Library of Alexandria

**edyzmedieval** · 04-13-2006, 15:42

We all know the greatness of the library of Alexandria. It was founded after Alexander the Great death, by one of his generals, Ptolemy I who founded the Greek dynasty of Egypt, the Ptolemeic dynasty.

It contained thousands of scrolls containg invaluable information, priceless works of art and even Alexander's corpse, which was encased. It might have even contained works which could gave us information on the remote cultures and civilisations of the Mediteraneean, including Atlantis.

So, what really happened with it? Did it really burn down,on the reign of Theodosius the Great?
Or was it saved and hidden somewhere?

Please discuss. It's one of my favourite subjects.

**Duke Malcolm** · 04-13-2006, 16:47

I thought what really happened was a mighty mystery...

**Craterus** · 04-13-2006, 18:27

Alexander's corpse? I thought that after Ptolemy had it stolen from Seleucus, he buried it in an unknown location close to the city?

EDIT: And didn't the Romans burn all the books to heat their baths?

**Vladimir** · 04-13-2006, 19:10

Strange. I thought an earthquake threw it into the sea.

**edyzmedieval** · 04-13-2006, 20:01

So many accounts of it...This leads us to a mystery.

What did it actually contain? Works from whom?

**Craterus** · 04-13-2006, 21:13

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Strange. I thought an earthquake threw it into the sea.

That was the lighthouse of Alexandria. Or it may have been the Colossus of Rhodes.

Originally Posted by edyzmedieval

What did it actually contain? Works from whom?

I think there were a lot of documents that could shed some light on some on history's mysteries. Probably quite a few sources that would be very useful to scholars and historians today.

**Alexanderofmacedon** · 04-14-2006, 00:45

Originally Posted by Craterus

Alexander's corpse? I thought that after Ptolemy had it stolen from Seleucus, he buried it in an unknown location close to the city?

EDIT: And didn't the Romans burn all the books to heat their baths?

I don't think Ptolemy buried it. He mumified it like did the rest of the Egyptian people.

**Craterus** · 04-14-2006, 00:48

Yeah sorry, wrong choice of language...

Caesar cried at Alexander's tomb, so I think we can establish that his body wasn't "housed", for lack of a better word, in the Library.

**Kraxis** · 04-14-2006, 00:54

Yup... Alexander had his own 'little' mausolaeum (sp?).

There is a map of Alexandria from around 1200AD whre there is a building in the city that has the legend "Domus Alexandri Magni" just next to the big mosque. But that area is pretty paved over by now... likely the Mamlukes didn't care much for Alexander.

Btw, I thought the library burnt down when Caesar set fire to the Ptlomaic fleet.