian origin. |
| Unknown son of -es | ca. 230-200 BC | IGCyr 125600 | |
| Andreas | ca. 200 BC | IGCyr 15200 | |
| Alexander | ca. 220-180 BC | IGCyr 20400 | |
| Philoxenus | ca. 200 BC | IGCyr 98500 | The inscription is fragmentary; Philoxenus may actually be the priest's patronymic |
| Hagesistratus son of Po- | ca. 220-200 BC | IGCyr 95150, 14300 | The patronymic might be Po[lon] or Po[lyanthes] |
| ...nto. | ca. 200 BC | IGCyr 98300 | |
| Unknown son of -phanes | ca. 220-170 BC | IGCyr 95300 | |
| [Bac]al son of -enes | 3rd century BC? | IGCyr 97850 | |
| Unknown name | ca. 220-180 BC | IGCyr 18900 | The inscription's traces include the name Aris[toteles] son of So[sis] (see below), but he may not be named here as priest. |
| [Eu]anthes son of [Eu]phris | ca. 220-180 BC | IGCyr 108700 | |
| Ptolemy VIII | 163-145 BC | Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae 12.73, quoting Ptolemy's autobiography | Ptolemy held the office at some point during his period as ruler of Cyrene. |
| A- | 139-132 BC | IGCyr 11100 | |
| Aristoteles son of Sosis | ca. 140-100 BC | IGCyr 86400 | |
| Melanippus | ca. 96-90 BC | Plutarch, Moralia 255e-257e | Killed by the tyrant Nicocrates, who took the position for himself. |
| Nicocrates | ca. 96-85 BC | Plutarch, Moralia 255e-257e | Ruled Cyrene as tyrant until murdered by his wife Aretaphila. He may have held the priesthood for several years. |
| Alexander | ca. 100 BC | IRCyr M.164 | |
| Asclapus son of Asclapus | ca. 100-50 BC | IRCyr C.269 | |
| Ca- | 67 BC | IRCyr C.688 | An alternative dating of 75 BC is less likely. |
| [A]rimman son of Arimman | 1st century BC? | IRCyr C.259 | Dedicated a structure of some kind during his priesthood. Perhaps also served as gymnasiarch |
| Dam- | 1st century BC | IRCyr C.294 | |
| Eubates | 1st century BC | IRCyr C.94 | |
| Poseidonius | 1st century BC | IRCyr C.93, 308 | |
| Clesippus | 1st century BC | IRCyr C.701 | |
| Eucles son of Aeglanor | ca. 50-1 BC | IRCyr C.148 | |
| Barcaeus son of Theuchrestus | ca. 20 BC | IRCyr C.276 | Also served as eponymous priest of Augustus in 17/16 BC |
| Panta[leon] | ca. 15-1 BC | IRCyr C.276, l. 5 | His son was also priest |
| Barcaeus son of Euphanes | 18/17 BC | IRCyr C.140 | |
| Philiscus son of Euphanes, but by birth of Euphanes | 17/16 BC | IRCyr C.95, C.140 | |
| -r son of Philinnas | ca. 1-14 AD | IRCyr C.756 | |
| Pausanias son of Philiscus, but by birth of Euphanes | 2/3 AD | Greek Verse Inscriptions of Cyrenaica 27 | Priest at the end of the Marmaric War; his brother also served as priest. |
| Aristarchus son of Theuchrestus | ca. 10-18 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Theuchrestus son of Dionysius | ca. 19 AD? | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Phaus son of Clearchus | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Istrus son of Agathinus | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | His son also served as priest |
| Asclepiades son of Epicrates | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Euphanes son of Isocrates | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Pantaleon son of Pantaleon | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Isocrates son of Anchistratus | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Philoxenus son of Philiscus, but by birth of Euphanes | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | His brother also served as priest |
| Aeglanor son of Ptolemaeus | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Phaus son of Carnedas | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Philippus son of Aristander | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Clearchus son of Euphanes | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Istrus son of Istrus son of Euphanes | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | His father also served as priest |
| Praxiadas son of Praxaiadas son of Philinnas | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Eucleidas son of Eucleidas son of Eucleidas | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Serapion son of Aristander | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Zenion son of Sosis | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Clearchus son of Carnedas | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | |
| Marcus Clearchus son of Flamma Isocrates | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | His brother also served as priest |
| Lucius Carnedas son of Flamma Isocrates | ca. 19-30 AD | IRCyr C.48 | His brother also served as priest |
| Marcus Antonius Cerealis Aeglanor son of Ptolemaeus son of Ptolemaeus son of Ptolemaeus son of Ptolemaeus | ca. 65/6 AD | IRCyr C.49, 265 | |
| Metrodorus son of Metrodorus son of Metrodorus | ca. 66/7 AD | IRCyr C.49, 265 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Archippus son of Archippus | 67/8 AD | IRCyr C.49, 265 | |
| Marcus Antonius Cascellius son of Flamma | 68/9 AD | IRCyr C.49, 265 | |
| Sotas son of Dionysius | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.49 | |
| Quintus Favius Philippus son of Philiscus | 70/71 AD | IRCyr C.265 | |
| Anchistratus son of Cartisthenes | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.33, C.219, C.393 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Pancles son of Serapion | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.33, C.49, C.219, C.393 | |
| Marcus Antonius Gemellus son of Flamma | 1st century AD | IRCyr. C.219 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Priscus son of Apollonius | 1st century AD | IRCyr. C.219 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Aristander son of Aristarchus | 1st century AD | IRCyr. C.219 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Istrus son of Philiscus | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.219, C.393 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Asclapus son of Philiscus | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.219, C.393 | |
| Marcus Asinius Euphranor son of Philon | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.219, C.393 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Carnedas son of Clearchus | 1st century AD | IRCyr C.219, C.393 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Philiscus son of Istrus | 75/6 AD | IRCyr C.219 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Asclepiades son of Epicrates | 1st century AD? | IRCyr. C.260 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Istrus son of Pheidimus | 100/101 AD | IRCyr C.263 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Attalus son of Clearchus | 102/103 AD | IRCyr. C.223 | |
| Titus Flavius Eucleidas son of Battus | 103/104 AD | IRCyr. C.223 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Philoxenus Antonianus | 104/105 AD | IRCyr. C.223 | |
| Gaius Postumius Optatus | 106/107 AD | IRCyr. C.223 | |
| Rutilius | 107/108 AD | IRCyr. C.223 | |
| Publius Sestius Pollio | 111/112 AD | | Also served as a Roman Senator, Quaestor, Curule Aedile, and governor of the province of Crete and Cyrenaica |
| Titus Flavius Pausanias | 1st-2nd century AD | IRCyr C.394 | |
| -as son of Ptolemaeus | 1st-2nd century AD | IRCyr C.394 | |
| - Ptolemaeus son of Ptolemaeus | 1st-2nd century AD | IRCyr C.394 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Ap- | 148/149 AD | IRCyr C.264 | |
| Marcus C- Ancharenus | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| Publius Claudius Torquatus | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | His cognomen may be a misreading for Barcaeus. |
| "The City" | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | Apparently no individual was willing/capable of undertaking the priesthood and the expense was instead undertaken in this year by the city of Cyrene. This is a common phenomenon throughout the Greek world in the Hellenistic and Imperial periods |
| Titus Flavius Barcaeus | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| "The City" | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| Tiberius Flavius Anchistratus | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| Marcus Ulpius Aris- | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| Decimus Cascellius Aristoteles | ca. 160-180 AD | IRCyr C.267 | |
| Tiberius Claudius Battus son of Philippus | ca. 161-180 AD | IRCyr C.267, C.299, C.221, | Repaired the Temple of Isis and the Temple of Apollo Nymphagetes. A less likely dating places him in 211-217 AD. |
| Decimus Cascellius Aristoteles | 180-192 AD | IRCyr C.250 | Rededicated the reconstructed Temple of Apollo |