The Real Library Of Alexandria

[digitaljanus]

Knowledge that is not continually copied, printed, protected, or shared will cease to exist. Many texts contemporary with the Library of Alexandria today we only know of because they were deemed worthy of copying. The Library of Alexandria was destroyed the same way any library is destroyed: apathy and budget cuts. If the culture does not value the preservation or sharing of knowledge and is unwilling or unable to support the institutions that do so, they crumble.

[brianb]

I was taught in high school in the 90s that it didn't so much get destroyed as the information within it became diversified and therefore the physical building became largely irrelevant.
The scrolls were endlessly copied and transported all across the known world by visiting scholars from the middle east, throughout Europe, and India.

[OutsiderLabs]

Even history can just fade away if there isn't someone preserving it.

[darrynmurphy]

> Builds a library in a country thats famously arid and dry, with perfect conditions for preserving papyri
> Builds it in the one part of the country thats humid

[SleightlyPersonal]

Man, I’m no book nerd, but I really appreciate every video of yours that’s come across my feed. Your passion and respect for the history of literature is really cool.

[DneilB]

In sequence: humidity, rats, and preservationists. Whatever wasn’t ruined by the first two was hauled off to central Turkey for preservation.

[elizabethclark]

Interesting, the idea that the fabled Library of Alexandria was destroyed by war, invaders or a faith, was used to explain what scholars and others couldn't comprehend - they had to explain how the books were lost as medieval books were written on manuscript (made from leather), using quill and ink and did not deteriorated over time, just fading and discolouring, with maybe some mould and water damage. Then when linen paper was developed (made from scrap and clothing materials) again then was no real deterioration. But you'd think midern scholars and researchers would be able to approach this "faction" and come up with a likelier explanation than human stupidity. More shorts like this please.

[nidohime]

In reality is because no one bother to take care of Alexandria's library.
For people at the time it was just another building, and many other libraries where builted over the centuries.

[Friendofoe]

Happy to see your audience is growing fast, man. You freaking deserve it.

[teodelfuego]

It was destroyed by silverfish! People bringing in snacks and soft drinks started it all off!

[margaretinsydney]

Thank you! There was a film a few years back that showed Christians torching it, thus planting a false narrative in the heads of everyone who saw it.
Your explanation makes a whole lot more sense.😊

[MrNyathi]

We didn't lose as much as many people think: a lot of the documents in that library were copied versions of books brought from elsewhere. Of course, the fewer copies of a particular document in existence, the greater the chance it'll be lost entirely. And if there aren't even references to lost books, we don't even know what we've lost.

[johnbowmer]

It seems extraordinary that such a large and important library could have been located somewhere with such an unsuitable climate for the scrolls. I have often thought the same about Hay-on-Wye - a damp Welsh town seems an unsuitable place for a book festival and 20 bookshops. East Anglia has a much lower annual rainfall making it a better option in this respect...

[Confessingjesuschrist]

I'm very interested in early Christian Alexandria. I'm always amazed how mainstream narrative focuses on the Pre-Christian history of all these lands, but there is such a rich history after Christ.

[jennifer]

The podcast The Ancients (By History Hit) have just done a whole mini doc on the library. Was fascinating you should check it out. Details that one might not know

[i.b.]

I always thought a building consisting of printed-on cinder is bound to Burn down eventually without anyone ever burning it down intentionally

[brendanward]

The Great Library _was_ destroyed in 48 BC by Caesar's fire, but the Daughter Library in the Serapeum, about 2.5 km southwest of the Great Library, survived for several more centuries.

[sherylcrowe]

Time ... time is what happens to ALL things

[bobbear]

Thank you 🤓 I had only heard of the Ceasar option. However, regardless of the fire I had reservations. Aged papyrus just makes the most sense. I appreciate your perspective. 🤔

[JordanBeagle]

That actually makes me feel a lot better about it