Destruction Library of Alexandria

the burning of library of alexandria, including incalculable loss of ancient works, has become symbol of irretrievable loss of public knowledge. although there mythology of burning of library @ alexandria , library may have suffered several fires or acts of destruction of varying degrees on many years. ancient , modern sources identify several possible occasions partial or complete destruction of library of alexandria.

during caesar s civil war, julius caesar besieged @ alexandria in 48 bc. many ancient sources describe caesar setting fire own ships , state fire spread library, destroying it.

[w]hen enemy endeavored cut off communication sea, forced divert danger setting fire own ships, which, after burning docks, thence spread on , destroyed great library.

bolstering claim, in 4th century both pagan historian ammianus marcellinus , christian historian orosius wrote bibliotheca alexandrina had been destroyed caesar s fire. however, florus , lucan claim flames burned fleet , houses near sea .

the library seems have continued in existence degree until contents largely lost during taking of city emperor aurelian (ad 270–275), suppressing revolt queen zenobia of palmyra. during course of fighting, areas of city in main library located damaged. sources claim smaller library located @ serapeum survived, though ammianus marcellinus wrote of library in serapeum temple thing of past, destroyed when caesar sacked alexandria.

5th century scroll illustrates destruction of serapeum theophilus

paganism made illegal edict of emperor theodosius in ad 391. temples of alexandria closed patriarch theophilus of alexandria in same year. historian socrates of constantinople describes pagan temples in alexandria being destroyed, including serapeum. since serapeum had @ 1 time housed part of great library, scholars believe remains of library of alexandria destroyed @ time. however, not known how many, if any, books contained in @ time of destruction, , contemporary scholars not mention library directly.

in ad 642, alexandria captured muslim army of amr ibn al- as. several later arabic sources describe library s destruction order of caliph omar. bar-hebraeus, writing in 13th century, quotes omar saying yaḥyā al-naḥwī: if books in agreement quran, have no need of them; , if these opposed quran, destroy them. later scholars skeptical of these stories, given range of time had passed before written down , political motivations of various writers.