# The Great Library of Alexandria



## Brian G Turner (Aug 23, 2003)

I found a website with some good information - not least, the first hand historical sources.

It seems that there are traditions of three burnings - but that each is allegedly misrepresentated by the various processes of political propaganda.

http://www.bede.org.uk/library.htm

From a brief and cursory reading, I would even dare suggest that the Royal Library was never a large affair in the first place, merely being an adjunct to the Alexandrian museum - but that the idea of burning books is so appalling, that the motif has been used against "conquerors" more than once merely for propagandist purposes. 

This is more obvious in the notion of Caesar burning it first - which should be the most easy account to judge, because there are a number of sources. However, what is extremely telling is that the nearer contemporary accounts of the event never actually mention a "Great Library of Alexandria" burning - the story has only become accepted knowledge in those accounts written well over a century after. Telling, indeed. 

In fact, I'd personally suggest the tradition of Julius Caesar burning the Alexandrian Library more likely became established after the Julio-Claudian line was ended with the death of Nero, and subsequent civil war of 69 which Vespassian (the man who laid seige to Jersusalem in that same year). No doubt it would have been very useful for Vespassian, who had been stationed in Palestine, to tell of such a story when he returned to Rome to rule as Emperor. That's what my cynicism tells me, anyway.


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