In Greek mythology, as recorded in Pindar's 9th Pythian ode, Cyrene (or Kyrene) ("sovereign queen") was the daughter of Hypseus, King of the Lapiths. When a lion attacked her father's sheep, Cyrene wrestled with the lion. Apollo happend along and immediately fell in love with her and kidnapped her. He took her to North Africa and founded the city of Cyrene in her name. The region, Cyrenaica, is also named for her. Together, she and Apollo had one son: Aristaeus.

With Ares, Cyrene (if indeed this is the same Cyrene) was the mother of Diomedes of Thrace.