What religion burned the Library of Alexandria?

Christians
It is likely that the collection was destroyed by the Christians who moved in. Some sources say nearly 10 percent of the library’s collection was housed in the Temple of Serapis.

What was the religion of ancient Alexandria?

The city was a major centre of early Christianity and was the centre of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which was one of the major centres of Christianity in the Eastern Roman Empire. In the modern world, the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria both lay claim to this ancient heritage.

What was believed in the Library of Alexandria?

It is believed that the entire literary corpus of Ancient Greece was kept at the library, together with works by Aristotle, Sophocles, and Euripides, among others. The Egyptian books were books about the traditions and history of Ancient Egypt.

What was significant about the library built in Alexandria Egypt?

The Library was built in the Brucheion (Royal Quarter) as part of the Mouseion. Its main purpose was to show off the wealth of Egypt, with research as a lesser goal, but its contents were used to aid the ruler of Egypt.

Why did Christians burn Library of Alexandria?

Ammianus Marcellinus thought that it happened when the city was sacked under Caesar, and Caesar himself reported the burning of Alexandria as an accidental consequence of his war against his great rival Pompey, in 48–47 BCE.

Did Christians sack Alexandria?

Destruction. The Serapeum in Alexandria was destroyed by a Christian mob or Roman soldiers in 391 (although the date is debated). Several conflicting accounts for the context of the destruction of the Serapeum exist.

What is the significance of the Library of Alexandria and how was the library a reflection of Hellenistic achievement?

The library became the center of Hellenistic literature and literary life. Many ancient texts still survive to this day because they were collected, preserved, and stored at the Library of Alexandria. The library had a mission to collect a copy of every single book ever written.

Why was the library of Alexandria important to Hellenistic culture?

What knowledge was lost in the Library of Alexandria?

Few first class works survived, like Euclid, Apollonius and Archimedes, but there is a lot of evidence that this is just the tip of the iceberg. For example, almost all writings of Hipparchus, “the father of astronomy”, are lost. We know about them from the account of C. Ptolemy who lived 3 centuries later.

What did the Library of Alexandria contain?

It has been estimated that at one time the Library of Alexandria held over half a million documents from Assyria, Greece, Persia, Egypt, India and many other nations. Over 100 scholars lived at the Museum full time to perform research, write, lecture or translate and copy documents.

What do historians believe destroyed the Library of Alexandria?

The prime suspect in destruction of the Library of Alexandria is Julius Caesar. It is alleged that during Caesar’s occupation of the city of Alexandria in 48 BCE, he found himself in the Royal Palace, hemmed in by the Egyptian fleet in the harbour.