Alexandria's History

Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC on his whirlwind conquest of the Middle East. When the great conqueror died not too long afterwards, one of his greatest generals Ptolemy assumed control of Egypt. Under the rule of Ptolemy and his successors Alexandria prospered. The Great Library which came to be the greatest collection of writings in the ancient world and the Great Lighthouse, a wonder of the world, were built during this time. Eventually Alexandria and all its great wealth came under the influence and eventually rule of Rome. Alexandria was the jewel of the Roman Empire second only to Rome itself and became one of the five seats of a patriarch. As Christianity grew in size and influence Alexandria became one of its intellectual hubs. Many great Church Fathers lived and taught in Alexandria, and an equal number of heresies had their origin in the Egyptian city. A few of these figures such as Origen, Athanasius, and Arius had impact on the Christian community and as a result the Roman and Byzantine Empire for centuries. The city lost much of its influence when the Arabs defeated a weakened Byzantine Egypt and then moved their capital to Cairo.