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During the 4th and 5th Centuries, Cyrenaica was devastated by Laguatan Amazigh attacks, and then by Vandal incursions. After the Byzantine reconquest of Roman Africa, Byzantine Emperor Justinian launched a campaign to rebuild the destroyed cities, together with new fortifications to protect them. This program was called Ananeosis (Ἀνανέωσις), meaning “renewal” or “rebirth”.
Since the beginning of his reign, in 527, Justinian wanted to rebuild Cyrenaica. In this, he was certainly encouraged by his wife, Empress Theodora, who had lived in Cyrenaica before they were married and remained very fond of the region.
Justinian started by sending new troops to Cyrenaica, either to support the Byzantine troops that were still resisting the Laguatans, or to reconquer lost territory. There were now permanent military garrisons stationed in Paraetonium (Marsa Matruh) and Antipyrgos (Tobrouk).
In 533, a revolt against the Vandals broke out in Tripolitania. Justinian sent the troops that were based in Cyrenaiqca to support the insurgents. A few months later, Byzantine general Belisarius conquered Carthage and took back control of all Vandal territory in Africa.
Meanwhile the Ananeosis program continued in Cyrenaica. The Byzantines rebuilt the cities of Ptolemais (Tolmeita), which had been destroyed by the Laguatans en 411, and Berenice (Benghazi), which had been devastated by the Vandals. They also built a military fortress in Arsinoe (Tocra), which was so strong that at the time of the Arab conquest, Apollonius, the last Byzantine governor of Cyrenaica, took refuge there.
Next to the rebuilding of ancient cities that had been destroyed, Justinian built a new port at Boreum (Bou Grada), next to the modern-day port city of Marsa al-Brega. Next to its two harbors, many other remains are still visible today, especially a wall surrounded by a moat, a dock, a tunnel leading from the citadel to the Eastern port, rock chambers, and a large structure which the archaeologists call “bastion”, while its use is unknown.
This period was also characterized by religious renewal, with the building of two monasteries and several new churches, especially in Naustathmus (Ras al-Hilal) and Erythron (El Athroun), close to Derna.
The jewel of Ananeosis was certainly the new city of Theodorias (Qasr Libya), built on the ruins of Olbia, and old Cyrenaican city that had been destroyed by the Vandals, and named in honor of its founder, Empress Theodora. A church in the city contains around fifty mosaics, considered among the most beautiful in the world.
The reconstruction program also extended to Tripolitania. The Byzantine fortifications of Leptis Magna and Sabratha are still visible today.
After Justinian’s death, Cyrenaica was again largely abandoned by his successors in the face of the recurring attacks by Amazigh tribes. The region was largely depopulated at the time of the Arab conquests.
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