The Library of Alexandria was the cultural hub around which Hellenism’s intellectual life revolved, and it was known as the “Athens of the West.” This institution amassed not just the world’s most comprehensive collection of ancient documents and research tools, but also the world’s most extensive collection of written works at this point in time.
Because of this, the most influential scholars in any field should travel to this location in order to broaden their scope of investigation and hone their expertise. It is widely considered to be one of the most impressive monuments to learning in existence, and its splendor has left a lasting impression on every civilisation that has ever existed.
Due to the incredible gathering of knowledge that took place there, the Library of Alexandria is often regarded as one of the most significant institutions that has ever been developed by humans. In addition to this, the chronicle of the Library is a trip through the most significant historical events that occurred during this time period and that involve the most influential political forces, civilizations, and cultures of the time.
The time during which the Ptolemaic dynasty was in control of Egypt was the golden age for both the Library of Alexandria and the Museum of Alexandria. It was during the reign of the Ptolemies that these institutions were established. The Ptolemies encouraged the establishment of institutions that were devoted to the pursuit of knowledge out of an interest in recognizing the tradition and legitimacy of these institutions within the Hellenic culture.
The purpose of this was to establish a cultural authority that would lend legitimacy to their political power. This resulted in the dissemination of culture, which contributed to the great number of resources that were maintained as well as the presence of notable figures from the time period in the fields of history, poetry, philosophy, philology, medicine, and scientific research.
The Library and the Museum both began their collapse once Cleopatra, the last queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, passed away. This marked the beginning of the decline. This procedure continued until the fourth century after the common era. On the one hand, the deterioration was exacerbated due to the political circumstances that took place in a city that no longer enjoyed the position of capital of the central State or independence. These events took place in a city that had previously enjoyed both independence and the position of capital of the central State.
The library, on the other hand, continued to exist for such a significant amount of time after Augustus annexed Egypt to the Roman Empire. This was possible due to the fact that it continued to uphold the grandeur of times gone by and was valued by the Romans as a great landmark.
In his work titled “The Library of Alexandria,” Hipólito Escolar describes the incident in which the Library of Alexandria caught fire during the War of Alexandria. Caesar burned his own ships of the port so that the Egyptians commanded by Aquilas could not seize them and use them in their favor during the conflict. Hipólito Escolar’s work was written in the 1st century BC.
There is no evidence that can definitively prove or disprove this incident; nonetheless, it is feasible given that the fire may have spread to land. It is important to point out that Julius Caesar does not make any reference to the blaze at the Library in his work “Civil War.” Instead, he makes reference to the blaze at the boats.
In addition to this, the burning of books is not mentioned un Horace’s “The War of Alexandria.” Instead, Horace discusses the inflammability of the city’s stone structures. The Library was not affected by the fire that occurred when the boats at the harbor were set ablaze.
Seneca is the one who stated in his book “On the tranquillity of the mind” (De Tranquillitate Animi) that “forty thousand volumes burned in Alexandria” as a direct result of the military operation. It is important to note that Cicero, Strabo, and Lucano make no mention of the destruction of books in their writings. After that, Plutarch writes in his account of Caesar’s life that the fire moved from the boats to the Library as it spread.
Other authors who mention the fire include Aulus Gellius, Dio Cassius, and Ammianus Marcellinus, however each of them presents their account of the event in a unique way. Since the loss of an institution that was so closely associated with the Ptolemaic dynasty indicates the scenario of its downfall, the narrative of the books being burned during the War of Alexandria appears to be linked to the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Escolar guarantees that the fire did not damage the structures of the Library, including the volumes, and that it did not even harm them. In any event, some of the rolls that were brought into the port were set on fire. The conclusion of the Hellenistic era, one thing is certain: in accordance with the shifting sociopolitical landscape, this marked the beginning of a difficult time for both the Library and the Museum.
Nevertheless, despite the challenges, these organizations were successful in regaining such an excellent activity as the one that came before. At that time, the emperors assumed the role of defenders and advocates of these significant locations, with particular emphasis placed on the assistance provided by Emperor Hadrian. In spite of this, the level of financial assistance shrank over time.
The Library of Alexandria was falling out of its position as the cultural epicenter, and this decline occurred gradually as a result of a number of episodes that were reactions to political conjunctures that occurred one after the other.
Library of Alexandria: What became of the wonderful library that was located in Alexandria?
There are an infinite number of things that could have an effect on it, but the following ones stand out in particular:
1- During the second century, Trajan put down a Jewish uprising against him by using brutal force.
2- During the second half of the third century, there were conflicts that were exacerbated by the political and military issues of the emperors as well as a poor economic scenario. These issues combined to make the situation even worse.
3- In the year 265, Mussius Aemilianus, the prefect of Egypt, stopped sending provisions to Rome and proclaimed himself to be Emperor. As a direct result of this, Emperor Gallienus took control of the city via violent means. The use of violence resulted in damage being done to it.
4- The armies led by Valerian were successful in retaking Alexandria from the Palmyrene Empire in the year 272 AD; nevertheless, the process left Alexandria in ruins, particularly the principal neighborhood, which was the area in which the Library was situated.
5- In the year 297 A.D., following an eight-month siege, Diocletian finally returned and conquered the city that had been rebelling against him. According to Escolar, this episode was responsible for the significant destruction of the primary neighborhood, which resulted in the Library suffering significant damage.
6- In the fourth century, Constantine relocated the capital to Byzantium, and in the third century AD, the Edict of Milan recognized Christianity, which allowed it to be spread further. Constantinople came to dominate culture and cast a shadow over the older city of Alexandria, whose monuments were not reflective of the ideas held by the people who lived there.
7- During this same century, after the spread of Christianity among the Egyptian people, a sense of national pride emerged (along with its own language, known as Coptic), which pitted itself against the pagan and the Greek, which were seen by them as emblems of oppressive power.
8 During the years 375-395 AD, Theodosius was the ruler of the empire. During his reign, the Edict of Thessalonica (380 AD) declared Nicene Christianity to be the official religion of the empire, in opposition to Arianism, which had previously been the case.
9- In the year 391, following a period of extended tension and continual disturbances between Christians and pagans, Patriarch Theophilus was successful in acquiring from the emperor a license for the destruction of the Serapeum, the major temple of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
10- There are others who believe, despite the fact that this is a contentious theory, that the Library existed up until the time that the Muslims took control of Alexandria in the year 641.
On the other hand, there are people who assert that during that period there was no longer a Library because it had been demolished in the past as a result of religious and political strife. These individuals are known as “deniers.”
It is quite unlikely that the library was still in existence when the Muslims conquered the area; as a result, the story that the Muslims were responsible for its destruction is likely nothing more than an urban myth.
To this day, it has not been feasible to provide a resounding response to the question of what actually took place with the Library of Alexandria.
