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'Battus I of Cyrene' or 'Battus I' (Battus in Greek: 'ο Βάττος', flourished 7th century BC) was the legendary Greek from the island of Thera, (modern Santorini, Greece) who foundered the colony of Cyrenaica and its capital Cyrene. He was the first King of Cyrenaica and is considered the first Greek King in Africa. Cyrenaica became the second Greek colony in Africa and the most important Greek Colony in Africa. The other important Greek colony in Africa was Naucratis Egypt, which was the first Greek colony. Cyrenaica is most situated in modern North Eastern Libya, near its border with Egypt in North Africa.
Battus was born in an unknown village on the Greek island of Thera (modern Santorini, Greece). What is known on Battus’ family background is from the Greek historian Herodotus. Battus’ mother was called Phronima, was a Princess from Oaxus, a city on the Greek island of Crete, while his father was a distinguished Therean nobleman called Polymnestus. Phronima’s father was King of Oaxus, Etearchus or Eteachos. When Phronima’s mother, then Queen of Oaxus (whose name is unknown) had died her father remarried for a second time. Phronima’s stepmother became Queen (whose name is also unknown) thought she would make an ideal stepmother, as this was in name only, as her stepmother did everything to torment her including falsely accusing her of fornication and was able to persuade her father, that she did this.
Etearchus befriended a Therean merchant living in Oaxus called Themiston, whom sworn an oath to him, that he would perform any task that was asked by the king. Etearchus had fetched Phronima, had her put in Themiston’s charge and Etearchus had asked Themiston to take Phronima away from Crete and throw her into the sea. Themiston was angry at the way that Etearchus used him and had ended his friendship with the king.
Themiston in order to clear himself of the obligation, he took Phronima on a ship, clear away from land, lowered her into water with a rope and hauled her back in the ship. He didn’t kill her. Themiston sailed with Phronima back to his home island of Thera. Afterwards arriving at Thera, Phronima became the mistress of a distinguished Therean nobleman called Polymnestus, who was a member of the Minyan family of the Euphemidae.
Phronima had bore Polymnestus, a son who was Battus. Herodotus doesn’t give his real name. According to Pindar (Pyth v. 116) his birth name was Aristotle, while Justin (xiii. 7) gives him the name of Aristaeus. Justin states after his death in Cyrene, he was worshipped by the name of Aristaeus. Battus in ancient Greek means ''stammer'', while in the Libyan language means ''king''. Herodotus states he was never known as Battus, until he left for Libya. As a child, Battus would lisped and stammer and was raised on Thera.
About 639 BC the king of Thera Grinnus, had travelled from the island to visited the oracle of Delphi, to seek advise on various matters. At that time, Thera had a severe drought and it didn’t rain for seven years. The island that reached the point that the population was increasing and could no longer support its residents. One of the men that had accompanied the king was Battus who was then a full grown man. Before the king seeking advise he had offered a sacrifice on behalf of his subjects.
When Grinnus was asking the priestess, he received an apparent irrelevant answer that he must find a city a Libya, on advise from the God Apollo. The king suggested he was too old for this journey and stated that these younger men should undertake the journey. At that this time, he would pointing at Battus. Grinnus also stated to the oracle that he had no knowledge on the location of Libya.
The reason that Battus accompanied the king to Delphi was to consult the oracle about his speech. When Battus had asked the oracle about his speech, the priestess stated to him that you have come for your speech and stated that Apollo sends you to Libya to start a population and build a city. Battus stated to the oracle that finding a settlement would be impossible and stated he just came to ask about his speech. The oracle repeated the same thing, as Battus left the temple to return to Thera. (Another tradition is that, Battus visited the oracle because of civil disturbances in Thera: his party had been worsen and asked the oracle whether he should attempt to return to Thera or find another colony.)
When Grinnus and Battus returned to Thera, the situation with the drought had worsen and all the citizens began to be distressed. The king had sent some Thereans again to the Oracle to seek advise and gain some enlightenment. The priestess repeated the same message on the finding a colony in Libya and stated your fortunes would mend.
Grinnus had sent a group of men from the island to travel to Crete to inquire about the natives of Libya or anyone who has been to Libya. The group of men in Itanus, met a purple fisher called Corobius who explained to the men that he was blowed out of course and was fetched up on Platea, an island off the Libyan coast.
The Thereans paid Corobius to come with them to Thera and shortly after with a small party as Corobius as the pilot they set sail for Libya. The men landed on Platea, they left Corobius on the shore with enough supplies and the Thereans returned to their island bringing good news about finding the new colony. Corobius agreed to be on Platea for a length of time, however his supplies began to run out until a Samian vessel bound for Egypt under command of Colaeus was forced to stay on Platea, due to the weather conditions. They crew gave Corobius enough food to last one year. Colaeus and his crew were anxious to reach their destination as easterly winds prevented them to travel to Egypt and they were driven as west as the Pillar of Hercules (modern Strait of Gibraltar), by their luck they landed as the wealthy trading post of Tartessus.
When the group of Thereans returned to their island and had told everyone of the new settlement. They decided then to send a new party of people representing the seven villages of the island. (The people who would travel were drawn determined by lot on who should go). The King and the people picked Battus as the leader for the journey to Platea.
Battus and the others sailed in two pentcounters. When the two ships had reached the coast, Battus couldn’t decide the next move and they sailed back home. When they returned to Thera, the locals refused to allow them back on the shore and they were throwing things at them from the harbour and they shouted to go back again.
Battus and the two ships sailed to Platea, where they lived for two years and their new establishment had failed them. Leaving on man on the island, they returned to Delphi and consulted her again about living in Libya and living on Platea didn’t make them any well off. The priestess told them to do sheep breeding and to live on a settlement on the mainland.
They sailed back to Platea, left the island and established a settlement on the mainland. The town was called Aziris, south of Platea near a river and valleys. The Thereans lived there for six years. Battus and the other Thereans lived on friendly terms with the Libyans. After a friendly treaty with the locals, the local Libyans persuaded them to leave Aziris and took them west into fine agricultural country called Irasa. The Libyan guides told Battus and his group of men ‘this is the place for you settle in, for here there is a hole in the sky’. This may refer to amount of great rainfall in the area, which is rare in Africa.
Battus named this new settlement as Cyrene. This settlement was founded in 630 BC. Battus got this name from the local fountain which was called ''Cyre''. They believed this fountain was consecrated to Apollo. When Battus gave the settlement a name, he made all the colonists swore an oath. There is an inscription dated from the 4th century BC, which claims to contain the original oath.
When Battus became first King in 630 BC, very little is further known on him. He appeared to govern with mildness and moderation. Battus also appeared to be vigorous and successful in cementing a colony and taking advantages of the natural surrounding environment.
Battus died in 600 BC. His memory throughout the generations in Cyrenaica was held in high honor. Battus was worshipped as a hero and a god like figure by his subjects. His grave is near the marketplace which joins the road which he ordered the construction of, which makes for the procession for the temple of Apollo. The subjects from Cyrene, dedicated a statue of Battus at Delphi. He is represented in a chariot driven by the nymph of Cyrene with Libya in an act of crowning him king.
He being the first king of Cyrenaica, his dynasty is known as ''The Battiads''. The wife of Battus is unknown and was succeeded by his son Arcesilaus I.

Contents

See also

Sources:

See also

★ List of Kings of Cyrene

★ Cyrene

★ Cyrenaica

Sources:

★ Herodotus, The Histories, Book 4.

★ Morkot, R., The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece, Penguin Books, The Bath Press - Avon, Great Britain, 1996.

★ Burn, A R. The Penguin History Greece, Penguin Books, Clay Ltd, St Ives P/C, England, 1990.

★ http://books.google.com/books?id=yFoGAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA476&lpg=RA1-PA476&dq=battus+i+of+cyrene&source=web&ots=t0ry2lDq05&sig=de4r9u7WwS3ocdHqMZvG-z6ZZU4

★ http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/cyrenaica/cyrenaica.html

★ http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Battus

★ http://www.mediterranees.net/dictionnaires/smith/cyrene.html

★ http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/Etearchus.html

★ http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/BattusI.html