Questions about History of Alexandria

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When did Alexander the Great arrive in Egypt to found Alexandria?

Alexander the Great arrived in Egypt during 331 BC and decided to build a new city on the coast. He used grain from his soldiers' rations to sketch out the streets on the sandy ground before leaving months after founding the place.

Who destroyed the Serapeum of the Great Library in 391 AD?

The Serapeum of the Great Library was destroyed in 391 when Emperor Theodosius I ordered the demolition of pagan temples. Patriarch Theophilus complied with the imperial request and the neoplatonist philosopher Hypatia was murdered by a Christian mob.

What happened to Alexandria during the Arab siege in 641 AD?

Arabs captured Alexandria in 641 after a siege lasting fourteen months under general Amr ibn al-As. The city received no aid from Constantinople as Heraclius had died and Constans II was only twelve years old.

How many people died during the massacre ordered by Emperor Caracalla in 215 AD?

Cassius Dio recorded that over 20,000 people died during this brutal massacre following insulting satires. Emperor Caracalla ordered his troops to kill all youths capable of bearing arms in 215 AD.

When did French troops storm Alexandria during Napoleon's expedition?

French troops stormed Alexandria on the 2nd of July 1798 during Napoleon's expedition to Egypt. Two French savants estimated the population at between 8,000 and 15,000 people that year.

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