The great library of Alexandria was the most important center of knowledge in the ancient world. Who destroyed it and why? In this documentary video in Spanish we tell you the true story of the library of Alexandria, from its creation to its destruction. #history #library #documentary As we all know, when Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, some of his generals shared out his enormous empire. One of them, Ptolemy, who ruled Egypt, proclaimed himself pharaoh and thus began the Ptolemaic dynasty, which reigned in that territory for three centuries. Ptolemy I shared Alexander the Great's vision that Hellenistic culture was admirable and that, in order to establish his own power in the conquered territories, it was in his interest to spread that culture. At the same time, both Alexander and Ptolemy knew that understanding the culture and language of the conquered peoples was crucial to achieving their integration into a larger sociopolitical structure. Thus, royal libraries had been built in the main cities of Alexander the Great’s empire, and Ptolemy I, who made Alexandria the capital of his kingdom, decided to promote the creation of the most important library in the world: the Great Library of Alexandria. Although it is believed that the idea was Ptolemy I’s, most historians believe that it was during the reign of his son, Ptolemy II, when it was physically built. Unlike his father, Ptolemy II was not skilled in war, but he loved science and art, and he collected manuscripts, paintings and animals. If the library was built during his reign, that would mean that it was founded between 285 and 246 BC. And what did it look like? No one knows. Although historical sources indicate that it was located in the royal quarter or Basileia – also called Bruchion – its exact location within the palace area is unknown. For this reason, archaeologists have not yet found any trace of the library. Thanks to the chroniclers of the time, we know that the Great Library had numerous rooms full of shelves where the volumes were stored and various rooms where the copyists worked, whose important work we will talk about later. Apparently, the Great Library also had gardens, atriums, a large common dining room, reading rooms, meeting rooms and several fountains, with open-air spaces and colonnades through which to walk. We also know that it was built next to another important royal institution: the Temple of the Muses or Museion where the wise men lived and studied, between 30 and 50, coming from all over and specialists in very diverse branches of knowledge: from poets to scientific researchers, including philosophers. These wise men received a very high salary, and did not have to pay for their accommodation or food. They also did not pay taxes. In this way, they only had one concern on their mind: to research and expand their knowledge. These two institutions – the Great Library and the Museion – were independent of each other, with separate administrations, but they complemented each other in order to achieve their purpose: to become a powerful engine for the advancement of human knowledge. Thank you for visiting our channel. We are Raquel de la Morena and Pedro Estrada, journalists and writers. In our videos we will tell you stories aimed especially at curious minds. Biographies, legends, mysteries, historical and literary curiosities... If you want to hear and see them, you are welcome! As writers, we are the authors of historical romance novels ('The Heart of the Banshee' and 'Who the Hell Are You?', winner of the 5th Titania Prize), young adult books (such as the mirror novel 'The Curse of Trefoil House') and also children's and young adult books (such as the collection 'Vinlandia', also published in France by the publishing house Hachette). Get our latest books: 'Who the hell are you?': https://amz.run/5Bh9 'The Heart of the Banshee': https://amz.run/5Bh6 'The Curse of Trefoil House': https://amz.run/5Bh4 'Zen': https://amzn.to/3fBzSYk 'Vinlandia' Collection: https://amz.run/5CTK https://amz.run/5CTL https://amz.run/5CTN Follow me on social media: Instagram ????: / raqueldlmorena Twitter: / raqueldlmorena Facebook: / raquel-de-la-morena-423244607874154 Goodreads: / 5398610.raquel_de_la_morena Web: http://www.raqueldelamorena.com ----------- Script: Pedro Estrada and Raquel de la Morena Editing, audio and video: Pedro Estrada Music: 'Aletheia (Unforgetting)', by Devon Church