Library of Alexandria discovered

[ShadesWolf]

Link to article on BBC Website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3707641.stm)


Quote[/b] ]Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the site of the Library of Alexandria, often described as the world's first major seat of learning.
A Polish-Egyptian team has excavated parts of the Bruchion region of the Mediterranean city and discovered what look like lecture halls or auditoria.

Two thousand years ago, the library housed works by the greatest thinkers and writers of the ancient world.

Works by Plato and Socrates and many others were later destroyed in a fire.


What a pity all the knowledge has been lost http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[Ja'chyra]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I've read some of Plato and wasn't that impressed.

[Lord Ovaat]

[QUOTE]Sadly, without all of the manuscripts, scrolls, & tablets, it's just an empty ruin. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[Leet Eriksson]

nothing can be done right now,besides becoming a tourist attraction http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Sjakihata]

To my knowledge Socrates was not very fund of the written language, thus he prefered to speak. The only source to Socrates is Plato.

So how can works by Socrates have been lost?

[Seven.the.Hun]

lost wisdom...hmm...funny how history is so full, yet so empty, full of things lost http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-no.gif

[BDC]

Yes, there must be a special place in hell for the sort of person who ordered the burning of the library, or the people who destroyed most of de Vinci's works.

Hopefully with red hot pokers.

[Oaty]

Quote[/b] (Ja'chyra @ May 14 2004,08:53)]Maybe I'm the only one, but I've read some of Plato and wasn't that impressed.
But if you went back in time and saw how the people were then this could be considered great work

[Beirut]

Wasn't it the Philistines who burnt it?

[Red Peasant]

I think the Romans did the first damage to the Library, but unintentionally, during Julius Caesar's fighting to control the city. He wasn't happy about it as he was a great admirer of Greek culture. The Library recovered quickly as the greatest of antiquity's repositories of knowledge. I believe it's final destruction was left to the ignorant Christian mob many centuries later, from which it could never come back. A monumental shame.

The Philistines had nothing to do with it, unless one deems the actions of the Christians as 'philistine'.

[Red Peasant]

To be fair to the Christians though, most of their great thinkers, many of them having associations with Alexandria, were appalled.

[Quid]

A little history lesson:

The library was most probably founded at the beginning of the 3rd century BC during the rein of Ptolomy II of Egypt after his father had set up the Temple of the Muses or Museum. In its hight it is said to have contained 400'000 to 700'000 scrolls.

It is also said that the library initially held all of Aristotle's private collection which was administered by one of his students, Demetrius Phalereus. Ptolemy III of Egypt ordered all travellers to surrender their scrolls and books of winsdom in order for the library to store it. Only copies were allowed to be returned to the rightful owners. And so, the library grew in works and arts. It was also a place for intellects to study and research projects; just like a university. Furthermore, the library constisted of several buldings and not as a single entity.

There is a growing concensus among historians that the library may have suffered several set back in its history. It is probably true that the invasion of Alexandria by Julius Caesar caused the destruction of around 40'000 - 70'000 books and scrolls (most probably copies to be shipped abroad) when he set fire to the enemy fleet in the harbour. However, it is unlikely to have destroyed either the library itself or the adjacent temples and store houses as there is plenty of evidence that the library still did exist after that event.

Several other factors may have contributed to the slow decrease of investments in the library, such as loss of interest in non-religious pursuits, civil wars etc. The Serapeum was certainly destroyed by Theophilis (Bishop of Alexandria) in 391 AD. The Emperor Theodosius ordered all pagan temples destroyed and the Bishop was more than happy to oblige. It is likely that more was to have fallen victim to his displeasure of all pagan literature and art (Museum and Library).

Quid

Edit: Source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria#Destruction_of_the_Great_Library)

[Red Peasant]

However, imperial proclamations were often misconstrued or deliberately interpreted as a carte blanche for persecution and destruction by virulent local churchmen and their followers. They only really applied to overt pagan worship, yet most of the old temples and repositories of learning were treated and protected as museum pieces in reality. They weren't centres of worship. The edicts were used by fanatics to go on the rampage and the Christian mobs were usually stepped on heavily afterwards. Unfortunately, after the damage was done. What happened in Alexandria was only one of the more notorious and infamous examples.

[solypsist]

maybe it can be simulated by computer so we can know what it looks like, and before you know it, there'll be a casino with it as the theme.

[Lord Ovaat]

Quote[/b] ]maybe it can be simulated by computer so we can know what it looks like, and before you know it, there'll be a casino with it as the theme.

Man, that observation is probably so accurate, it just makes you want to upchuck a bucket full, doesn't it? Bet the architects are already at work. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[solypsist]

..and why not? we already have casinos in every conceivable architectural style, from tepees to pyramids to..actually, I can't seem to recall ever seeing a casino in the shape of a cathedral

[Demon of Light]

That would be great for business.

COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD THE MOST SINFUL PLACE ON EARTH

I think that might be the thing that gives John Paul a fatal stroke.