The Library of Alexandria is one of the most important libraries and prestigious in history. It was erected in the 3rd century BC. C. during the Hellenistic period of ancient Egypt, in the palace complex of the city of Alexandria and was part of the Museion, a research institution dedicated to the muses. It is not known exactly how many works it housed, but it is estimated that its main seat contained four hundred and ninety thousand literary, academic and religious volumes.
In the year 48 BC, during the second civil war of the Roman Republic, The library was accidentally set on fire by the Roman general Julius Caesar. However, it is unclear to what extent it was destroyed, as sources indicate that much of it survived or was rebuilt some time later.
The Library of Alexandria: the greatest cultural site of antiquity
The Library of Alexandria, also known as the The Museion or Inner Library was the greatest center for the dissemination of knowledge in antiquity. It was founded by the first of the Ptolemies, Ptolemy I Soter, in the 3rd century BC. C thanks to the proposal of Demetrius of Faleron, an important Athenian statesman. However, the idea for its construction came from Alexander the Great himself, who wanted to compile all the knowledge existing in the world.
Shortly after its construction, a second library similar to the main one was opened, better known as the Serapeum or Outer Library. Both libraries were impressive buildingswithin the walls of which were stored numerous papyrus scrolls. They were once compiled from books confiscated from ships that called at the busy port of Alexandria. The directors of the institution preserved the manuscripts and then returned a copy.
Once its construction is completed, it is said that It had 490 thousand volumes and a century later it would have collected nearly 700 thousand different titles. divided between the two libraries, according to authors of the time. John Tzetzes, a Byzantine writer and scholar, stated that the Museion had 490,000 volumes and the Serapeum 42,800. However, some authors are skeptical because these figures are unrealistic.
In any case, the Library of Alexandria was really huge, much larger than any other collection known at that time.
How did the fire at the Library of Alexandria happen?
The fire at the Library of Alexandria is considered by many authors to be one of the greatest tragedies in human history. The exact date of the fire is unknown, but it is thought to have occurred between 48 BC and 642 AD.
In the midst of a war breaking out for the throne of Egypt, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, who came to Cleopatra’s aid, He was the victim of a siege in the fortified palace complex of the Ptolemies. It was located in the Bruquión neighborhood, where the library of the “Royal Books” and the Museum were probably also located.
Caesar defended himself, but the attack that took place against the palace caused a great fire that engulfed a large part of the library. The sources assure that About 40,000 scrolls were burnedmany of which Caesar himself planned to take to Rome.
Other stories claim that The fire destroyed more than 90% of the volumes collected over the years. However, this is unlikely to be the case, particularly given the scale of the fire that would have affected the palace itself.
Reconstruction and recovery
After the first destructions caused by Julius Caesar, Sources seem to indicate that the library was rebuilt and remained in operation despite the loss of much of the ancient literature.
In fact, it is believed that years later Mark Antony donated a large number of books from the rival library at Pergamum when he went to Alexandria with Cleopatra. This, perhaps, was an attempt to compensate for the previous destruction.
Theories about the fire
The burning of the Library of Alexandria has been the subject of many theories over the centuries. Some historians suggest that the fire was started by Julius Caesar’s troops during his occupation of the city, while others suggest that it may have been caused by an accident caused by fighting in the streets of AlexandriaThe truth is that the library suffered serious damage and many of its precious manuscripts were lost forever.
Attempts at reconstruction
Despite the destruction caused by the fire, the Library of Alexandria continued to exist in various forms over the centuries. During the Roman era, Attempts have been made to rebuild the library on several occasionsalthough the magnificence and splendor of the original library was never achieved. Over time, the library lost its importance and relevance, until it disappeared completely in the 7th century AD with the arrival of the Arabs in Alexandria.
The truth is that the burning of the Library of Alexandria remains one of the most tragic and enigmatic episodes in the history of the ancient world.
Recommended Readings
Library of Alexandria, yesterday and today
Library of Alexandria, bridge of books between past and present
