The Library of Alexandria
6/21/202643 min
The Library of Alexandria was one of the most important and most celebrated buildings of the ancient Mediterranean. It was a great hub of learning and literature and made Alexandria one of the ancient world’s foremost centres of knowledge and culture. But when was it built? And where did all the books come from?
Tristan Hughes speaks to Dr. Islam Issa about the story behind one of histories greatest libraries. Together they explore why Alexandria’s reigning dynasty - the Ptolemies - were so obsessed with acquiring knowledge and uncover whether it really did burn down in a great fire.
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Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
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First 90 secondsTristan Hughes· Host0:00
Ever wondered why the Romans were defeated in the Teutoburg Forest? What secrets lie buried in prehistoric Ireland? Or what made Alexander truly great? With a subscription to History Hit, you can explore our ancient past alongside the world's leading historians and archeologists. You'll also unlock hundreds of hours of original documentaries with a brand new release every single week, covering everything from the ancient world to World War II. Just visit historyhit.com/subscribe. Hey, I hope you're doing well. We're doing all right here. We are getting ready for our tour to Australia in early August. Things are ramping up quick. Really excited to get over there. My first time in Australia for a good decade or so, and it's really exciting to see that tickets are selling. So we've got the shows lined up. We've got the topics, the Labors of Hercules, and also the myth, the story of Romulus and Remus, and then delving into what's the historical basis potentially for these famous mythological stories of ancient Greece and Rome. Really hope to see you there if you're in either Australia or New Zealand. But back to today's episode. We are delving into the archive to explore the story of one of the greatest educational buildings ever constructed, the Library of Alexandria, this great center of learning, particularly during the Hellenistic period. So the time when you have these Greek pharaohs, a Greco-Macedonian dynasty ruling over