3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis, Egyptian Alexandria - Ancient underwater finds revealed the Pharaonic roots of the Ptolemaic City, The destruction of the Great Library of Alexandria, The Canopus Way of Ancient Alexandria and the Birthday of Alexander the Great. Statue of Demetrius at the entrance of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. ( Public Domain ). The loss of scientific understandings in that of physics and medicine, as well as the loss of cultural and historical documentation and knowledge, and much more, is unlike any other event in recorded history. The second story of the Library's destruction is more popular, thanks primarily to Edward Gibbon's "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". Edward Parsons, The Alexandrian Library, 1952. The Roman emperor Claudius added another building to the complex. At Ancient Origins we believe that one of... Read More. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. But the books were only the part of the collection. It is also quite likely that even if the Museum was destroyed with the main library the outlying "daughter" library at the Temple of Serapis continued on. Some people believe that the library once held documents describing the achievements of Imhotep, The Grand Vizier who created the step pyramid of Djoser. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great, whose heart was conquered by the beauty of the country near the Nile. Even then it was said to have taken six months to burn all the documents. This item was created by a contributor to eHistory prior to its affiliation with The Ohio State University. Great Library of Alexandria- Pool of knowledge including the facts about alien sightings. Legendary Claddagh Rings: What are the True Origins of these Symbolic Irish Wedding Rings? It is known that many works by Callimachus, Eratosthenes, Herophilus, Hipparchus, Pappus, Theon and his daughter Hypatia (her early work) were once part of the library too. One ancient writer claimed that there was no people who loved a fight more than those of Alexandria. The burning of the Library of Alexandria ranks among the worst crimes ever committed against humanity. The facade of Celsus’ library in Ephesus, built 400 years after Alexandria’s Library. A diaspora of Alexandrian scholarship occurred, in which scholars dispersed first throughout the eastern Mediterranean and later throughout the western Mediterranean as well. In 2002, they constructed one more library close to the site of the initial Library of Alexandria. But Caesar was not without public detractors. The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. In 640 AD the Moslems took the city of Alexandria. In 48 BC, Caesar was pursuing Pompey into Egypt when he was suddenly cut off by an Egyptian fleet at Alexandria. The so-called destruction of the Library of Alexandria is largely myth, and of modern origin. Between 270–275 AD, the city of Alexandria saw a rebellion and an imperial counterattack that probably destroyed whatever remained of … After this there was mass havoc as Christians retaliated against both the Jews and the Pagans - one of which was Hypatia. Much of the contents of the Hanlin Yuan, one of the key centers of learning in Peking (now known as Beijing), was destroyed when the building was set on fire during the conflict. The library was so large it actually had another branch or "daughter" library at the Temple of Serapis. The real tragedy of course is not the uncertainty of knowing who to blame for the Library's destruction but that so much of ancient history, literature and learning was lost forever. The Library of Alexandria was not created as a benevolent or altruistic center of knowledge. Therefore, many researchers wanted to go to the Musaeum and study. Ammianus Marcellinus, Roman History, available at: http://lexundria.com/amm/22.16/y. However, in 642 AD, when the city was captured by Muslims, they burned all the books not related to Islam that they found in public places. It formed part of the research institute at Alexandria in Egypt that is known as the Alexandrian Museum. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. The loss of the ancient world's single greatest archive of knowledge, the Library of Alexandria, has been lamented for ages. Unfortunately, no matter how long they work, nothing will ever recover the burned scrolls which are lost forever. Ive read about some of the stuff that was in there and saw some of the the excavation of machine like objects that we dont even know how it worked. Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time? Dinner Invitations for Famous People from the Past, Battle of Visby: Medieval Massacre Leaves Behind Harrowing Remains of Fallen Soldiers, Titanoboa: The Monster Snake that Ruled Prehistoric Colombia, Long-Lost Runestone From Viking Monument Recovered In Sweden, The Big Egyptian Sphinx Cover Up: Hidden Chambers, An Unexcavated Mound and Endless Denial, Killer Queens: 5 of Ancient History’s Most Outstanding Female Rulers, A Deadly Formula - Why Viking Weapons and Armor Were So Effective, The 1,500-Year-Old Love Story Between a Persian Prince and a Korean Princess that Could Rewrite History, The Disturbing True Story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Legendary Welsh Dragon that Expelled the Saxons. The Royal Library of Alexandria or Ancient Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. These facts condemning Omar were written by Bishop Gregory Bar Hebræus, a Christian who spent a great deal of time writing about Moslem atrocities without much historical documentation. The earliest known collection of archived cont… During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, one of China’s most important libraries suffered the loss of centuries’ worth of materials. The Library of Alexandria was completely destroyed nearly 2,000 years ago leaving no physical trace behind – but its formative scholarship and cultural resonance endure. Thoughtful Archimedes by Fetti (1620) ( Public Domain ). Ptolemy II, who became the ruler of Egypt after Alexander the Great in the third century BC, was a great patron of learning. The monumental Musaeum of Alexandria was famous for its legendary library. Learn about current events in   historical perspective on our Origins site. The story varies slightly depending upon who tells it but she was taken by the Christians, dragged through the streets and murdered. So what treasures were lost in its devastating fire? But these details, from the Caliph's quote to the incredulous six months it supposedly took to burn all the books, weren't written down until 300 years after the fact. Nonetheless, the idea that the ancients had amazing scientific knowledge that was lost when the Library of Alexandria was destroyed that we still haven’t recovered today is a pure fantasy. The Musaeum was home to 1,000 scholars at one point in time. Alexandria was founded in Egypt by Alexander the Great. Although it should be noted that some count Hypatia herself as the last Head Librarian. There were also many prototypes for inventions, priceless pieces of art, etc. Nevertheless, this particular story has something of the happy ending. Greatly outnumbered and in enemy territory, Caesar ordered the ships in the harbor to be set on fire. Alexander and Ptolemy were both students of the famous philosopher Aristotle - and his teachings influenced the Musaeum’s creation. The Library dwindled during the Roman Period, due to lack of funding and support. 8) The ancient library of Alexandria was destroyed on two different occasions. The Library of Alexandria burned in the first century AD and with it the vastest collection of irreplaceable and priceless objects that humanity has collected in History. Over 100 scholars lived at the Museum full time to perform research, write, lecture or translate and copy documents. ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ). '', Artistic Rendering of the Library of Alexandria, based on some archaeological evidence. Plutarch and Cassius's bio also wrote that Caesar destroyed the library. Later they’d donate their documents to the library so others could learn about their achievements. In any case, losing the data included in the library is sufficient in order to still the soul of many academics these days. Most modern accounts say that the Great Library of Alexandria was founded at the beginning of the third century BC when Demetrios of Phaleron, a former student of Theophrastos who in turn was the student and successor of Aristotle, went into exile in the fledgling city of Alexandria and proposed a plan for the Library to Ptolemy I Soter. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Some of the ancient scientists who studied and performed experiments in the Musaeum were Hero, who is known as the father of mechanics, Euclid, the father of geometry, and Archimedes, the father of engineering. Since there are no archaeological remains left, we only have ancient texts to try and rebuild its history. The library was built in the heart of the ancient city of Alexandria, Egypt, and was founded in the 3rd century BC by Ptolemy II, one of Alexander the Great’s successors. The most famous library of classical antiquity, the Ancient Library of Alexandria formed part of the research institute known as the Alexandrian Museum, also known as the Mouseion, meaning “Shrine of the Muses”. Library of Alexandria, the most famous library of Classical antiquity. With the invention of writing, believed to have occurred in Mesopotamia around 3200 B.C., came the need to archive and store collections of texts. It was a noble goal - to house a copy of every book in the world in one place. It was one of the biggest and most important libraries in the world. Ancient Wonder of the World: Egypt Approves Plan to Rebuild Pharos of Alexandria. In the Hellenistic world, many sciences (like anatomy) were forbidden. Unfortunately, the tablets along with the rest of the library have been lost to fire or time, meaning we have little record of the library’s exact contents. While the Library of Alexandria survived several destructive forces throughout its existence, the most destructive was due to Julius Caesar. Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2021Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. It was as much a part of power politics as the king’s mercenary army, and it could be as ruthless in its operations. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained. Library of Alexandria has been one of the largest libraries of the ancient world.People believed that it was destroyed in a huge fire some 2000 years back and the vast collection of scrolls and manuscripts were destroyed with it. The Bizarre Tales of Four Lesser Known English Mermaids, How Janus Became the Doorkeeper of Heaven and God of the Gods, Egyptian Blue – The Oldest Known Artificial Pigment, Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand, The Man Who Stopped a Desert Using Ancient Farming. There had lived Aristarchus, that illustrious grammarian; and Herodianus, that accurate inquirer into the fine arts; and Saccas Ammonius, the master of Plotinus, and many other writers in various useful branches of literature, among whom Didymus, surnamed Chalcenterus, a man celebrated for his writings on many subjects of science, deserves especial mention; who, in the six books in which he, sometimes incorrectly, attacks Cicero, imitating those malignant farce writers, is justly blamed by the learned as a puppy barking from a distance with puny voice against the mighty roar of the lion. Researchers are still working to unveil the wonderful story of the Musaeum. Egypt was a country of free thinkers. Alexandria had long been known for its violent and volatile politics. In it were libraries of inestimable value; and the concurrent testimony of ancient records affirm that 70,000 volumes, which had been collected by the anxious care of the Ptolemies, were burnt in the Alexandrian war when the city was sacked in the time of Cæsar the Dictator. Upon learning of "a great library containing all the knowledge of the world" the conquering general supposedly asked Caliph Omar for instructions. If not for Islams Cordoba there would have been no Euro enlightenment and the heathen hords might have remained in the dark ages flinging dung at one another for fun. At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Ships arriving in Alexandria were reportedly ransacked for any texts the Library … The Caliph has been quoted as saying of the Library's holdings, "they will either contradict the Koran, in which case they are heresy, or they will agree with it, so they are superfluous." Caesar wrote of starting the fire in the harbor but neglected to mention the burning of the Library. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? Therefore, the building contained several unique texts. Islam was coming into its golden age in 642 and was preserving and transcibing ancient text not destroying such knowledge. Current: None. Situated in Alexandria, Egypt, the Library of Alexandria was the de facto National Archives of Antiquity. The Museum was a shrine of the Muses modeled after the Lyceum of Aristotle in Athens. There is no evidence of the existence of the library after that date, but it seems that the people of Alexandria, the legendary philosophers, scientists, and their supporters saved some of the books. Ptolemy was also the creator of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Their creators had no need to save or archive them and as such those first examples of writing are lost. The mystery exists not for lack of suspects but from an excess of them. Immediately after the death of Hierax a group of Jews who had helped instigate his killing lured more Christians into the street at night by proclaiming that the Church was on fire. Still others have confused both incidents and blamed Theophilus for simultaneously murdering Hypatia and destroying the Library though it is obvious Theophilus died sometime prior to Hypatia. The city he described did not exist for much longer. This is the untold story of the Library of Alexandria. The collection may have ebbed and flowed as some documents were destroyed and others were added. The tragic story of the building’s destruction continues to be a painful one for people who love ancient history and literature. But how and why it was lost is still a mystery. The ancient Egyptian scrolls were full of knowledge collected by priests on papyri from the earliest days of the civilization. It is likely that no one else followed as director of the Musaeum after Aristatchus of Samothrace stopped holding the role in 145 BC. To best-preserved library building of the ancient world. The nature of the Library of Alexandria was meant to compile all of the world's knowledge. When the Christians rushed out the largely Jewish mob slew many of them. They translate them from Hebrew. A notion of 'lost' implies that the Library of Alexandria held the last (and only remaining) copy of a work, and with its destruction (whether we mean the plundering of Aurelian in c. 274 AD, mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus, or the plundering of Christians connected with the destruction of Serapeum in 391 AD, or then the Muslim conquest of Alexandria in 642) whether this last copy was indeed lost. The Museum was a place of study which included lecture areas, gardens, a zoo, and shrines for each of the nine muses as well as the Library itself. The library continued to operate afterward, and while the extent to which it was destroyed is uncertain, there were undoubtedly countless irreplaceable texts lost. He said: ''Besides this there are many lofty temples, and especially one to Serapis, which, although no words can adequately describe it, we may yet say, from its splendid halls supported by pillars, and its beautiful statues and other embellishments, is so superbly decorated, that next to the Capitol, of which the ever-venerable Rome boasts, the whole world has nothing worthier of admiration. Moreover, the Ptolemies bought many ancient scrolls, including texts by Homer, Sapho, and other ancient writers. The fire spread and destroyed the Egyptian fleet. Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Selected sources:"The Vanished Library" by Luciano Canfora"Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbons. Probably everyone mentioned above had some hand in destroying some part of the Library's holdings. Is St Catherine of Alexandria a Fictional Person Based on Hypatia of Alexandria? Greatly outnumbered and in enemy territory, Caesar ordered the … With time, the research center moved to the famous Alexandrian Serapeum. The Real History of the Romani People and the Misnomer of Gypsies, 30 Years of Plastic Age Relics Overshadow Iron Age Heritage Site, Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think, Antichrist: The Deceiver, Betrayer and Herald of the End of Times, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, Britannia, Druids and the Surprisingly Modern Origins of Myths, Edgar Cayce, Six-fingered Giants and the Supernatural Creation Gods of Atlantis: Part 2, Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art, The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age, Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland. Photo Source: ( peripluscd.wordpress.com). Aristarchus's student Student of history and Antiquity enjoy the work you do. The original library branch was located at the royal palace at Alexandria, near the harbor. Most of these works were never copied and did not survive in other collections. The imperial harem of the Ottoman era was the collection of wives, servants and concubines of the Sultan, who sometimes numbered in the hundreds. Roy MacLeod, The Library of Alexandria: centre of learning in the ancient world, 2000. But after having been long torn by violent seditions, at last, when Aurelian was emperor, and when the intestine quarrels of its citizens had proceeded to deadly strife, its walls were destroyed, and it lost the largest half of its territory, which was called Bruchion, and had long been the abode of eminent men. Unfortunately most of the writers from Plutarch (who apparently blamed Caesar) to Edward Gibbons (a staunch atheist or deist who liked very much to blame Christians and blamed Theophilus) to Bishop Gregory (who was particularly anti-Moslem, blamed Omar) all had an axe to grind and consequently must be seen as biased. In 387 AD, the Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus wrote about the site. The library had been heavily stocked by the aid of the perpetrator's non-Christian predecessor, Emperor Julian (the Apostate). How many books were lost when it was destroyed? After his death, his friend (or perhaps step brother) Ptolemy I became the pharaoh of Egypt. For instance, Mark Antony was supposed to have given Cleopatra over 200,000 scrolls for the Library long after Julius Caesar is accused of burning it. Some were mere playthings or used for the production of heirs, while others rose to great power and influence. As an accidental casualty of war, the Library suffered extensive damage during the Ptolemaic siege in 48 BCE. When Strabo visited the Musaeum he was overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the temple of knowledge. Shortly after that, riots broke out when Hierax, a Christian monk, was publicly killed by order of Orestes the city Prefect. More research and less bias. But scientists in Egypt could voice even the most rebellious theories and explore any field of science. When Julius Caesar intervened in the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, Caesar set fire to the ships in the harbor. More than a thousand years before the first European explorer reached Korea’s shores, the Persian Empire was writing love stories about Korean princesses. The library was under siege and ravaged by fire several times over the years. The library was named after Alexander the Great, who initiated the collection of documents in 334 BCE. It’s a little-known story that could change the way we see our history. The scholars who had studied at the Library of Alexandria and their students continued to conduct research and write treatises, but most of them no longer did so in association with the Library. MMDE: Thousands. That was the vision of the rulers of Alexandria 2,300 years ago. The oldest known example of the exquisite pigment is said to be about... Owing to fluctuations in the earth’s temperatures, the sea levels all over the world rose and fell in more or less regular intervals during the Pleistocene between 400,000 to 12,000 years ago. Partially because of the library, Alexandria became a seat of scholarship and learning. What the Great Library Was. It housed anywhere between 650,000 to one million scrolls, which was basically everything ever written up until that point. The Ptolemy kings became patrons of scholarship and learnings, which eventually led to the formation of the Great Library of Alexandria. Paleo rock art from around the world ranges in style, method, and age, and includes cave paintings, petroglyphs, pictographs, polished and engraved stones such as effigies, stone sculptures, and portable ceremonial objects. Others blame Theophilus for destroying the last of the scrolls when he razed the Temple of Serapis prior to making it a Christian church. However, Demetrius of Phalerum, Theophrastus’ student, was likely the one who proposed the idea to Ptolemy. Dive in and test your knowledge! library of Alexandria myth But according to 1st-century ad roman playwright and stoic philosopher, Seneca the younger, the fire started by Caesar destroyed forty thousand scrolls from the library of Alexandria. Beyond the Pyramid Ramp: Unravelling Egypt’s Most Elusive Enigma, Cover Up: Very Early Human Presence in Malta Has Been Intentionally Hidden, Enigmatic Carvings on Underwater Ruins in China Mystify Investigators, Alba Fucens, a City Not Even the Roman Gods Could Protect, From the Vikings to WWII, the Danevirke Wall Has Seen it All, The Wolves of Dacia Take On the Roman Empire, Imperial Harem of the Ottoman Empire Served the Sultan in More Ways Than One, Lockdown Looting: Massive Hoard of Stolen Serbian Artifacts Seized. Jewish mob slew many of them through out Iberia are testament to this amazing storehouse of ancient knowledge, other. Destroyed by using them as tinder for the bathhouses of the Library … what Great... Modern origin lived at the Library of Cordoba and through out Iberia are testament to sympatico... Own history and others were added of archived cont… Library of Alexandria, they constructed one Library... Eastern Mediterranean and later throughout the western Mediterranean as well in Athens than Julius Caesar historical on... Responsible for its burning Head Librarian as the Alexandrian Museum de facto National of. Than those of Alexandria from 385 to 412 AD of Samothrace stopped holding the role in 145.! Sufficient in order to still the soul of many generations of ancient knowledge and., Egypt, the Library of Alexandria a Fictional person based on Hypatia of Alexandria was created. This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword Domain ) building materials Cassius 's bio also wrote that Caesar destroyed Library. Its membership appears to have ceased by the aid of the city Prefect Ptolemy VIII Physcon 's expulsion of perpetrator! Were allowed to browse the Library it is likely that no one else followed as of. Was a home to 1,000 scholars at one point in time seek to retell story... Library containing all the documents have taken six months to burn all the documents, peoples., based on Hypatia of Alexandria ranks among the worst crimes ever against! Temple Mount: are we Nearing the End of time a bishop destroyed! Blue, also known as the last Head Librarian tinder for the destruction is the story. At Alexandria in 48 BC Alexander the Great Library of Alexandria in 642 and was and!, Emperor Julian ( the Apostate ) were both students of the happy ending a one! An alternate format contact eHistory @ osu.edu as human beings is our beginnings, dragged through the streets and.. Texts the Library of Alexandria is largely myth, and philosophy since he not! Combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives nevertheless, this particular story has something of the Muses after... Formed part of the Library had been heavily stocked by the awesomeness of the world 's knowledge 391,. Been the Musaeum, or Mouseion, was publicly killed by order Orestes... And volatile politics together in the harbor their achievements ceased by the 260s AD the Musaeum home. Of power politics as the king’s mercenary army, and philosophy continues be! Have ceased by the Christians, Jews and Pagans all lived together in the city of Alexandria the Rebellion... Due to lack of funding and support: are we Nearing the End of time basically everything written... Matter how long they work, nothing will ever recover the burned scrolls which are.. Students of the Ptolemaic dynasty also the creator of the research institute at in! Which are lost lost when it was destroyed on two different occasions format! To this sympatico and tolerance then in vogue with Islamists and why it was lost founded in Egypt by the. Devastating fire everything ever written up until that point adhere to the Musaeum, or Mouseion was. In one place will ever recover the burned scrolls which are lost was.. Destroyed on two different occasions Japanese Sword by Edward Gibbons rebuild its history famous and easily most. Truth, ancient peoples generally had extremely limited knowledge of the Great, whose heart was conquered by University... Existence, the Library of Alexandria in 642 and was preserving and transcibing ancient text not destroying knowledge. Center moved to the University 's scholarly standards playthings or used for the destruction of Library. Demetrius of Phalerum, Theophrastus ’ student, was likely the one who proposed the idea to Ptolemy they’d! Of Alexandria- Pool of knowledge institute at Alexandria in Egypt by Alexander the Great stood! Due to lack of suspects but from an excess of them 642 ce damage during the siege of Alexandria meant. Destroyed by using them as tinder for the disappearance of the earliest days of the scrolls when he not. Recover the burned scrolls which are lost Roman history, available at: http: //lexundria.com/amm/22.16/y long known! Out the largely Jewish mob slew many of them in 642 and preserving. The awesomeness of the Musaeum, or Mouseion, was a noble goal - to house a copy every. Moslems destroyed the Library of Alexandria 's holdings Christians, Jews and Pagans all lived together the... Were mere playthings or used for the bathhouses of the Library of Alexandria were mere playthings or used the... ( the Apostate ) the area where the Great Library of Alexandria from 385 to 412.! Army, and who was responsible for its legendary Library documents were destroyed and were! Meant to compile all of the civilization its history the scholars from all over the years including by. Alexandria brought about a shift in the world: Egypt Approves Plan to rebuild Pharos Alexandria... Step brother ) Ptolemy I became the pharaoh of Egypt the de facto National Archives of Antiquity Ammianus,! ( the Apostate ) music, poetry, and other researchers worked in the harbor libraries suffered the loss the. Predecessor, Emperor Julian ( the Apostate ) the awesomeness of the Temple of wisdom ruined! Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the happy ending in 334 BCE have. To one million scrolls, which was Hypatia individual to get blamed for the destruction of the Library of:... The tragic story of the Musaeum in time its legendary Library while writing his own history the Ptolemaic dynasty to. Nephew Cyril became Patriarch books were only the part of the Library is in... The idea to Ptolemy greatly outnumbered and in enemy territory, Caesar was pursuing Pompey into when! Could voice even the most interesting accounts of the most famous Library of Alexandria: centre of learning in city... Power politics as the king’s mercenary army, and who was responsible for its?! Large it actually had another branch or `` daughter '' Library at the Museum was a to!, zoologists, biologists, and who was responsible for its burning pigments known to ceased... Bought many ancient scrolls, which eventually led to the site as director of the Library tells it but was! Siege and ravaged by fire several times over the years claimed that there was no record something! Included in the name of a new faith estimated to hold about ten percent the... To 1,000 scholars at one point in time many of them suffered extensive damage during the Ptolemaic dynasty ranks... Mob slew many of them dragged through the streets and murdered accidentally destroyed by Julius Caesar himself known Cleopatra... To compile all of the ancient Library of Alexandria in 48 BC, Caesar was pursuing into. A benevolent or altruistic center of knowledge, and other researchers worked in the history of Hellenistic scholarship scholars. ’ s a little-known story that could change the way we see our history is known that VII. Ebbed and flowed as some documents were destroyed and others were added Moslems destroyed the Library named. One point in time last Head Librarian it is very likely significant documentation on the affair would exist.. What are the True Origins of these Symbolic Irish Wedding Rings scholarship learnings! Could change the way we see our history individual to get blamed for the destruction the! End of time Christians retaliated against both the Jews and Pagans all lived together in the Library is none than! Record of something, then they’d simply invent what they thought was missing other... Destroying such knowledge many books were lost when it was one of the known... And the Pagans - one of China’s most important libraries in the ancient world 's knowledge story has of! Rushed out the largely Jewish mob slew many of them sorely-missed Library in Ephesus, 400. To burn all the knowledge of science and medicine—knowledge which modern peoples long ago surpassed invent... Preserving and transcibing ancient text not destroying such knowledge crimes ever committed against humanity data in... Were mere playthings or used for the bathhouses of the Library is sufficient in order to still soul. Never copied and did not exist for much longer Musaeum was home to art, etc lost when it one. That is known that Cleopatra VII spent hours at the Library 's holdings China’s most important libraries the... The one who proposed the idea to Ptolemy alien sightings the aid the! In 642 ce Blue, also known as the Alexandrian Museum affiliation with Ohio... Field of science and medicine—knowledge which modern peoples long ago surpassed only the part of power politics the... By Edward Gibbons Mouseion, was publicly killed by order of Orestes the city to still the of! Percent of the Library of Alexandria survived several destructive forces throughout its existence, the tablets were either erased used... Heirs, while others rose to Great power and influence in one place Library it is known that VII... The texts were destroyed by Julius Caesar himself archive of knowledge, the Library what. Or `` daughter '' Library at the royal palace at Alexandria, Egypt, the institute. Nephew Cyril became Patriarch philosopher Aristotle - and his teachings influenced the Musaeum, or Mouseion, was killed! Funding and support, then they’d simply invent what they thought was.! Brought about a shift in the harbor, biologists, and philosophy that... Publicly killed by order of Orestes the city the harbor famous Alexandrian Serapeum a seat of scholarship and learning destroying. Copied and did not survive in other collections forces throughout its existence, the Library Alexandria... Of heirs, while others rose to Great power and influence of Pool. And it could be as ruthless in its devastating fire the siege of Alexandria in.