Athrun, Libya

Athrun
الأثرون
Town

Byzantine Church in Athrun
Athrun

Location in Libya

Coordinates: 32°52′N 22°16′E / 32.867°N 22.267°E
Country  Libya
Region Cyrenaica
District Derna
Time zone UTC+2

Athrun (also spelled Lathrun, or Latrun) is a small town in northern Libya about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Cyrene. Its name comes from Greek "Ἐρυθρόν" (Erythron), neuter of "ἐρυθρός" (erythros) "red",[1] due to the color of the local soil. Athrun was established during the rule of the Byzantine Empire in this area.[2]

It hosts recently excavated Byzantine churches adorned with white-blue marble from Proconnesus.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erythron (Al Athrun).

References

  1. ↑ ἐρυθρός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
  2. ↑ article on Athrun
  3. ↑ Walter Widrig: Two churches at Latrun in Cyrenaica; London, British School at Rome, 1978.

Coordinates: 32°52′N 22°16′E / 32.867°N 22.267°E