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The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind
A history of the ancient city documents its period superiority as an archaeological and technological super power, revealing how atomic theory, geometry, the steam engine, and other developments were initiated there while tracing the city's downfall and ultimate legacy to the modern world.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
103 people are currently reading
2628 people want to read
About the author
Justin Pollard
18 books99 followersJustin Pollard was born in Hertfordshire and educated at St. Albans School and Downing College, Cambridge where he was president of the Poohsticks Society.
Since then he has written nine books, a few articles for magazines like History Today, BBC History Magazine and the Idler and he is currently one of the writers of the BBC panel show QI.
He is one of the founders of Unbound - http://www.unbound.co.uk - a new crowd-funding site putting authors directly in touch with their readers.
He also runs a company called Visual Artefact which provides scripting and historical advice for feature films. His credits include Shekhar Kapur’s ‘Elizabeth’, Joe Wright’s ‘Atonement’, Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and Pirates of the Caribbean 4.
In television drama he is the historical consultant for the BBC TV/Showtime series ‘The Tudors’ - which gets him into a lot of trouble with other historians.
He is also the co-founder of crowd-funding book website www.unbound.co.uk.
He lives in Dorset where he grows vegetables and wonders where all the sheep have gone.
Since then he has written nine books, a few articles for magazines like History Today, BBC History Magazine and the Idler and he is currently one of the writers of the BBC panel show QI.
He is one of the founders of Unbound - http://www.unbound.co.uk - a new crowd-funding site putting authors directly in touch with their readers.
He also runs a company called Visual Artefact which provides scripting and historical advice for feature films. His credits include Shekhar Kapur’s ‘Elizabeth’, Joe Wright’s ‘Atonement’, Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and Pirates of the Caribbean 4.
In television drama he is the historical consultant for the BBC TV/Showtime series ‘The Tudors’ - which gets him into a lot of trouble with other historians.
He is also the co-founder of crowd-funding book website www.unbound.co.uk.
He lives in Dorset where he grows vegetables and wonders where all the sheep have gone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
May 8, 2019
Between the time of Athens and the time of Rome, the ancient world had a third city that served as a center for culture and progressive thought.
The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid celebrates Alexandria as a planned metropolis, chosen by the whim of Alexander but grown and flourished under the will of Ptolemy. Ptolemy would convert the Egyptian satrapy of Alexander into the last dynastic family of Egypt, culminating in the Roman intrigue surrounding the reign of Cleopatra.
The book details the scientific and philosophical growth of the city and its famous citizens like Euclid, Archimedes, Philo and Hero. As a home to intellectual thought (as well as a world renowned library and a famous lighthouse) ancient Alexandrians conceived of ideas hundreds of years before they were made more famous by later Arabs and Europeans.
Finally, the authors detail the city's effect on the birth and growth of Christianity. An erudite historical record, well researched and well written, this work entertains and educates.
The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid celebrates Alexandria as a planned metropolis, chosen by the whim of Alexander but grown and flourished under the will of Ptolemy. Ptolemy would convert the Egyptian satrapy of Alexander into the last dynastic family of Egypt, culminating in the Roman intrigue surrounding the reign of Cleopatra.
The book details the scientific and philosophical growth of the city and its famous citizens like Euclid, Archimedes, Philo and Hero. As a home to intellectual thought (as well as a world renowned library and a famous lighthouse) ancient Alexandrians conceived of ideas hundreds of years before they were made more famous by later Arabs and Europeans.
Finally, the authors detail the city's effect on the birth and growth of Christianity. An erudite historical record, well researched and well written, this work entertains and educates.
June 30, 2018
I learned so much from this book about not only Alexandria but of Egypt and the Mediterranean. The book covered the economy, history and existing knowledge of the ancient era. I guess if you think of the library and museum of Alexandria in modern day terms, it would be called a university, a think tank as well as a library. I did note that Alexandrea was a diverse city of Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Romans and people from neighboring countries. It is amazing to realize the city was designed to have a sewer system, running water, as well as the city was laid out with streets and buildings.
The book was well written and meticulously researched. I found the section about Hypatia (350-370-415 A.D.) to be most interesting. The way the author told the story has triggered me to want to learn more about Hypatia. She was a mathematician and philosopher in the later days of Alexandria and was considered a great teacher. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. It is eleven and a half hours. Simon Vance does an excellent job narrating the book. Vance is a well known award-winning audiobook narrator.
The book was well written and meticulously researched. I found the section about Hypatia (350-370-415 A.D.) to be most interesting. The way the author told the story has triggered me to want to learn more about Hypatia. She was a mathematician and philosopher in the later days of Alexandria and was considered a great teacher. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. It is eleven and a half hours. Simon Vance does an excellent job narrating the book. Vance is a well known award-winning audiobook narrator.
January 12, 2018
Alexandria is one of the great success stories of the ancient world, being founded by Alexander the Great, and then spending the next several centuries as one of the great trading ports of the Mediterranean, as well as a center of learning. So a history of the city has a lot of appeal.
Sadly, this isn't really a history of the city. It does start with Alexander's initial choosing of the site, and laying out the basics, and talks a little bit about the initial building. But past that, the book becomes almost entirely dedicated to the great minds that were at (or may have spent time at) the great library of Alexandria. So the bulk of the book is more of a who's who of ancient philosophy. That still makes for good reading, but the authors are too enthusiastic, and make a number of statements that are problematic or error-prone.
The most startling mistake is a statement that the Julian calendar (correctly identified as being borrowed from Eratosthenes) is accurate to one day in 1,461 years. If that were true, there'd hardly be any need for the Gregorian calendar, as they'd only differ by a day or so, instead of 13 days. They also imply (in the Eratosthenes chapter again) that Columbus would have trouble convincing the King of Spain that the world was round, when the real trouble was convincing the court that he could make it, as the distance was too great for any amount of carried supplies (a conclusion that Columbus would have come to if he'd used Eratosthenes' figure for the size of the Earth, instead of a much smaller estimate).
On the other hand, there's an interesting note that an early draft of Copernicus' De revolutionibus references Aristarchus’ heliocentric theory. Presumably they're referring to the Commentariolus, and it's an interesting connection that I hadn't heard about before. (Though looking it up on Wikipedia shows that the authors perpetuate a translation-induced misconception of Aristarchus' theory being considered impious at the time.)
This is a lighter, less technical, book than I was expecting, and for the lighter side of non-fiction, fairly well written... as long as you remember some of the wider-ranging pronouncements are problematic.
Sadly, this isn't really a history of the city. It does start with Alexander's initial choosing of the site, and laying out the basics, and talks a little bit about the initial building. But past that, the book becomes almost entirely dedicated to the great minds that were at (or may have spent time at) the great library of Alexandria. So the bulk of the book is more of a who's who of ancient philosophy. That still makes for good reading, but the authors are too enthusiastic, and make a number of statements that are problematic or error-prone.
The most startling mistake is a statement that the Julian calendar (correctly identified as being borrowed from Eratosthenes) is accurate to one day in 1,461 years. If that were true, there'd hardly be any need for the Gregorian calendar, as they'd only differ by a day or so, instead of 13 days. They also imply (in the Eratosthenes chapter again) that Columbus would have trouble convincing the King of Spain that the world was round, when the real trouble was convincing the court that he could make it, as the distance was too great for any amount of carried supplies (a conclusion that Columbus would have come to if he'd used Eratosthenes' figure for the size of the Earth, instead of a much smaller estimate).
On the other hand, there's an interesting note that an early draft of Copernicus' De revolutionibus references Aristarchus’ heliocentric theory. Presumably they're referring to the Commentariolus, and it's an interesting connection that I hadn't heard about before. (Though looking it up on Wikipedia shows that the authors perpetuate a translation-induced misconception of Aristarchus' theory being considered impious at the time.)
This is a lighter, less technical, book than I was expecting, and for the lighter side of non-fiction, fairly well written... as long as you remember some of the wider-ranging pronouncements are problematic.
September 5, 2017
This is a good book, full of fascinating glimpses into a largely forgotten place and time in history. I had a hard time staying riveted to the book, but I’m not sure why. It was always interesting. I think it was just me.
September 11, 2013
This was an absolutely fantastic book!
I knew bits and pieces about Alexandria, here and there, such as scenes from the lives of Caesar and Cleopatra and the fate of Archimedes, but I never really had a sense of the extent to which the city was the intellectual center of the West.
This was just the perfect sort of history for me. It has a chronological structure, and you get your fill of Ptolemaic kings, but at each point, the narrative breaks off into intellectual history that is philosophical, mathematical, economic or whatever is most apt. These sub-themes take on the greater importance than the geographical limitation that the title implies. For instance, in describing the influence of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the narrative follows them and their students wherever that might require.
I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the ancient world. If you have a typical American background, this is quite probably another blind spot in your appreciation of ancient history (like the Byzantine Empire probably is. :-) ) and it is an exciting and rich one.
I knew bits and pieces about Alexandria, here and there, such as scenes from the lives of Caesar and Cleopatra and the fate of Archimedes, but I never really had a sense of the extent to which the city was the intellectual center of the West.
This was just the perfect sort of history for me. It has a chronological structure, and you get your fill of Ptolemaic kings, but at each point, the narrative breaks off into intellectual history that is philosophical, mathematical, economic or whatever is most apt. These sub-themes take on the greater importance than the geographical limitation that the title implies. For instance, in describing the influence of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the narrative follows them and their students wherever that might require.
I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the ancient world. If you have a typical American background, this is quite probably another blind spot in your appreciation of ancient history (like the Byzantine Empire probably is. :-) ) and it is an exciting and rich one.
September 10, 2007
This is based upon the audio download from [www.Audible.com].
Narrated by: Simon Vance
This was the history of knowledge in Alexandria. Listening to the book was like watching a History Channel documentary—very well done. Century by century all the famous citizens of Alexandria are portrayed.
There was a great quote at the end of the book that summarizes the demise of Alexandria’s famous library and its importance in world affairs. The author states that, “Knowledge is the enemy of extremism.” and it was this fear that ultimately lead invaders to destroy the infamous library.
Given today’s world affairs, it’s scary to consider how history may be trying to repeat itself.
Narrated by: Simon Vance
This was the history of knowledge in Alexandria. Listening to the book was like watching a History Channel documentary—very well done. Century by century all the famous citizens of Alexandria are portrayed.
There was a great quote at the end of the book that summarizes the demise of Alexandria’s famous library and its importance in world affairs. The author states that, “Knowledge is the enemy of extremism.” and it was this fear that ultimately lead invaders to destroy the infamous library.
Given today’s world affairs, it’s scary to consider how history may be trying to repeat itself.
July 11, 2019
Interesting and informative.
October 24, 2020
Popular history, easy and evocative, little historiographical payoff. Exhibits the intolerant and antirational tendencies of Abrahamic religion.
October 13, 2007
... Because it was all discovered thousands of years ago! The ancient Alexandrians, a mix of Egyptian, Greek, Jewish, and Roman cultures, created in their city the world's first "empire of the mind." The Great Library contained 400,000 scrolls (many stolen from ships visiting the port). The Musuem boasted visits by the greatest minds of the age (including Eratosthenes, Archimedes, and Geminus), and the Pharos Lighthouse, almost 400 feet tall (the Statue of Liberty is only 150 feet tall) had a fire lighting a convex bronze mirror that reflected the light up to 30 miles out to sea!) brooded over a city of marble-paved, colonnaded streets, intricate sewer systems, running water, clean and comfortable public baths, and a Jewish population (at the time of Christ) that rivaled in number the population of Jerusalem!
December 2, 2013
Michelangelo, Da Vinci et al in Italy during the Renaissance. Newton, Leibowitz et al in London coffeehouses at the dawn of the industrial and scientific age. Hemingway, Stein et al in Paris' salons in the 1920s. The current tech boom in Silicon Valley. The pattern: many of humanity's great leaps forward in knowledge and art come from time and place where great minds come together.
This book documents the history of the city of Alexandria, the very first of such centers of knowledge, learning, and innovation.
The city's site was chosen by Alexander the Great and named for him; but it was built by his successor, Ptolemy. Ptolemy's vision was to combine the Hellenistic traditions of logic and philosophy with the Egyptian agricultural wealth and religion.
It was here that the first university was founded, and the first museum, and the first great library. We take these things for granted today, but they were huge innovations two eons ago.
The number of great figures in Alexandria's history is staggering. It was here that Plato, Socrates, Euclid, Aristotle, and many others did their thing. Inventions such as the clock, entirely new fields of science such as geography (Alexandrian cartographers created the first attempted map of the world, used 1500 years later by Columbus in his search for the New World), and artifacts like the Rosetta Stone and the Antikythera Mechanism all come from Alexandria.
There is no shortage of dramatic historical moments, either. It was here that Pompey was murdered as he sought to escape from Julius Caesar. It was here that Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, ruled her kingdom, conceived Caesar's child, conducted her love affair with Marc Antony, and finally committed suicide.
Alexandria crumbled into ruins after a thousand years, its great lighthouse (one of the wonders of the world) gone, its great library burned or scattered to the winds (no one knows exactly what the fate of the greatest trove of knowledge in the ancient world actually was). But its impact on human knowledge, culture, and advancement is massive.
This book documents the history of the city of Alexandria, the very first of such centers of knowledge, learning, and innovation.
The city's site was chosen by Alexander the Great and named for him; but it was built by his successor, Ptolemy. Ptolemy's vision was to combine the Hellenistic traditions of logic and philosophy with the Egyptian agricultural wealth and religion.
It was here that the first university was founded, and the first museum, and the first great library. We take these things for granted today, but they were huge innovations two eons ago.
The number of great figures in Alexandria's history is staggering. It was here that Plato, Socrates, Euclid, Aristotle, and many others did their thing. Inventions such as the clock, entirely new fields of science such as geography (Alexandrian cartographers created the first attempted map of the world, used 1500 years later by Columbus in his search for the New World), and artifacts like the Rosetta Stone and the Antikythera Mechanism all come from Alexandria.
There is no shortage of dramatic historical moments, either. It was here that Pompey was murdered as he sought to escape from Julius Caesar. It was here that Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, ruled her kingdom, conceived Caesar's child, conducted her love affair with Marc Antony, and finally committed suicide.
Alexandria crumbled into ruins after a thousand years, its great lighthouse (one of the wonders of the world) gone, its great library burned or scattered to the winds (no one knows exactly what the fate of the greatest trove of knowledge in the ancient world actually was). But its impact on human knowledge, culture, and advancement is massive.
July 9, 2008
Pretty darn entertaining for an intellectual history of a city I have to say. The second half of the book kind of dropped off for me. The history of science and reason in Alexandria is replaced by squabbles over religion in the later years of the Roman Empire and a lot of the esoteric arguments made by philosophers of one school against another and the christian vs. pagan schism seemed less interesting too me. It's a fascinating history no doubt, but not told with the kind of enthusiasm by the author that mark the first chapters.
What a wondrous place this city must have been, and so rich in history. It seems like the ancient world revolved around the place, which makes sense geographically. The author's sense of loss at the treasures and architecture of the city are palpable and easily assumed by the reader. What secrets must the great library have held before the loss of the manuscripts (either through fire by Caesar or through neglect)? If someone calculated the circumference of the Earth and the angle of its tilt by the first century BC, what else could we have lost?
I love reading histories that turn our modern conceptions of the normal progression of things on its head. How presumptuous Western historians can sometimes by to assume that Western Europe thought of everything first! It's great to see credit given where it's due (go Eratosthenes!).
What a wondrous place this city must have been, and so rich in history. It seems like the ancient world revolved around the place, which makes sense geographically. The author's sense of loss at the treasures and architecture of the city are palpable and easily assumed by the reader. What secrets must the great library have held before the loss of the manuscripts (either through fire by Caesar or through neglect)? If someone calculated the circumference of the Earth and the angle of its tilt by the first century BC, what else could we have lost?
I love reading histories that turn our modern conceptions of the normal progression of things on its head. How presumptuous Western historians can sometimes by to assume that Western Europe thought of everything first! It's great to see credit given where it's due (go Eratosthenes!).
July 11, 2011
One of the most fascinating topics in world history given a rather under-edited and intellectually limp treatment. Did you know that the Alexandrians invented the steam engine? That due to the plenitude of slave labor and the absence of coal, it was used only for entertainments and temple tricks? That the approximately 450-foot light house at Pharos, constructed of enormous stone blocks and mortar of molten lead, stood for nearly 1,600 years, despite being on a small island in a stormy sea on a fault line? Did you know that Christianity ruined civilization for 2,000 years (I learn this from the book, despite the book) by essentially criminalizing the scientific method? (Yes, we would be on Mars by now.) Did you know that the Alexandrians, not Copernicus, first proposed a heliocentric universe (yes, about 1,700 years before him)? Did you know that Eratosthenes of Cyrene measured the circumference of the earth using only a shadow, a well, an Alexandrian troop trained to measure distances by means of startlingly exact strides, trigonometry, and a frikking stick, all to within 300 miles of its actual circumference? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Era... ) That this same Eratosthenes also measured the tilt of the earth's axis to within .3 degrees?
HOLY SHIT.
HOLY SHIT.
December 25, 2011
The book was strong in the first section where the authors cover the founding of Alexandria with Alexander and then the building and flourishing of it under the Ptolemies. But then they lose me when the book turns almost entirely to intellectual history. Not because of its being intellectual history (although I think they should have not drifted so far away from the narrative) but because they seem intent on connecting as many things as possible to the city. They refer to it as being a thinker's "spiritual home." In discussing Origen they claim he did a "Alexandrian job on Christianity." Scientists and philosophers are assumed to be Alexandrian simply (it appeared to me) because of their cosmopolitan views. Because it is truly amazing how many great thinkers were from Alexandria it makes no sense to me to make such stretches.
January 12, 2018
I loved this book. Being an Ancient Egypt lover I had to read it and I'm glad I did. What other nation arrested ships as they docked in harbor and took books that were on board? Scholars would take the books to the library and see if they had it, and if they didn't they would copy it and bring the copy (not the original!) back to its owner. WHO DOES THAT!?! That's awesome!! No wonder the world's knowledge was housed in one building! Then it burned down.... (Thanks Caesar).
This book was very interesting! I loved every page!
This book was very interesting! I loved every page!
August 2, 2016
It breaks my heart every time. The over taking by religious extremism snuffing out the lights of civilization hits a little close to home right now.
March 12, 2022
The tantalisingly intangible history of the great library at Alexandria has long fascinated me. Since writing my A-level Classics dissertation on this subject some 30-odd years ago I have read as much as I can get my hands upon about this subject, consequently reading this book was a sheer delight.
I realise I could well be accused of bias, given my past acquaintance with one of the two authors, but the truth is this book is an excellent and accessible condensation of a very large subject. It gives a concise synthesis of what scholars know for sure about the famous library whilst painting a vivid and lively picture of what life might have been like in this most amazing of ancient cities.
From its foundation to its demise it shows how Alexandria really was the light of the ancient Mediterranean world. Many of the ideas and enquiries - literary, philosophical, scientific, theological, mathematical, technological - pioneered here had the potential to revolutionise the course of human development centuries before the advent of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, but the tenor of the times and the social systems prevalent in those days perhaps logically obviated the need to make that leap there and then, and, as is so often the case, politics, religion and social prejudices precluded and pre-empted those last few steps towards what was eventually much later known as the Age of the Enlightenment.
It's a fascinating thing to marvel at and wonder over. Speculating about what might have come to pass if the open academic inquisitiveness of the great library era hadn't been forestalled. Wondering what might have flourished had things developed and taken those few extra steps, pondering how Europe might well have been changed even more radically by this particular place and time than it already undoubtedly was. Alexandria was more than a successful mercantile city, it was a citadel of the mind - hence its enduring mystique for historians, bibliophiles, scholars and lay-persons alike.
I've written more about all this on my blog (see here). This book has certainly found a place on my favourites shelf alongside the likes of similar tomes, such as John Romer's 'Testament', Paul Kriwaczek's 'In Search of Zarathustra', and Ross King's 'Brunelleschi's Dome.'
I realise I could well be accused of bias, given my past acquaintance with one of the two authors, but the truth is this book is an excellent and accessible condensation of a very large subject. It gives a concise synthesis of what scholars know for sure about the famous library whilst painting a vivid and lively picture of what life might have been like in this most amazing of ancient cities.
From its foundation to its demise it shows how Alexandria really was the light of the ancient Mediterranean world. Many of the ideas and enquiries - literary, philosophical, scientific, theological, mathematical, technological - pioneered here had the potential to revolutionise the course of human development centuries before the advent of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, but the tenor of the times and the social systems prevalent in those days perhaps logically obviated the need to make that leap there and then, and, as is so often the case, politics, religion and social prejudices precluded and pre-empted those last few steps towards what was eventually much later known as the Age of the Enlightenment.
It's a fascinating thing to marvel at and wonder over. Speculating about what might have come to pass if the open academic inquisitiveness of the great library era hadn't been forestalled. Wondering what might have flourished had things developed and taken those few extra steps, pondering how Europe might well have been changed even more radically by this particular place and time than it already undoubtedly was. Alexandria was more than a successful mercantile city, it was a citadel of the mind - hence its enduring mystique for historians, bibliophiles, scholars and lay-persons alike.
I've written more about all this on my blog (see here). This book has certainly found a place on my favourites shelf alongside the likes of similar tomes, such as John Romer's 'Testament', Paul Kriwaczek's 'In Search of Zarathustra', and Ross King's 'Brunelleschi's Dome.'
November 15, 2021
Occasionally it becomes more the story of successive stars of philosophy, resident in Alexandria, than of Alexandria itself. But it does end up being two sides of the same coin. Justin Pollard & Howard Reid skillfully spin the tale of a city birthed in shining glory...only to be slowly worn down by a successive army of philistines. An example of historical scholarship that is both informative and enjoyable.
September 6, 2018
This was a great history book. It summarized 500 of the greatest antique history, a time for scientific exploration, philosophy, arts, great rulers, wars, intrigue, dynastic ambitions, murder, and the greatest love tragedy in history. My only complaint was that it glossed over quite a bit - but that was due to the sheer scope of people and events to cover. Just the audiobook I needed.
For history buffs.
For history buffs.
January 21, 2021
I have always been swept away by the romance of an ancient library. When I ultimately traveled to Alexandria and toured the albeit modern library, I was overwhelmed at the gravity of discovery and enlightenment. This book covers the amazing advances made by ancient philosophers and medicine men and attempts to piece together the library’s destruction and rebuild(s). It also hits too close to home, detailing invasions and zealots fighting to destroy the library’s treasures.
April 14, 2021
A really great introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the history of Alexandria, but for those more familiar with its story and the philosophers and rulers of the city, the book can be a little facile. Well written and with interesting stories.
January 28, 2018
Vivid writing, sound sources and a fascinating topic. Excellent.
June 26, 2024
Listened mostly on audiobook which was really pleasant. A nice, very narrative-driven book describing the history of the city, its ruling class, and philosophers.
May 23, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up for enjoyment and interest. Yes, give me all the historical mathematicians and scientists. *grabby hands*
September 23, 2025
Solid overview on Alexandria specific to the institutions of the Great Library and Muesuem.
March 20, 2025
History hyper fixation right now: ancient Egypt and literally anything about the Library of Alexandria. If you have any book recs (fiction or nonfiction) please send them my way!
January 31, 2020
Such a terrific read about the intelligentsia who lived in Alexandria at the time when the city housed a library that contained most of the knowledge of the known world. One gains a real feel for the philosophers, scientists, and writers who populated the city at its zenith. Fascinating read.
December 22, 2024
So good I did it twice. Alexandria holds a special place in history. Though technically in Egypt, it has served as a unique crossroads between the East and West throughout the centuries. This city not only reflects the cultural and intellectual achievements of its own region but also embodies the confluence of diverse influences and traditions from across the ancient world. Originally envisioned by Alexander the Great, it blossomed into one of the richest cultural centers of learning, politics and innovation the world has ever seen. In intellectual history, stands the Library of Alexandria, famed as one of the ancient wonders of the world, stands as a testament to this legacy. What struck me in this book is how Alexandria was home to many geniuses whose names still resonate today, just as they did over 2,000 years ago. In Medicine, mathematics and geometry, you have Euclid (yes, that Euclid), Archimedes, Galen, Hypatia, Eratosthenes, Diophantus, and Callimachus all lived here. Alexandria was also a hub of Jewish life, where the Septuagint was first translated. Christianity, too, found its philosophical footing thanks to Alexandrians like the prodigious Origen and Clement, both of whom are some of Christianity's greatest thinkers. Closer to our time, the Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ahmed Zewail studied in Alexandria before earning his PhD at UPenn. It’s hard to write this kind of book, to balance the inherent dryness of academic history with the exciting developments over space and time, but this tome does it very well. Masterful.
July 13, 2013
This is a fun and easy to read story of the political and intellectual development of a unique city. For a lay person like me, it helps to organize episodes of history, putting events in their time. While there are no footnotes, there are some good timelines at the end.
It gives the reader an understanding of the great library as part lyceum, university, think tank and research center. The authors show how scholarship and knowledge were a threat to the established interests even before the middle ages.
I've often wondered how history would have played out if either Caesar or Mark Antony had prevailed. Would they have rebuilt the library/university or eventually turn on the scholars? Would we have autos by 1000 AD? This book provokes more of those thoughts.
I held back a star because some of the explanations of the philosophies bogged down the narrative. The math ones, in general, were hard to follow. They interrupt a well written story.
On p. 226 there is an illusion to Julius Caesar burning the city and library in chase of Mark Antony. This is probably a careless mistake, (since Caesar chased Pompey and Octavian/Augustus Caesar chased Mark Antony, but did he set a fire?) its being here causes me to wonder if there are other careless errors under my radar screen.
I enjoyed the book. I recommend it to the casual reader because it tells the story in an entertaining way.
It gives the reader an understanding of the great library as part lyceum, university, think tank and research center. The authors show how scholarship and knowledge were a threat to the established interests even before the middle ages.
I've often wondered how history would have played out if either Caesar or Mark Antony had prevailed. Would they have rebuilt the library/university or eventually turn on the scholars? Would we have autos by 1000 AD? This book provokes more of those thoughts.
I held back a star because some of the explanations of the philosophies bogged down the narrative. The math ones, in general, were hard to follow. They interrupt a well written story.
On p. 226 there is an illusion to Julius Caesar burning the city and library in chase of Mark Antony. This is probably a careless mistake, (since Caesar chased Pompey and Octavian/Augustus Caesar chased Mark Antony, but did he set a fire?) its being here causes me to wonder if there are other careless errors under my radar screen.
I enjoyed the book. I recommend it to the casual reader because it tells the story in an entertaining way.
August 5, 2016
One of the best history books I've ever read. Going at a quick pace, it reads like an action novel, but this is history, not fiction. It ostensibly covers Alexandria, but it really shows the city as a point of history, and shows the breadth of antiquity through it all.
An incomplete list of what Justin Pollard and Howard Reid cover in this incredible tome -
* Aristotle, with a little of his precursors Socrates and Plato
* Alexander
* Ptolemies I-XII, that's twelve. A few more than this actually.
* Cleopatra, who was a Ptolemy
* Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and company
* The Council of Nicea
* Virtually every scientific discovery when it was discovered the first time, ie distance to sun, Heliocentrism and more
* Battles between monotheism and paganism
* And of course the Library of Alexandria
And so much more. The only negative thing I can say about this is that I it was so loaded with incredible little tidbits that I tried to speed up in certain areas and just couldn't because I did not want to miss out on anything. So it took me awhile to read.
That's another compliment, actually. Great book!
An incomplete list of what Justin Pollard and Howard Reid cover in this incredible tome -
* Aristotle, with a little of his precursors Socrates and Plato
* Alexander
* Ptolemies I-XII, that's twelve. A few more than this actually.
* Cleopatra, who was a Ptolemy
* Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and company
* The Council of Nicea
* Virtually every scientific discovery when it was discovered the first time, ie distance to sun, Heliocentrism and more
* Battles between monotheism and paganism
* And of course the Library of Alexandria
And so much more. The only negative thing I can say about this is that I it was so loaded with incredible little tidbits that I tried to speed up in certain areas and just couldn't because I did not want to miss out on anything. So it took me awhile to read.
That's another compliment, actually. Great book!
January 2, 2008
An engaging history of Alexandria, focusing particularly on the library and the scholars who studied and taught there. I knew absolutely nothing about this subject before reading the book, and learned a great deal!
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