Ancient Greek/RomanEgypt31.2001°, 29.9187°

Library of Alexandria

Photo: O. Von Corven, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Library of Alexandria was part of the larger Mouseion research institution in ancient Alexandria, Egypt, serving as one of the most significant repositories of knowledge in the ancient world. While the physical structure no longer exists, archaeological evidence suggests it was located in the royal quarter of ancient Alexandria, near the Mediterranean coast. At its height, the library housed an estimated 40,000 to 400,000 papyrus scrolls, making it the largest collection of written knowledge in antiquity. Today, visitors can explore the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, built near the original site as a tribute to the ancient institution, while scattered ruins of ancient Alexandria remain partially submerged due to earthquakes and rising sea levels. Some theorists have proposed that extraterrestrial beings deliberately destroyed the Library of Alexandria to suppress advanced knowledge of technologies involving magnetism and crystals, thereby halting human progress. Mainstream historians and archaeologists, however, attribute the library's decline to a combination of documented historical events: destructive fires, the 391 AD edict of Emperor Theodosius I condemning non-Christian texts as heretical, and subsequent conflicts during the Islamic conquest of Alexandria in the 7th century. The gradual nature of the library's destruction across multiple centuries aligns more closely with archaeological evidence of periodic fires and deliberate removal of materials rather than a singular orchestrated event.

Timeline

c. 295 BC

Library concept proposed by Demetrius of Phalerum to Ptolemy I Soter

c. 285 BC

Library construction completed under Ptolemy II Philadelphus

c. 250 BC

Daughter library established in the Serapeum temple

145 BC

Decline begins with purging of intellectuals under Ptolemy VIII Physcon

48 BC

Partial destruction during Julius Caesar's civil war

c. 260 AD

Library membership appears to have ceased

2002

Modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina opens near the ancient site

What the Show Claims

›Extraterrestrial beings orchestrated the destruction of the Library of Alexandria to erase advanced ancient knowledge involving magnetism, crystals, and energy technologies
S09E04S09E12
›The library's destruction was deliberately planned to set humanity's technological progress back thousands of years
S09E04S09E12

Theorist Takes

“Some of those books were the history of our planet going back to 100,000 years, even. So when these books were all destroyed, it was a way of setting the knowledge back to zero.”

HENRYS09E12The Alien Agenda

“Some have suggested that it was alien intervention, that aliens taught him how to build this machine. However, I'm leaning more towards the idea that he looked at older texts from previous generations and that the source of the idea of how to build this did come from extraterrestrials.”

TSOUKALOSS02E06Alien Tech

From the Transcripts

“Egypt, 391 A.D. The Great Library of Alexandria, which houses perhaps the most extensive collection of knowledge in the ancient world, is set aflame.”

S09E12The Alien Agenda

“In the first century a.D., nearly 2,000 years before the industrial revolution, a Greek mathematician and engineer named hero created a steam-powered engine he called an Aeolipile.”

S02E06Alien Tech

What Archaeology Says

Archaeological investigations of ancient Alexandria face unique challenges, as much of the ancient city now lies underwater due to earthquakes and subsidence over the centuries. Marine archaeologists have discovered submerged ruins of the royal quarter where the library likely stood, including palace foundations and harbor installations. The exact location and layout of the original library building remains uncertain, though scholars believe it was part of the larger palace complex.

The library's gradual decline is well-documented through historical sources rather than archaeological evidence. Ancient writers like Strabo, who visited around 20 BC, provide valuable accounts of the Mouseion's continued scholarly activity even after earlier damage. The prolific work of scholars like Didymus Chalcenterus during the Roman period indicates that substantial collections survived into the early centuries AD.

Modern excavations in Alexandria have uncovered various Ptolemaic and Roman structures, but identifying specific library buildings remains challenging. The construction of the contemporary Bibliotheca Alexandrina incorporated archaeological surveys of the area, though the project focused more on honoring the ancient tradition than on precise reconstruction. What remains genuinely mysterious is the full extent of knowledge housed in the original collection and how much was lost through the various incidents of damage and neglect over several centuries.

Mysteries & Fun Facts

Eratosthenes calculated the Earth's circumference to within a few hundred kilometers of accuracy while working at the library

Hero of Alexandria invented the first recorded steam engine during his time at the institution

Callimachus created what is considered the world's first library catalog, called the Pinakes

The Ptolemaic kings had aggressive policies for acquiring texts, reportedly confiscating all books from ships entering Alexandria's harbor to copy them

Planning a Visit

Getting There

The original Library of Alexandria no longer exists, but visitors can explore the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which opened in 2002 as a contemporary tribute to the ancient institution. The area contains various archaeological sites and museums showcasing Alexandria's ancient heritage. Several underwater archaeological sites can be viewed through specialized diving tours, offering glimpses of the submerged royal quarter.

Nearest City

Alexandria is itself a major city, located approximately 220 kilometers northwest of Cairo.

Best Time to Visit

The optimal time to visit Alexandria is during the cooler months from October to April, when temperatures are more comfortable for exploring outdoor archaeological sites. Summer months can be extremely hot and humid along the Mediterranean coast.

Featured Locations1 sites within this area

Alexandria (Hero's Aeolipile)

Egypt

Ancient astronaut theorists suggest that Hero of Alexandria's first-century AD steam-powered Aeolipile — a proto-rocket engine — may have been inspired by ancient extraterrestrial technology described in earlier texts, rather than being an independent invention. Mainstream historians of science credit Hero as a brilliant engineer and mathematician who drew on the Hellenistic scientific tradition of Alexandria.

S02E06