Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics

Alexandria: The Library

9 snips
Jul 29, 2025
Join two esteemed professors as they unravel the captivating story of the Great Library of Alexandria. Discover how Alexander the Great envisioned this hub of knowledge, fueled by the relentless ambition of the Ptolemies. Learn about their controversial tactics for acquiring texts and the library's extensive collection goals. Venture into the vibrant intellectual life supported by scholars like Eratosthenes, and reflect on the irreplaceable knowledge lost to Julius Caesar's fire. It's a thrilling exploration of knowledge, power, and the legacy of an ancient wonder.
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INSIGHT

Library as Soft Power Strategy

  • The Great Library of Alexandria was an early form of soft power exploiting knowledge as power.
  • It was unusual for its time and strategically strengthened the Ptolemaic dynasty intellectually and religiously.
INSIGHT

Aggressive Book Collection Methods

  • The library aggressively collected books through buying, borrowing, and theft to build its collection.
  • It implemented laws requiring visitors to surrender books for inspection, controlling book flow tightly.
ANECDOTE

Serapium Visit with Gun-Wielding Guard

  • Islam Issa recounts visiting the Serapium, an offshoot library, with a security guard brandishing a machine gun.
  • This illustrates the guarded, secretive nature of Alexandria's book repositories even today.
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