Arch of Fileni -- Cyrenaica (Vansina, n.d.)

Item — Box: 10, slide: 21.23.02

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

Slides of Africa from various sources; these slides document a variety of topics such as agriculture, landscapes, city scenes, villages, architecture, industry, transportation, commerce, and people, from throughout Africa during the 20th century.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1960 - 2000

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on use of the materials in the department for research; all patrons must comply with federal copyright regulations. To inquire about access to this collection, please contact the Herskovits Library at africana@northwestern.edu.

Extent

From the Collection: 99 Boxes (99 slide boxes.)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

General

The border of the province of Cyrenaica is identified by this arch (also called the Marble Arch). It was erected to mark the completion of the coastal road (1,132 miles) in 1935. The particular spot the arch was erected on has further significance. According to an old legend, the two ancient citiers of Carthage and Cyrene could not agree on a common boundary. It was decided that a team of two athletes from each city would start at the same time running toward each other and where they met would determine the boundary. The Carthaginean team was made up of two brothers named Philaeni. When the teams met the Cyreneans felt that the Carthagineans had cheated since they had run two and a half times as far as the Cyreneans. The Cyreneans decided to bluff and said they would accept the boundary if the Philaeni brothers would be buried alive at the spot. That is just what they agrred to. The arch commemorates their sacrifice. Arabic inscriptions on the arch have now replaced the Italian.