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The Site:Alexandria Serapeum. The Monument:A column raised in 300 A.D. in honour of Emperor Diocletian, who saved the city of Alexandria from a frightful famine.On the western side of the column is engraved, "To the just Emperor, the god of Alexandria, the invincible Diocletian." Nevertheless It was called Pompey’s Pillar by the French under certain mistaken impression regarding Pompey’s head.The Arabs called it "Amoud el-Sawari", Column of the Horsemen, bearing in mind or rather imagination that it might have been a base of the emperor’s statue as a cavalry on his horse. The Material is 22 meters height and 9 meters diameter of polished red granite brought from Upper Egypt across the Nile! You will soon ask HOW? The ancient Nilometer at the site shows that the Nile Canobic Branch had been penetrating this area to its mouth at Canope (known now as Abu Qir) on the Mediterranean Coast. The Crown is Corinthian Greek Style. The top of the pillar’s crown was accessed in a very simple, easy but funny method: They flew a kite; when the thread reached the top, they lowered it till the ground and fastened a thick rope capable to raise people to the top…. Believe it! It isn’t a joke of mine. In a VT meeting here, two of my virtual daughters. VT comate Mrs. Lana, in her fortnight visit to Egypt in March ‘05; and my student –the assistant curator, who graciously guided us to the Serapeum. Cordial greetings for both.* Leave a Comment Address: Alexandria, EgyptDirections: Karmoz, Alexandria popular area
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| | | | Pompey's Pillar: Pompey's Pillar | Tip Rating: | | | | |
There is a hill littered with the remains of ancient walls in the southwest of the city, near the large Arab cemetery. Alexandria's largest ancient monument, Pompey's Pillar, stands there. It is rising from the ruins of the ancient and famous Serapeion (Temple of Serapis). This column of red Aswan granite with a Corinthian capital, rising to a height of almost 27m with a circumference of 9m, is traditionally believed to have been erected by the Emperor Theodosius to commemorate the victory of Christianity over paganism and the destruction of the Serapeion in 391. More probably, however, it was set up in 292 in honor of Diocletian, who supplied food for the starving population after the siege of the city. The Arabs called it "Amoud el-Sawari", Column of the Horsemen. The Pillar is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria. The surrounding area includes the remains of the Serapeum temple, the “daughter” library of Alexandria and a “Nilometer” for measuring the annual Nile Floods. Nearby are subterranean galleries, where the sacred Apis bulls were buried, and three sphinxes. Address: Ahmed as-Saweiri St., Karmouz. Tel: 4825800. Opening Times: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Entrance fee LE10 ($2).
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| | | | Pompey's Pillar: Serapeum column | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
A single monolite column of granite, one of the landmarks, and the heart of the locality. It was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian in 297 AD. It's called Pompey's pillar. Here are some things that were written about Serapeum in antique world: "Its splendour is such that mere words can only do it an injustice but its great halls of columns and its wealth of lifelike statues and other works of art make it, next to the Capitol, which is the symbol of the eternity of immemorial Rome, the most magnificent building in the whole world. It contained two priceless libraries." Ammianus Marcellinus, The Later Roman Empire (XXII.16) "employed in its execution a mixture of various materials. For he had filings of gold, and silver, and lead, and in addition, tin; and of Egyptian stones not one was wanting, and there were fragments of sapphire, and hematite, and emerald, and topaz. Having ground down and mixed together all these ingredients, he gave to the composition a blue colour, whence the darkish hue of the image." Exhortation to the Heathen (Protreptikos) Leave a Comment
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