Alexandria, Museum of

Ancient centre of Classical learning at Alexandria, Egypt. It was a research institute, organized into faculties and headed by a president-priest, with a renowned library. It was built near the royal palace either by Ptolemy II Philadelphus c. 280 BC or by his father, Ptolemy I Soter. The best surviving description is by Strabo. In AD 270 its buildings were destroyed, although its educational and research functions seem to have continued until the 5th century.

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