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Cyrenaica was colonized by Greeks as early as the seventh century before Christ. A civilization built up around a group of five cities in the western part of the province associated with the oldest city, Cyrene. Cyrene became an intellectual and artistic center in the early Hellenic world. In the sixth century before Christ, the Pentapolis was conquered by the Persians, followed by Alexander the Great two centuries later.
In the century before the Nativity of Christ the Romans came to control the area which soon became associated with the activities of Jesus and his apostles. The [[Synoptic gospels|Synoptic Gospels]] relate the presence of [[Simon of Cyrene ]] at the crucifixion of Christ as he carried the Savior's cross. According to tradition, [[Apostle Mark|Mark the Evangelist]] was born in the Pentapolis. During the centuries after the [[resurrection]] of Christ, his followers in the Pentapolis grew with historical roots with the Church in Egypt. [[Bishop]]s from Libya were present at many of the early councils including those at [[Nicea]] and [[Ephesus]]. This church fell into [[schism]] over the decrees of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]] of [[Chalcedon]] in 451.
The Christian society of North Africa fell victim to the attacks of invaders, first of the Vandals of the fifth century, followed by that of the [[Muslim]] Arabs in the late seventh century. Over the following centuries the presence of Christianity was reduced to that of a small minority within an [[Islam]]ic culture, with the majority of Christians following the non-Chalcedonian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt.