Between 270 and 275 AD, Alexandria saw a Palmyrene invasion and an imperial counterattack that probably destroyed whatever remained of the Library, if it still existed. The daughter library in the …

The loss of the ancient world's single greatest archive of knowledge, the Library of Alexandria, has been lamented for ages. But how and why it was lost is still a mystery.

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.”

Feb 1, 2011 · The infamous destruction by fire of the Library of Alexandria, with the consequent loss of the most complete collection of ancient literature ever assembled, has been a point of heated debate …

Oct 28, 2025 · Over the millennia, the library’s destruction has been the source of speculation, romanticized portrayals and politically motivated storytelling. People have pictured it going up in …

On a sunny morning in 642 C.E., armies of Muslim Arabs, in the process of conquering Egypt, destroyed the ancient library at Alexandria, which for a thousand years had been the western world’s most …

Aug 28, 2024 · Those in charge of obtaining new books went to extremes to ensure that they didn’t miss anything important, allegedly searching every single ship that sailed into Alexandria’s harbor for texts …

Mar 16, 2025 · Uncover the tragic tale of the Library of Alexandria’s destruction, marking an irreversible loss of ancient wisdom and cultural heritage.

The destruction of the Library of Alexandria remains a topic of historical debate and intrigue, with several incidents contributing to its decline. Here's an overview of the Library and the events leading to its …

Nov 17, 2020 · T he opening episode of Carl Sagan ’s TV series Cosmos, first shown in 1980, lamented the most famous burning of books in history—the conflagration that destroyed the Library of Alexandria.