247
LOWER   EGYPT.
 

ALEXANDRIA.

Alexandria was founded B.c. 332 by Alexander the Great,
who began to build his city on the little town of Rakoti,
just opposite to the island of Pharos. King Ptolemy I. Soter
made this city his capital: and having founded the famous
library and museum, he tried to induce the most learned
men of his day to live there. His son and successor Ptolemy
H. Philadelphus continued the wise policy of his father, and
Alexandria became famous as a seat of learning. The keeper
ofthe museum during the reign of Ptolemy III. Euergetes I.
was Aristophanes of Byzantium. During the siege of
the city by the Romans in the time of C^sar, b.c 48,
the hbrary of the museum was burnt; but Antony after-
v/ards gave Cleopatra a large collection of manuscripts
which formed the nucleus of a second library.* In the early
centuries of our era the people of Alexandria quarrelled
perpetually among  themselves ,t the  subjects  of dispute

* This collection numbered 200,000 MSS., and formed the famous
Pergamenian library founded by Eumenes II., king of Pergamus,
li.c. 197.

t ".....the Alexandrian rabble took on the slightest pretext to

stones and to cudgels. In street uproar, says an authority, himself
Alexandrian, the Egyptians are before all others; the smallest spark
suffices here to kindle a tumult. On account of neglected visits, on
account of the confiscation of spoiled provisions, on account of ex¬
clusion from a bathing establishment, on account of a dispute between
the slave of an Alexandrian of rank and a Roman foot-soldier as to
the value or non-value of their respective slippers, the legions were

under the necessity of charging among the citizens of Alexandria.....

In these riots the Greeks acted as instigators.....but in the further

course of the matter the spite and savageness of the Egyptian proper
came into the conflict. The Syrians were cowardly, and as soldiers
the Egyptians were so too; but in a street tumult they were able to
develope a courage worthy of a better cause." (Mommsen, Provinces
ofthe. Roman Empire^ Vol. II., p. 265.)   .