Library of Alexandria Discovered!

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-05-28 07:27pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3707641.stm

Library of Alexandria discovered
By Dr David Whitehouse
BBC News Online science editor

Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the site of the Library of Alexandria, often described as the world's first major seat of learning.

A Polish-Egyptian team has excavated parts of the Bruchion region of the Mediterranean city and discovered what look like lecture halls or auditoria.

Two thousand years ago, the library housed works by the greatest thinkers and writers of the ancient world.

Works by Plato and Socrates and many others were later destroyed in a fire.

Oldest University

Announcing their discovery at a conference being held at the University of California, Zahi Hawass, president of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the 13 lecture halls uncovered could house as many as 5,000 students in total.

A conspicuous feature of the rooms, he said, was a central elevated podium for the lecturer to stand on.

"It is the first time ever that such a complex of lecture halls has been uncovered on any Greco-Roman site in the whole Mediterranean area," he added.

"It is perhaps the oldest university in the world."

Professor Wileke Wendrich, of the University of California, told BBC News Online that the discovery was incredibly impressive.

Alexandria was a major seat of learning in ancient times and regarded by some as the birthplace of western science.

Birthplace of geometry

It was a tiny fishing village on the Nile delta called Rhakotis when Alexander the Great chose it as the site of the new capital of his empire.

It was made Egypt's capital in 320 BC and soon became the most powerful and influential city in the region.

Its rulers built a massive lighthouse at Pharos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the famed Library of Alexandria.

It was at the library that Archimedes invented the screw-shaped water pump that is still in use today.

At Alexandria Eratosthenes measured the diameter of the Earth, and Euclid discovered the rules of geometry.

Ptolemy wrote the Almagest at Alexandria. It was the most influential scientific book about the nature of the Universe for 1,500 years.

The library was later destroyed, possibly by Julius Caesar who had it burned as part of his campaign to conquer the city.

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-28 07:59pm

Damn beat me to it. Had a Great title, too.

"Library of Alexandria found; Egypt gains lots of techs known to other civilizations

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-05-28 08:01pm

Lonestar wrote:"Library of Alexandria found; Egypt gains lots of techs known to other civilizations

Moderators, please cna you edit my title to this?

SWPIGWANG · Post by **SWPIGWANG** » 2004-05-28 08:07pm

LOL

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-05-28 08:20pm

Lonestar wrote:Damn beat me to it. Had a Great title, too.

"Library of Alexandria found; Egypt gains lots of techs known to other civilizations

FUQ

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-28 08:51pm

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-05-28 08:56pm

Lonestar wrote:FUQ?

FUQ you!

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-28 08:58pm

FUQ you! Frenchie.

Seriously, what does it stand for? "Frequently used quotes"?

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2004-05-28 09:00pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Lonestar wrote:FUQ?
FUQ you!

no, FUQ you!

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-05-28 09:03pm

Frequently Unasked Questions, of course.

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-28 09:07pm

Zaia wrote:Frequently Unasked Questions, of course.

So Joe is asking what the reference is to?

*is even more confused, thread gets even farther off topic*

Temjin · Post by **Temjin** » 2004-05-28 09:19pm

Lonestar wrote:FUQ you! Frenchie.

Seriously, what does it stand for? "Frequently used quotes"?

http://www.daltonator.net/fuq/index.html

There's a large quote section with the best quotes from both ASVS and SDNet.

Honestly, you've been here since Febuary and you did not know about this......

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-28 09:22pm

Ahhhh......yes, I think I remmeber one of my insults made it's way there. Thanks.

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2004-05-28 10:27pm

Hmm...I thought the current Library of Alexandria was built on the ruins of the old one?

KrauserKrauser · Post by **KrauserKrauser** » 2004-05-28 10:53pm

Does it tap to draw cards?

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2004-05-28 11:24pm

Wow. That is cool, if it is anything real. I envy those people

SWPIGWANG · Post by **SWPIGWANG** » 2004-05-28 11:39pm

lonestar, would you happen to be a polytubby....uhhh apolyton OT poster?

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-05-29 10:32am

Yes. I did indeed blatantly rip it off from ixnay.

mauldooku · Post by **mauldooku** » 2004-05-29 09:46pm

Awesome discovery!

And I'm a bit annoyed with myself. It took me a few seconds to recognize the Civ. Reference T_T

Post by **Dalton** » 2004-05-29 10:39pm

Lonestar wrote:Damn beat me to it. Had a Great title, too.

"Library of Alexandria found; Egypt gains lots of techs known to other civilizations

Very good

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2004-06-01 06:38am

About time, I got some overdue books to return

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-06-01 07:09am

I thought it burned to the ground?

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-06-01 12:21pm

I wish we knew what the Greek Fire was all about. Too bad there's probably zero documents in the library.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-06-01 02:13pm

Slartibartfast wrote:I wish we knew what the Greek Fire was all about. Too bad there's probably zero documents in the library.

Greek fire was a secret only for the kings.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2004-06-01 02:33pm

Slartibartfast wrote:I wish we knew what the Greek Fire was all about. Too bad there's probably zero documents in the library.

I wonder what Greek fire smells like in the morning?