BATTUS  , the legendary founder of the

Greek colony of Cyrene in Libya (about 63o B.C.) . The Greeks who accompanied him were, like himself, natives of Thera, and descended partly from the race of the Minyae . Various accounts are given both of the founding of Cyrene and of the origin of the founder's name . According to the Cyrenaeans (Herod. iv . 150-156), Battus, having an impediment in his speech, consulted the oracle at Delphi, and was told to found a colony in Libya; according to the Theraeans, Battus was entrusted with this mission by their aged king Grinus . In another version, there was civil war in Thera; Battus, leader of one party, was banished, and, on applying to the oracle, was recommended to take out a colony to " the continent " (Schol . Pindar, Pyth. iv. ro) . In any case the foundation is attributed to the direct instructions of Apollo . The name was connected by some with (3arrap1N, (" stammer "), but Herodotus (iv . 1S5) says that it was the Libyan word for " king," that Battus was not called by the name until after his arrival at Libya, and that the oracle addressed him as " Battus " by anticipation . This, however, would imply on the part of the oracle a knowledge of Libya, which was not shared by the rest of Greece (Herod. i.e.), and it is noteworthy that the name occurs in Arcadian and Messenian legends . Herodotus does not know his real name, but Pindar (Pyth. v .

116), no doubt rightly, calls the founder of the colony Aristoteles, while

Justin (xiii . 7) gives his name as Aristaeus who was worshipped at Cyrene . Four kings named Battus, alternating with four named Arcesilaus, ruled in Cyrene (q.v.) till the fall of the dynasty about 450 B.C . See R . W . Macan's Ierodotus IV.-VI . (1895), vol. i. pp . 104 seq. and notes .