Introduzione. Cirene nell’età di Augusto: storia, istituzioni, alcune novità

This article introduces the reader to the other contributions on Cyrene at the time of Augustus included in this issue. Topics covered include the history of Cyrenaica during the Roman civil wars, the presence of Romans and Jews in Cyrene, as well as the influence of Augustus on the measurement and recording of time in Cyrene. Particular focus is given to the few glimpses of civic life in Cyrene during the reign of Augustus that can be obtained from the few surviving civic decrees. For this reason, the second half of the article is devoted to a new edition and commentary of IR Cyrenaica 2020 C.134. This dossier consists of three late-first-century-BCE decrees by means of which the Cyrenaeans honoured a Roman negotiator, Aulus Pompeius son of Marcus, who is not otherwise known. While we do not know why he was honoured precisely, the surviving text fragments shed light on local honorary practices, as well as on the Cyrenaeans’ careful management of their finances and their dealings with the Roman governor.