Psylli
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In his discussion of [[North Africa]] [[Herodotus]] tells the story of the '''Psylli''', “a tribe that
met with extinction.” After the desert wind dried up their water holes, they marched out to
do battle with it and were buried alive (IV.173). [[Pliny the Elder]] maintains more reasonably
that they were “almost exterminated” in a war with their neighbors, the [[Nasamones]], but
the descendants of those who escaped “survive today in a few places” (VII.2.14). [[Strabo]]
does not mention an unsuccessful war against either the desert wind or the [[Nasamones]] but
only that the Psylli were still in existence, occupying “a barren and arid region” (XVII.3.23)
below the Nasamones. Later writers, especially poets, bestowed on the Psylli a reputation
as great [[snake charmers]].
===References===
Smith, Richard L. 2003 "What Happened to the Ancient Libyans?" ''[[Journal of World History]]'', Vol. 14.4: 459-500.
[[Category:History of Libya]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Libya]]