Post by James Hannam on Jul 3, 2017 15:26:39 GMT
A good summary on the Library of Alexandria, and thanks for the references to my Alexandra piece.
There is a short sequel on George of Cappadocia and the Serapeum. After he was murdered, Emperor Julian wrote to the Alexandrians telling them that they had been very naughty:
No mention of books here, but the temple was certainly ransacked. Shortly afterwards, Julian writes to ask that George’s books be sent to him. These might include any that George got from the Serapeum:
But six months later, the books haven’t arrived and Julian is now in Antioch, where he asks again, ordering that the books be diverted:
(all letters are reproduced on Roger Pearce’s site: www.tertullian.org/fathers/julian_apostate_letters_1_trans.htm)
Then we read in the Suda, in a snippet attributed to John of Antioch (6th century), that Julian’s successor Jovian burnt a library in Antioch.
So, did the Serapeum books, looted by George and acquired by Julian, get burnt by Jovian? Probably not:
1.The pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus was actually with Jovian in Antioch and does not breath a word about any libraries (He complains about their closure at other points in his narrative so was not uninterested in the question.
2.Although Jovian was a Christian he is recorded by the rhetor Themistius to have insisted on tolerance towards pagans.
3.The great pagan orator Libanius who lived in Antioch at the time and from whom we have speeches, lectures and no less than 1,500 letters, makes no mention of the library's destruction.
4.We have no other record of there being a temple of Trajan built by Hadrian in Antioch (although he did built a magnificent one in Rome).
5.John was writing several hundred years after the library burning is supposed to have taken place but no one else mentions it. No source for his story is given although some scholars like R. C. Blockley believe it may have come from Eunapius of Sardis who was a near contemporary of Jovian and whom John of Antioch used as a source.
But speculation is fun!
There is a short sequel on George of Cappadocia and the Serapeum. After he was murdered, Emperor Julian wrote to the Alexandrians telling them that they had been very naughty:
From Emperor Julian Caesar, most Mighty Augustus, to the People of Alexandria 3 [362, Jan. Constantinople]
…For tell me, in the name of Serapis, what were the crimes for which you were incensed against George? You will doubtless answer: He exasperated against you Constantius of blessed memory; then he brought an army into the holy city, and the general [Artemius] in command of Egypt seized the most sacred shrine of the god [the Serapeum] and stripped it of its statues and offerings and of all the ornaments in the temples….
…For tell me, in the name of Serapis, what were the crimes for which you were incensed against George? You will doubtless answer: He exasperated against you Constantius of blessed memory; then he brought an army into the holy city, and the general [Artemius] in command of Egypt seized the most sacred shrine of the god [the Serapeum] and stripped it of its statues and offerings and of all the ornaments in the temples….
No mention of books here, but the temple was certainly ransacked. Shortly afterwards, Julian writes to ask that George’s books be sent to him. These might include any that George got from the Serapeum:
From Emperor Julian to Ecdicius, Prefect of Egypt [362 end of January, Constantinople]
Some men have a passion for horses, others for birds, others, again, for wild beasts; but I, from childhood, have been penetrated by a passionate longing to acquire books. It would therefore be absurd if I should suffer these to be appropriated by men whose inordinate desire for wealth gold alone cannot satiate, and who unscrupulously design to steal these also. Do you therefore grant me this personal favour that all the books which belonged to George be sought out. For there were in his house many on philosophy, and many on rhetoric; many also on the teachings of the impious Galilaeans [Christians]. These latter I should wish to be utterly annihilated, but for fear that along with them more useful works may be destroyed by mistake, let all these also be sought for with the greatest care. Let George's secretary take charge of this search for you, and if he hunts for them faithfully let him know that he will obtain his freedom as a reward, but that if he prove in any way whatever dishonest in the business he will be put to the test of torture. And I know what books George had, many of them, at any rate, if not all; for he lent me some of them to copy, when I was in Cappadocia, and these he received back.
Some men have a passion for horses, others for birds, others, again, for wild beasts; but I, from childhood, have been penetrated by a passionate longing to acquire books. It would therefore be absurd if I should suffer these to be appropriated by men whose inordinate desire for wealth gold alone cannot satiate, and who unscrupulously design to steal these also. Do you therefore grant me this personal favour that all the books which belonged to George be sought out. For there were in his house many on philosophy, and many on rhetoric; many also on the teachings of the impious Galilaeans [Christians]. These latter I should wish to be utterly annihilated, but for fear that along with them more useful works may be destroyed by mistake, let all these also be sought for with the greatest care. Let George's secretary take charge of this search for you, and if he hunts for them faithfully let him know that he will obtain his freedom as a reward, but that if he prove in any way whatever dishonest in the business he will be put to the test of torture. And I know what books George had, many of them, at any rate, if not all; for he lent me some of them to copy, when I was in Cappadocia, and these he received back.
But six months later, the books haven’t arrived and Julian is now in Antioch, where he asks again, ordering that the books be diverted:
From Emperor Julian to Porphyrius [362, after the middle of July. Antioch]
The library of George was very large and complete and contained philosophers of every school and many historians, especially, among these, numerous books of all kinds by the Galilaeans. Do you therefore make a thorough search for the whole library without exception and take care to send it to Antioch. You may be sure that you will yourself incur the severest penalty if you do not trace it with all diligence, and do not by every kind of enquiry, by every kind of sworn testimony and, further, by torture of the slaves, compel, if you cannot persuade, those who are in any way suspected of having stolen any of the books to bring them all forth. Farewell.
The library of George was very large and complete and contained philosophers of every school and many historians, especially, among these, numerous books of all kinds by the Galilaeans. Do you therefore make a thorough search for the whole library without exception and take care to send it to Antioch. You may be sure that you will yourself incur the severest penalty if you do not trace it with all diligence, and do not by every kind of enquiry, by every kind of sworn testimony and, further, by torture of the slaves, compel, if you cannot persuade, those who are in any way suspected of having stolen any of the books to bring them all forth. Farewell.
(all letters are reproduced on Roger Pearce’s site: www.tertullian.org/fathers/julian_apostate_letters_1_trans.htm)
Then we read in the Suda, in a snippet attributed to John of Antioch (6th century), that Julian’s successor Jovian burnt a library in Antioch.
Emperor Hadrian had built a beautiful temple for the worship of his father Trajan which, on the orders of Emperor Julian, the eunuch Theophilus had made into a library. Jovian, at the urging of his wife, burned the temple with all the books in it with his concubines laughing and setting the fire.
So, did the Serapeum books, looted by George and acquired by Julian, get burnt by Jovian? Probably not:
1.The pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus was actually with Jovian in Antioch and does not breath a word about any libraries (He complains about their closure at other points in his narrative so was not uninterested in the question.
2.Although Jovian was a Christian he is recorded by the rhetor Themistius to have insisted on tolerance towards pagans.
3.The great pagan orator Libanius who lived in Antioch at the time and from whom we have speeches, lectures and no less than 1,500 letters, makes no mention of the library's destruction.
4.We have no other record of there being a temple of Trajan built by Hadrian in Antioch (although he did built a magnificent one in Rome).
5.John was writing several hundred years after the library burning is supposed to have taken place but no one else mentions it. No source for his story is given although some scholars like R. C. Blockley believe it may have come from Eunapius of Sardis who was a near contemporary of Jovian and whom John of Antioch used as a source.
But speculation is fun!