The spectacular ancient ruins of Cyrene - in pictures

The ruins of the ancient Greek city survived Libya's civil war and a decade of lawlessness

An actress in costume poses next to a column during the filming of a television production at the Temple of Zeus in the ruins of Libya's eastern city of Cyrene. The remains of the ancient Greek city survived Libya's 2011 revolution and a decade of lawlessness. Today, they face new threats: plunder and bulldozers. Unesco added Cyrene to its World Heritage List in 1992. AFP

Visitors walk through the remains of the Sanctuary of Apollo in the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene. Founded about 2,700 years ago, Cyrene was one of the principal cities in the Hellenic world, according to Unesco. AFP

A actor in costume approaches the Unesco-listed Temple of Zeus in the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene during the filming of a television production. AFP

A actor in costume stands near the Temple of Zeus in the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene during the filming of a television production. AFP

Policemen patrol near the remnants of the Temple of Demeter, dedicated to the ancient Greek goddess of the harvest, in the ruins of the city of Cyrene in eastern Libya. AFP

A maintenance worker at the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene walks on scaffolding over part of the Unesco-listed site. AFP

A couple walk through the remains of the Sanctuary of Apollo in the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene. AFP

Men work on maintaining the site of the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene. The city was added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 1992. AFP

Policemen patrol by a colonnade from the remnants of the Temple of Demeter in the ruins of Libya's ancient eastern city of Cyrene. AFP

A mosaic of Medusa on display at the Cyrene Museum, which houses Greco-Roman artefacts, in the eastern Libyan town of Shahat, near the ruins of the ancient city of Cyrene. AFP

A Greek sculpture of the head of Zeus on display at the Cyrene Museum which houses Greco-Roman artefacts, in the eastern Libyan town of Shahat, near the ruins of the ancient city of Cyrene. AFP

A view of a mosaic of a nymph and satyr from the villa of Jason Magnus at the Cyrene Museum in the eastern Libyan town of Shahat, near the ruins of the ancient city of Cyrene. AFP

A view of a Dionysiac stone sarcophagus depicting the god Dionysius riding a lion, on display at the Cyrene Museum which houses Greco-Roman artefacts, in the eastern Libyan town of Shahat, near the ruins of the ancient city of Cyrene. AFP

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