La bibliothèque d’Alexandrie

(In memoriam of a place that could have propelled civilization forward)

Many and many a year ago, libraries were seen as houses of great knowledge, through which one could become as intelligent as they possibly could, should they try. The Library of Alexandria, located in modern day Egypt, served as the most famous library of “Classical antiquity.” Great scholars and scientists would flock to this place in high numbers to share information.

Chart.

Understand that citizens of that time had already figured out how to make things considered commonplace today. With the loss of the Royal Library, people were left at a loss as to how to make items– and thus, for a short while– humans were thrown back into an age of idiocy.

“Most explicit is Plutarch, who, after a personal visit to Alexandria, explained that “Caesar was forced to repel the danger by using fire, which spread from the dockyards and destroyed the Great Library.” Equally indicative is a statement by Strabo who, during a long stay in the city (c. 25–20 BCE), expressed in an indirect manner his regrets over the loss of that great library that had once supplied Eratosthenes and Hipparchus with the original reports of earlier discoveries, sources that were no longer there for him to consult.”

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