You're Dead to Me

Alexandria: city of knowledge and culture

50 snips
Sep 19, 2025
Join Professor Islam Issa, a historian specializing in Middle Eastern culture, and comedian Athena Kugblenu for a captivating delve into Alexandria's rich past. They explore the city founded by Alexander the Great, renowned for its legendary library and brilliant minds like Hypatia and Euclid. Discover the impact of early Christianity, Crusader influences, and Alexandria's cultural revival under Muhammad Ali. Athena's humor adds a delightful twist as they unravel tales of science, philosophy, and the city’s vibrant heritage.
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INSIGHT

Geography Made Alexandria A Global Hub

  • Alexandria was founded in 331 BC by Alexander and sits at the Nile Delta where three continents meet.
  • Its location made it a trade and knowledge hub connecting Africa, Asia and Europe.
ANECDOTE

Heroic Architect Wins The Job

  • Donocrates dressed as Hercules, oiled himself and showed Alexander his design to win the architect job.
  • Alexander then left for the Siwa oracle and never saw Alexandria built.
INSIGHT

The Library's Ambitious Mission

  • Ptolemy instructed Demetrius to collect "every book in the world," sparking an obsessive expansion of the library.
  • Estimates of its holdings vary wildly, from hundreds to possibly a million scrolls.
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