Musings - The Significance of the Library of Alexandria

Library of Alexandria: A Lost Gem

    The Library of Alexandria was a massive library in ancient Egypt.  Although it wasn't the first, it was perhaps one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world, and certainly the most famous.  

    The first library was about five thousand years ago in Assyria (from Mesopotamia to the Nile area) called the Library of Ashurbanipal.

    The Library of Alexandria (about 2300 years ago) was famous for its quite large collection that included hundreds of thousands of scrolls on science, literature, mathematics, astronomy, poetry, and much more in languages from Greek to Hieroglyphics.  Ancient Rome had a high regard for arts and literature. The library no doubt had gathered Greek plays, art, and great philosophies from Plato and others since they were key to education.  It included collections from other cultures to broaden perspectives and preserve those items.  

    Unlike the Library of Ashurbanipal that was solely for the ruler's pleasure, Alexandria's was intended as a center for learning that attracted scholars from all over the region and meant to be a shining a beacon of knowledge, culture, and intellectual pursuit.  

    Even in ancient Egypt, learning and education were highly regarded as a crucial role in a society's success.  

    As part of it's mission as a learning center, it was strategically built in Alexandria.  The city was founded by Alexander the Great and developed under the Ptolemies and wisely located along trade routes that made the exchange of ideas and culture easily accessible. Because of being on several key trade routes, Alexandria was a convergence point of Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, and later Roman cultures-diversity, oh my.  This made it easier for scholars to travel to the library besides the ease of bringing items through the trade routes for the library's collections.

    The Library of Alexandria was conceived by Ptolemy I Soter, a general of Alexander the Great, during his reign around 283 BCE.  Ptolemy had the grand vision of a comprehensive collection of all available knowledge and put money and effort into the endeavor to acquire texts.  He also employed skilled scholars as part of the endeavor (experts and intellectuals, dang).  His ambitious vision continued under his successors, including Ptolemy II, who expanded the library’s holdings and influence.

    Historians believe besides the Library housing texts covering  math, science, and philosophy, it included the works of great thinkers like Euclid, Archimedes, and perhaps cultural items like the plays of Sophocles.  It held a melting pot of ideas and was home to many important works that contributed to the advancement of various fields. 

    As library science goes, its model reportedly combined knowledge, culture, and community that gave a role model for future libraries around the world.  The way the library organized its collection was revolutionary for its time as well. This system of organization laid the groundwork for modern libraries.  It is suggested that the importance of libraries in education and self-learning that demonstrated the importance of organizing knowledge for easier understanding and application may have its origins back with this ancient center of knowledge.

What Did It Look Like?

    We have only a few descriptions of the library and none are very detailed on the architecture.  A few ancient historians refer to it as a sprawling and impressive building, which leads us to believe it was designed in a grand architectural style, likely with soaring columns, open courtyards that were part of the time, and intricate carvings such as many important buildings featured. 

    Inside, the library probably housed reading rooms, lecture halls, and vast shelves lined with hundreds of thousands of papyrus scrolls.

    We do know that the library was part of the Mouseion, a larger complex dedicated to the Muses, the Greek goddesses of art and science. The library probably had sculptures and carvings featuring the Muses.

Destruction of the Library

There is no definitive cause, but the demise of the library has been attributed to a few factors.  Civil wars caused damage, a few fires--some accidental but some intentional as part of the civil unrest (talk about short sighted and stupid), a towering factor was Julius Caesar's sieges (from 48 to 47 BCE) causing a fire that did extensive damage. Then there is the emergence of Christianity that probably sparking tensions against all that knowledge from varying belief systems and cultures likely viewed as a threat to the one and only true belief system.

    The exact date and cause are up in the air--this could have been a blow to the morale of the people.  Here are some possible dates and causes:

• 272 CE: Emperor Aurelian may have destroyed the library during his war with Zenobia. 
• 297 CE: Diocletian may have destroyed the library. 
• 391 CE: Christian zealots may have destroyed the library. 
• 415 CE: Christian zealots may have destroyed the library.

    To add a little mystery to the library's destruction there is a theory of a plot by certain individuals (or perhaps a group of people) who wanted to control knowledge and thus keep a strangle-hold on power.  Giving credence to the idea that knowledge is indeed power. The theory goes that this cabal felt it could limit access to information and hamstring the growth of new and "dangerous" ideas by destroying the library.  Gee, things haven't changed much, have they?

But it was just a library, who cares? What difference does all that information, knowledge, and culture really make?

    If the library had continued rather than be destroyed, the potential impacts include our understanding of geometry (crucial for fields like architecture, design, and engineering) could have progressed much faster,   breakthroughs in medical knowledge and medical practices could have spurred significant innovations sooner and saved countless lives, and philosophies that could have influenced Roman thought (Rome had many faults), such as early forms of ethical or political philosophy that could have improved our politics around the globe for the better.  The cultural sharing could have decreased wars and fostered pacts and agreements instead.  That's just scratching the surface.

    The world might have witnessed a flourishing of creativity that rivaled or maybe even surpassed the Renaissance era in art and thought hundreds of years earlier. 

     Instead, many historians firmly believe the loss of all the knowledge that was critical to the empire's advancement was a significant contributing factor to the fall of Rome.  Rome had benefitted from the library and it was part of its power.  Yes, knowledge is that important to the survival of a society.  

    After the loss of the library, Rome experienced a decline in education and civic engagement.  There was a shift away from the principles that held Rome together and made it Rome.  According to historian Edward Gibbon, the "decline of the Roman Empire" was partly due to this reduction in civic duty and public learning.

    The Romans were renowned for their engineering prowess and administrative systems. But once the Library, the cultural and educational center of Alexandria, fell--Rome's days were numbered.  

    Roman society turned inward and cut off from others, innovation in many fields slowed to a halt without the stimulation of new ideas.  Those new ideas also challenged the traditions and ideologies, but their removal resulted in cultural stagnation. The fall of Rome led to the Dark Ages where education was limited and reserved for a select few behind doors and traditional beliefs and superstition ruled the masses.  An important lesson to be learned for our current day.

Lessons for the Modern World

    Today, the story of the Library of Alexandria serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of preserving knowledge. Libraries are not merely collections of books; they are vital to understanding history, culture, science, and many other key aspects of human existence. 

    The loss of the Library of Alexandria emphasizes the need for established systems that safeguard knowledge. Today, libraries serve as both sanctuaries and stores of wisdom. They ensure that we do not lose the hard-won knowledge of generations past. With community programs, reading clubs, and other initiatives in public libraries, we can imagine creating a spirit similar to that of the Library of Alexandria: where ideas flow freely and disciplines intertwine.

    Libraries are still the heart of our communities, just like the Library of Alexandria was in its time. They offer us a treasure trove of resources, from books to technology, helping us grow and discover new worlds through reading.  They preserve literature and historical documents, digitize texts, and provide access to information, making it easier for people to learn and share knowledge.

    We can support our libraries by borrowing books, attending events, volunteering, donating, and advocating for public funding to ensure that they continue to provide valuable resources for everyone.

    The Library of Alexandria remains a symbol of the importance of knowledge and learning in our lives.  It’s crucial to recognize that knowledge has power.  A well-informed society can innovate, create, and uphold unity, without it they will be the dust of history.

      A society that neglects knowledge is likely to repeat mistakes of the past.

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