BARCA (mod. EL MERG, pop. 3,000), in Cyrene, founded in the middle of the 6th century B.C. Rising quickly to impor tance it became a rival of Cyrene, and gave its name to the west of Cyrene's territory. Barca is said to have owed its origin to Greek refugees flying from the tyranny of Arcesilaus II. (see CYRENE), but it was rather Libyan than Greek at all times. A Persian force invited by Pheretima, mother of Arcesilaus III., in revenge for Barcan support of a rival faction, sacked it in 512 B.C. and deported a number of its inhabitants to Bactria. Under Ptolemaic rule it began to decline, like Cyrene, and its port Ptolemais (Tolmeta) took its place: but after the Arab conquest (A.D. 641) it became the chief place of the Cyrenaica for a time. Scanty remains of antiquity are visible. El Merg lies about ten miles from the coast on the crest of Jebel Akhdar, here sunk to a low and fertile downland. It is connected by rail with Bengasi (66m.).