CYRENE
Important Greek colonial city located in North Africa, in one of the five cities called Pentapolis. It is believed to have been founded by the Dorians in 632 BC. Simon, the one who helped Jesus with the cross, seems to have been a Cyrenean Jew (Mt. 27:32).
The Cyreneans met with others in a synagogue in Jerusalem; some were preachers; and one was a prominent member of the church at Antioch (Acts 6:9; 11:20; 13:1).