I always wanted to go on an archeological dig. This find of theirs is really fascinating. I've never really heard of the library before. Maybe I'll look into it.

Sir S

It was THE place to go to get an education back in the old days; I bet that they didn't weigh the students down with HECS debts .

Not a bad story, and since yall use this, BBC as a source, I have now got it as a favorite. Thanks. Love learning new things.

Edited by - Finalday on 5/16/2004 4:43:12 PM

Not at all, Final . Actually, I don't check BBC etc myself; I go to other sites that post links to other sites whic, in turn, post links to other sites. It's more efficient that way .

unf the researcher who wrote the BBC article has made a mistake. The Library was NOT burned down by Julius Caesar, it was destroyed in ethnic rioting between Jews and Greeks in the mid-4th century, during the reign of the Emperor Julian, who is said to have wept when he heard the news of the destruction of much of its collection. What remained was finished off by the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century when they conquered Roman/Byzantine Egypt during their jihad.

I thought that the Muslims has sacked and burned the place; I just assumed that I was mistaken. Thanks old chum.

I don't remember the name of the Muslim commander (possibly Ibn Gaud?) but he is reported to have justified the destruction of the Library by saying that everything there either contradicted the Holy Qu'r'an in which case it was dutiful to destroy it, or merely repeated the Holy Qu'r'an in which case it was unnecessary and no-one would miss it. What a guy, huh?

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I don't remember the name of the Muslim commander

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Taw, just HOW old are you?

Pretty fascinating stuff this Love hearing/seeing these kinda things.

3,500 give or take a few centuries.

i can't help it, I just remember most of this this stuff

every day is like Sunday, every day is silent and grey..

you know lots of strange stuff, taw

Horay for finding more of the anicent world! I'm still glad they found Troy.

Life: No one gets out alive.

Muslims sacked what was left of the library, yes, but not before they were able to pull out some of the works, especially in the math, geometry and other scientific areas. At least that's what I read. It often is mentioned as one of the contributing causes of the Muslim age of enlightenment during the Dark Ages Europe, the development of al-jabr, etc.

I thought that the rioting during Julian's reign caused more damage than what the Muslims wrought.

Anyway, the reason for my post is to speculate on whether the same can happen again today. To what extent is the knowledge of mankind committed to digital media and is that sufficient to withstand what happened in Alexandria. E.g., were the Library of Congress to be burnt to ashes to today, will we have lost all the knowledge resident in it?

see it's not just me who knows about this stuff, Ed does too.

every day is like Sunday, every day is silent and grey..

and this helps Joe Soap how?