The library was believed to have stored over 700,000 scrolls, its content including all known sciences as well as histories of the civilizations of the era . This vast storehouse of knowledge is also believed to have been a sanctuary for the most famous scholars of antiquity.
What was the library of Alexandria famous for?
Library of Alexandria, the most famous library of Classical antiquity . It formed part of the research institute at Alexandria in Egypt that is known as the Alexandrian Museum (Mouseion, “shrine of the Muses”).
Why was the library in Alexandria so important during ancient times?
In addition to collecting works from the past, the Mouseion which housed the Library also served as home to a host of international scholars, poets, philosophers, and researchers, who, according to the first-century BC Greek geographer Strabo, were provided with a large salary, free food and lodging, and exemption from ...
Was the Library of Alexandria really that important?
There are few institutions from Antiquity more iconic than the Great Library of Alexandria. In its day the Library was the pinnacle of enlightenment and pedagogy . To successive generations it has become a symbol of the arts, with its destruction serving as a warning of the fragility of literature.
What did we lost in the Library of Alexandria?
The Story of the Library of Alexandria Is Mostly a Legend, But the Lesson of Its Burning Is Still Crucial Today. ... The greatest library ever assembled by the great civilizations of the ancient world—containing a vast ocean of knowledge now lost to us forever—was incinerated on a great pyre of papyrus .
Why did they burn the Library of Alexandria?
On his pursuit of Pompey into Egypt in 48 BCE, Caesar was cut off by a large fleet of Egyptian boats in the harbor of Alexandria . He ordered the boats to be burned. The fleet was destroyed, but the flames spread to the city and the library.
How many times was the Library of Alexandria burned?
8) The ancient library of Alexandria was destroyed on two different occasions . The original library branch was located at the royal palace at Alexandria, near the harbor. When Julius Caesar intervened in the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, Caesar set fire to the ships in the harbor.
Who burned down the Library of Alexandria?
The first person blamed for the destruction of the Library is none other than Julius Caesar himself . In 48 BC, Caesar was pursuing Pompey into Egypt when he was suddenly cut off by an Egyptian fleet at Alexandria. Greatly outnumbered and in enemy territory, Caesar ordered the ships in the harbor to be set on fire.
Was the Library of Alexandria a wonder of the world?
Its lighthouse, the Pharos, was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world . But a greater legacy was the Ancient Library of Alexandria. ... The library was open to scholars from all cultures. Girls and boys studied regularly at the Ancient Library.
Has the Library of Alexandria been found?
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.
How much history was lost in the Library of Alexandria?
They allegedly repeated this same scheme with the works of the dramatic poets held in the Athenian state archive. Historians believe that eventually around 700,000 books and scrolls were accrued under the roof of the Library of Alexandria.
When did the Library of Alexandria disappear?
In its prime, the Library of Alexandria housed an unprecedented number of scrolls and attracted some of the Greek world’s greatest minds. But by the end of the 5th century CE , the great library had vanished. Many believed it was destroyed in a catastrophic fire.
Which is the oldest Library in the world?
Both works, as well as 4,000 other rare books, can be found at the world’s oldest continually operating library. Al-Qarawiyyin library in Fez, Morocco opened in 1359 C.E., at the University of Al-Qarawiyyin (also the world’s oldest, built in 859 C.E.).
Did the burning of the library of Alexandria set us back?
But the idea that the loss of the Great Library somehow set back human progress by centuries is not based simply on the size of the collection but also on the idea that it was somehow unique and that it contained works not found elsewhere. There is no evidence to support this.
What is the biggest library in the world?
Statistics. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world with more than 170 million items.
Where is Alexandria now?
Alexandria is located in the country of Egypt , on the southern coast of the Mediterranean.
