Alexandrian Museum

Alexandrian Museum

▪ ancient institution, Alexandria, Egypt
also called  the Museum , or  Museum of Alexandria , Greek  Mouseion (“Seat of the Muses”) 

      ancient centre of classical learning at Alexandria in Egypt. A research institute that was especially noted for its scientific and literary scholarship, the Alexandrian Museum was built near the royal palace about 280 BC by Ptolemy I Soter (reigned 323–285/283 BC). The best surviving description of the museum is by the Greek geographer and historian Strabo, who mentions that it was a large complex of buildings and gardens with richly decorated lecture and banquet halls linked by porticos, or colonnaded walks. It was organized in faculties with a president-priest at the head; the salaries of the scholars on the staff were paid by the Egyptian king and later by the Roman emperor. The renowned Library of Alexandria (Alexandria, Library of) formed a part of the museum. In AD 272 the buildings of the museum were destroyed in the civil war under the Roman emperor Aurelian, although the educational and research functions of the institution seem to have continued until the 5th century.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Museum of Witchcraft — Coordinates: 50°41′20″N 4°41′31″W / 50.689°N 4.692°W / 50.689; 4.692 …   Wikipedia

  • Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca — is a Boston area family of Alexandrian Wicca derived covens directly downline from Coven Chthonioi. Coven Chthonioi grew out of the Alexandrian practice of its founders in the 1970s, has an unbroken lineage back to Alex Sanders and Maxine Sanders …   Wikipedia

  • The Alexandrian Library —     The Alexandrian Library     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Alexandrian Library     The Great Library of Alexandria, so called to distinguish it from the smaller or daughter library in the Serapeum, was a foundation of the first Ptolemies for… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Egypt, ancient — Introduction  civilization in northeastern Africa dating from the 3rd millennium BC. Its many achievements, preserved in its art and monuments, hold a fascination that continues to grow as archaeological finds expose its secrets. This article… …   Universalium

  • Alexandria — /al ig zan dree euh, zahn /, n. 1. Arabic, Al Iskandarîyah. a seaport in N Egypt, in the Nile delta: founded in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great; ancient center of learning. 2,201,000. 2. a city in NE Virginia, S of the District of Columbia.… …   Universalium

  • Alexandria, Library of — Most famous library of classical antiquity. It was part of the Alexandrian Museum, a research institute at Alexandria, Egypt. The museum and library were founded and maintained by a succession of Ptolemies from the early 3rd century BC. The… …   Universalium

  • Ptolemy I Soter — born 367/366, Macedonia died 283/282 BC, Egypt Ruler of Egypt (323–285) and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. A Macedonian general of Alexander the Great, he and the other generals divided the empire after Alexander s death, Ptolemy becoming… …   Universalium

  • library — /luy brer ee, breuh ree, bree/, n., pl. libraries. 1. a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or building where books may be read or… …   Universalium

  • classical scholarship — Introduction       the study, in all its aspects, of ancient Greece (ancient Greek civilization) and Rome (ancient Rome). In continental Europe the field is known as “classical philology,” but the use, in some circles, of “philology” to denote… …   Universalium

  • education — /ej oo kay sheuhn/, n. 1. the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. 2. the act or process of… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”