Alexandria (Greek: Ἀλεξάνδρεια , Copte: Arab Rakotə , : rear RTL الإسكندرية, Al-ʼIskandariya ) is a town of Egypt of almost four million inhabitants, founded by Alexandre Large the in -331. It became in the Antiquité the first wearing of Egypt and the capital of the country. It will be at its time one of the largest cultural hearths of the the Mediterranean, its famous Bibliothèque being without question one of the principal bases of its notoriety.

The town of Alexandria is located at the west of the Delta of the Nile, between the Lac Maréotis and the island of Pharos. It is attached to this island by the Heptastade, which is a kind of dam also being used as Aqueduc and which allowed not only the urban expansion but also the creation of two maritime ports.

History

Origin

Plutarque, in its Life of Alexandre , tells how one night in -331, whereas Alexandre Large the projects to build its town of Egypt, it dreams of Homère which speaks to him about the island of Pharos. To the alarm clock, it leaves to see this island and starts to trace contours of the city on the coast who faced him.

There exist several assumptions relating to it. The town of Alexandria would have been built on the old city of Rakhotis but there is few documents about it. There exist three assumptions about Rakhotis:

1. For some, Rakhotis was a simple village of fishermen;
2. For others, the term rakhotis could be translated by “the building” which would refer to the first buildings worthy of this name built by the Greeks, close or in the place of this same village of fishermen or of a guardroom;
3. Of others even thinks that rakhotis would mean “the building site” and would not be a city but the name given by the Egyptians to the town of Alexandria at the time of its construction. Indeed, most of Alexandria was built of a block and has to have a long time the appearance of a building site.

What one knows about this zone before Alexandria east quoted by some Greek authors and Romans who mention population established on the marshes surrounding the area. Héliodore says to us that the Egyptians called it “the country of the shepherds”. The area had bad reputation: “It is there that all the brigands of Egypt have their city”. The zone appears besides in many Greek legends.

It was not the only Alexandria city built by the Macedonian, indeed, one counted thirty-two of them. This one was known under the name of Alexandrea AD Aegyptum (“Alexandria of Egypt”) and became Iskanderia today. Before it, another city of the delta had been occupied by the Greeks but it had been offered to them by Amasis, it acts of Naucratis, a emporion or " port of commerce". It is located at approximately 70  km inside the grounds and it had only little importance apart from its commercial role. The Large Alexandre desired one to build Alexandria on the coast, in spite of the bad quality of the ground (Lake Maréotis) in this zone and the particularly dangerous coast at this place of the delta. The tomb of the conqueror should be there.

At the time of its passage in Egypt in -332/-331, Alexandre the Large one charges Dinocratès, a Greek architect, to raise in this place a city which is designed on an orthogonal level, or in checkerwork, with broad avenues cutting itself to right angles. In its layout, the new city includes the old Egyptian village of Rhakotis which constitutes an indigenous district then. The city starts to take importance only when Ptolémée, wire of Lagos, founder of the dynasty of Lagides, settles there and makes of it the capital of Egypt which it had received in division after the death of Alexandre in -323.

As of first half of before our era, under the first both Ptolémées, it covers splendid monuments and takes the aspect which it will preserve until the end of Antiquity, with its gardens and its monuments of Greek design: royal palace on the sea, museum and library, Summoned (or Sowed, tomb of Alexandre the Large one), Sérapéum (temple devoted to the god Sérapis gréco-Egyptian), temple of Isis, markets, theater and especially celebrates it headlight, tower raised by Sostrate de Cnide on the island of Pharos, which gave its name to this type of monument.

During nearly one millenium, until the Arab conquest in 641, Alexandria remains the intellectual and spiritual capital of a part of the world Mediterranean, after having been, during the last three centuries before our era, the political capital of hellenized Egypt.

Starting from the foundation of Alexandria and Greek occupation, Egypt will become a province of the hellenism, and its administration, even if it preserves certain aspects of the old Pharaonic administration, is strongly influenced by the Greek designs. The official language becomes the Greek, even if the former Egyptian, in his form Démotique, is still spoken in rural environments and if the priests preserve the antiques religious designs and always cover the temples of hiéroglyphes, increasingly charged and enriched by new signs. Even the temples, built according to the traditional models, undergo modifications of detail. It is at that time that the mammisi like independent monuments appear, that the capitals of columns multiply ad infinitum in their decorations and are weighed down, that low walls are built in between-colonnements.

Roman domination

See also: Roman Period of Egypt

In -47, the troops of Jules César set fire to the fleet of Alexandria; fire is propagated with the warehouses and according to various interpretations this one destroyed part of the large library or saves it. Octave Auguste puts an end, after the naval battle of Actium in -30, not only with the Roman civil wars (liquidation of Marc Antoine), but also with Egyptian independence (until the 19th century). The province is controlled by a Préfet. After the first times of the annexation, the city seems to have regained prosperity because of direct domination by the imperial capacity because the corn of Egypt is essential for the distributions with the Roman plebs. It is an important military port. In 215, Caracalla visit the city, and following satires, orders from its troops to kill all the men in age to carry a weapon. This order will not be carried out; it would have been materially difficult for its guard, certainly less than 5000 men, to eliminate approximately: 200000 adults physically able to defend themselves.

A enigma is placed then: in 215, the Caracalla Roman Emperor, like much of people, visits the tomb of Alexandre, one of the principal monuments of the city; he tests even his armor! But in the year 300, an author declares that nobody any more knows where is the tomb of Alexandre! How a city of: could 500000 inhabitants, great arts center, thus forget in two generations where was its more famous monument? It however does not seem that very great events took place in Alexandria during this time (but the 3rd century is badly known). The mystery remains whole, archeologists and historians seek always today!

In this same 3rd century, the old hieroglyphic writing ceases being taught and included/understood. The use of the momification also disappears. Christianity thus seems completely to have erased the Egyptian memory.

With the Division of the Roman Empire, the city belongs to the Byzantine Empire. Alexandria remains the administrative center of the province. The corn of Egypt goes then to Constantinople and Rome will have to be supplied in North Africa (Carthage).

With the christianization of Egypt, Alexandria becomes an arts center and religious important. Arius, priest of Alexandria and formulator of the Arianisme, and Athanase of Alexandria, near of the capacity to Constantin {{Ier}}, is opposed on the natural of Christ. More and more, during the 3rd century, the city approaches the remainder of Egypt and little by little, declines in population and splendor. In all the province the taxes are crushing and many taxpayers give up their goods and are made hermits in the desert or enter monasteries to escape the tax collector.

At the 4th century, persecutions of the pagan reach a new level of intensity. Temples and statues is destroyed in all the Empire, the pagan rites are prohibited and punishable of death, the libraries are closed. In 391, Théodose {{Ier}} gives the order to destroy all the temples. The patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria is harnessed with this spot in the city. The large library and the Sérapéum were destroyed at that time. The Mathematician and Philosophe neoplatonician Hypatie was also victim of persecutions.

The districts Brucheum and Juif are destroyed at the 5th century and their central monuments, the sépum and the Museion fall in ruin. The life is organized then around the Sérapéum and of the Césaréum transformed into church. The districts of Pharos and the Heptastade regain population and remain intact.

The Arab conquest

See also: Wars between Arabs and Byzantine empire

Alexandria is conquered by Persians in 616 by Khosro {{II}}, king of Perse. The city is recovered by the empire towards 630. In 640, the Arab general 'Amr ibn Al 'Ace undertakes a seat of forty month. The city does not obtain any help of Constantinople, the emperor Heraclius dies and the new emperor Constantin {{III}} which will reign only four months, leave the capacity to his/her eleven year old son. In 646, Alexandria, evacuated by the Greeks, is delivered by the Cyrus patriarch to the troops of `Amr. The Greeks who leave Egypt being especially tradesmen, the mode of the property of the ground is not modified, and the Arabs receive a pay especially in kind. They ensure a guard by rotation Alexandria vis-a-vis the sea and Khirbeta vis-a-vis the desert. 'Amr writes with the Caliph Omar ibn Al-Khattab which it took a city containing:

• 4.000 palates,
• 4.000 public baths,
• 12.000 fresh oil salesmen,
• 12.000 gardeners,
• 40.000 Jews which pay tribute,
• 400 theaters or place of entertainment.

With the Arabs practically the old Egyptian language disappears.

The medieval period

The medieval period of the town of Alexandria remains, so far, little studied. The city, described by the Arab contemporary authors, was invested by the forces of the 5th crusade, large Maïmonide made an appearance there before going to Cairo and Saladin founded there a waqf , a foundation of died hand, at the 12th century. The document of foundation, one of oldest of its kind, was found little time ago in files of the city which are today in Cairo.

Modern history

At the time modern, the town of Alexandria knew an important expansion. Indeed, the medieval city was on the dry land, strengthened by an enclosure.

Modern history

The modern city was built on the ruins of the ancient city what makes the excavations difficult.

In July 1882, the city is bombarded by the Royal Navy British and occupied.

The ancient port

Dimensions of the city are much more important than those of the majority of the other cities of Antiquity. According to certain authors, the enclosure surrounding the city was long of about fifteen kilometers. This enclosure was modified since its construction what poses problem for the reconstitutions. Indeed the ramparts of origin were increased at the time Roman and another enclosure would have been built at the 11th century by the sultan Ahmad Ibn Touloun. Moreover several blocks of the wall of origin were re-used for the construction of the Arab wall.

Heptastade (in Greek: seven stages, length) which connects the coast to Pharos was built by Dinocratès, the same one which made the plan of the city. Thanks to Heptastade, the coast was arranged so that it has two ports, one with the east and the other in the west. That is often the case in Greek civilization, to facilitate the arrival of the sailing boats, which are subjected to the risks of the wind.

The coast of Alexandria is a danger zone and the boats suffered much from it. The Western port (Port of Eunostos) broad but is surrounded by a barrier of reefs mentioned by Strabon and which follows the axis of the island of Pharos. It locked up another artificial harbor, Kibôtos (Greek: box, rectangular form). The Eastern port (Large-Port) is protected by almost an island and by the point of the island of Pharos where the headlight was but its approach is dangerous because its entry is very narrow. Moreover it is subjected to the winds of the North-East and the sea is completely open there to the entry of the port. One discovered besides many Greek boats and Romans (IV E at the 7th century) failed broad of the port.

Monuments

The city is drawn by Rhodien (or of Macedonian) Dinocratès (or Deinokratès, Deinocharès, Tinocharès) according to hippodamiens plans (in checkerwork).

Its most important monuments are the gymnasium, the discatérion (court), the Sôma (or Sowed, tomb of Alexandre). The palate covers 1/4 of the city: of light construction, it forms Néapolis (Museum, Bibliothèque, theater). The port is separate into two by a pier (Heptastade) which joins together the city in the island of Pharos where draws up the Headlight, built by Sostrate de Cnide. The water of the the Nile is distributed by a tight network of drains connected on a channel.

The column of Dioclétien (column of Pumped)

After its defeat by Jules César in the civil war, Pompée was run away in Egypt where he was assassinated in -48; the medieval travellers believed later that it was to be buried here. Actually, it is about a column out of red granite of 25 height meters Aswan, of a circumference of 9 meters, built in the honor of the emperor Dioclétien at the end of the 4th century. Diocletius captured Alexandria after having besieged it.

The Arabs called it el-Sawari of Amoud , column of the riders. This column is the ancient monument largest in Alexandria, the origin in the temple of the Sérapis which was in the past a splendid structure competing Summoned it and Caesareum.

Very close, there are underground galleries where crowned bulls Apis were buried, and three sphinges.

Catacombs of Kom-el-Chouqafa

The catacombs of Kom-el-Chouqafa constitute the greatest Roman funerary site of Egypt known to date. Their discovery dated September 28th, 1900 and does of it one of the most important archeological sites of Alexandria. This funerary complex, built at the end of the 1st century was used until the beginning of.

These tombs were dug in the rock for a rich person practitioner family always the ancient religion. They represent the last existing principal construction of the old Egyptian religion. Although the funerary reasons are Egyptian antique pure, the architects and the artists were inspired by the models gréco-Roman. A staircase of rolling up deeply descends several levels in the ground, with small vaults opening on him, furnished with benches for the visitors bringing with the offerings.

In the center of the frontage, the familiar solar disk surmounts a plank of snakes; on the left and on the right two snakes carry the crowns of the Low-Egypt and the High-Egypt. It is not like the cobras of Saqqarah or Thèbes: they seem to be conceived like a modern cartoon. In the room of the tomb, the decoration includes/understands Horus, Thot, Anubis, the priest in his skin of panther, and the king making an offering with late in the form of Osiris. These figures are returned in the model gréco-Roman. To the traditional scenes the additional groups of grapes are added, of heads of jellyfish, and a variety of Greek and Roman decorations.

Strong Qaït Bay

The island of Pharos separated two enormous ports. Located at the northern entry of the port of the East, the strong one was built in the years 1480 by the Sultan Qaït Bey, on the site of the Phare of Alexandria. One of the seven wonders of the world ancient, the headlight was 135 meters top with roughly three hundred rooms. By the center was a double rise in spiral. The lantern with the top of the headlight remains a mystery. Some indicate that it contained a polished steel mirror which reflected the light the day, and fire the night. Others indicate that it was made of transparent glass. The headlight was destroyed by an earthquake around 1100. On its site a mosque was built, which was damaged by an earthquake at the 14th century. Built in a medieval style, the strong one was entirely restored into 2001/2002; it shelters the museum of the Navy which contains objects of the Roman naval battles and of Napoleon.

The entry is done by a red granite passage of Aswan. Close to the mosque, there is a tank which was used to store water in the event of seat. Adjacent at the height, the hydro-biological Institute contains a large variety of rare fish. More in the east of the district of Anfouchi, there is small a necropolis of five tombs dating from the Ptolémaïque time.

The amphitheater of Kom-el-Dick

It is a small Roman, single amphitheater in the country. The site is always in excavations since thirty years with the discovery of Roman remainders including/understanding this theater with galleries, sections of floor in mosaic, and marble seats to accommodate to 800 spectators. In the time of Ptolémées, this sector was a garden of pleasures. The theater can be covered to be used as Odéon with musical works. The inscriptions suggest that it sometimes was also employed for contests of fight. The theater comprises thirteen semicircular white marble lines which were imported of Europe. Its columns are of imported green marble of minor Asia, and imported red granite of Aswan. Each east coast decorated with a geometrical paving of mosaic.

Out of the theater, one can see vaults and walls out of stone, the Roman brick baths and the remainders of Roman houses.

It is in the enclosure of this site that is installed the very new underwater museum in the open air to expose the ancient parts - sphinges, obelisks, columns papyriformes and fragments of colossal statues - exits of water of the Mediterranean by the team of the Center of studies Alexandrines.

The Gréco-Romain museum

Created in 1892, the Musée gréco-Roman of Alexandria was built the first time in a small building located on the road of Horreya. In 1895 it was transferred to the current site close to the road of Gamal Abdul Nasser. It shelters thousands of relics dating from the III E, in particular a splendid black granite sculpture of Apis, the crowned bull of the Egyptians, mummies, sarcophagi, tapestries, objects offering a panorama as faithful as varied civilization gréco-Roman in the form as she covered in contact with Egypt.

The museum of the royal jewels

Installed in an old palate of the king Farouk, it gathers the whole of the jewels and objects invaluable having belonged to the royal family since the beginning of the 19th century. Play of failure of Mohammed Ali, crimped invaluable stones with 1506 diamonds of the crown of the queen Farida, one thinks to be in a fairy tale.

The national museum of Alexandria

Installed in the old American consulate, it makes it possible to observe many objects resulting from various times of Egypt, Pharaonic, Christian, Moslem…

Old the blockaus of the basement is devoted to antiquities of the Pharaonic time.

Gardens of Montaza

These gardens are surrounded by large walls in the south, the east and the west, and of a beach in north. This sector belonged to the family of Mohammed Ali, reigning family of the middle of the 19th century until 1952. Construction was started in 1892 with king Abbas, who built a large palace called Salamlek. In 1932, the king Fouad {{Ier}} built more a large palace and called it Haramlik. His/her son, king Farouk, built the pier on the sea. The remainder of space consists of gardens.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Famous the Bibliothèque of Alexandria was built with the ptolémaïque time and was famous for the richness and the great number of works which it contained (estimated at: 700000 volumes). The causes of its destruction remain still obscure and make debate. Let us recall that it is following an immense fire that fire had devastated them: 700000 volumes.

Within the framework of a project leads jointly between UNESCO and Egypt, the library of the Mediterranean world (Bibliotheca Alexandrina) was built on the ruins of the old ancient building. It should be able to accommodate approximately: 5000000 of volumes.

The architecture of the Library had been thoroughly selected following a contest which had been organized by UNESCO; it is the proposal of a Norwegian architectural firm which had been retained. The plan was carried out by Egyptian engineer Mamdouh Hamza.

Beside the room of reading is three museums, five research institutes as well as showrooms.

Inside the Library, the rooms of reading are on seven levels including four pennies the sea level. High columns decorated with flowers of lotus decorate the interior of the rooms with reading which can receive until: 2000 people.

A museum is reserved for thousands of old manuscripts, including two copies of the Bible offered by the the Vatican to the Library as well as a copy of the book of the Description of Egypt. It has an identical copy of the Pierre de Rosette and a book of the memorandum of the inauguration of Suez Canal including/understanding of the tables of the ceremony of the voyage of the queens and the princes, drawn by the artist of the Khedive Ismaïl.

Economy & company

With its apogee, the ancient city will be populated of more than one million inhabitants: Greeks, Egyptian, Syrians, later Italian. The Juifs (cf -319) form the two fifths of the population. Their competition with the Greek often brings serious disorders.

The city is even managed seemingly it (swell, ecclésia organized according to the Athenian model). The most important magistrate seems the gymnasiarque one, who seems the representative of the citizens.

She is the only true city (polishes) of Egypt. Center political kingdom lagide, it shelters the enormous bureaucracy which manages Egypt. It is the center of an intense economic activity (metal or terra cotta vases, fabrics, papyrus, perfumes, luxury articles). Only truth port of Egypt on the Mediterranean, it imports wood, metals, marble, wine, olive oil and exports corn, papyrus, fabrics and muslins of flax, perfumes, luxury items. It reforwards goods of Black Africa (ivory, gold, feathers of ostrich, slaves, wild animals), of Arabia and India (spices, aromatics, perfumes, silk).

Characters

• Ératosthène

• Euclide (mathematician)
• Héron of Alexandria
• Hérophile of Alexandria
• Hypatie of Alexandria
• Philon of Alexandria
• Ptolémée
• Abbas II Hilmi

Twinnings

Gallery photographs

Random links:

Cachen | William Luther Pierce | Pascal Caffet | Shake Ya Tailfeather | Macross Zero | Etymology of Alexandria