Through My Lens: #3 Alexandria by Land

Before diving into this week's blog, it's GIVEAWAY TIME! On Wednesday, June 10th, I'll be giving away autographed copies of BOTH of my books to one lucky reader. To be entered, one only has to subscribe to my website. If you are already subscribed, you are good to go! And if you've already purchased my books or read them, consider giving them as a gift to someone, if you win. A;so, if you know of friends who enjoy reading and might be interested, please let them know!

This week on my blog, we're visiting Alexandria by land, going ashore a bit to see some sites that are both archaeological and geological. First stop is the Serapeum--or what's left of it! It's actually a grandiose site that was originally located in the Brucheum--the wealthy Greek quarters in the city, located not far rom the Sea. It was an enormous temple complex.

As a deity, Serapis is tricky to nail down. He was not an "invention" of Ptolemy Soter (Ptolemy I), but instead, was probably used by Ptolemy Soter to link Greco-Egyptian religion in a way that was more acceptable to Greeks. Serapis was a blend of Egypt's mythological Osiris and the Apis bull, yet this cult gave him a human form. Pagan Greeks were not accepting of animal-headed deities, so common in Egypt. A reminder here that even though Alexandria was IN Egypt, it was founded by Greeks (the Ptolemies), governed by them, and its culture was built by them. That being said, there is much evidence, in both Alexandrian art and in the architectural elements that have survived, that there was a blending of Egyptian and Greek styles, beliefs, and culture. 

Pictured at the left is Serapis; a very Greek-looking representation, discovered in the Serapeum temple complex in Alexandria. Because of some fascinating temple deposits found during excavations, it was discovered that the actual temple wasn't built until the reign of Ptolemy III, Euergetes (the Benefactor) in the 3rd century BC. It being the largest temple in Alexandria in antiquity, AND the fact that it was located in a highly cultural area of the city, it's a pretty sure assumption that it would have been visited by Cleopatra VII.

​As to exactly what Serapis represented? He was known for a conglameration of things. In an effort to make him "appealing" to the Egyptians, he signified Osiris's eternal/afterlife symbolism, along with the Apis bull. This was combined with the abundance and fertility of both Dionysius and Demeter in Greek mythology. I like to think of him as the Ptolemaic combo-god! But his cult really took off, and when visiting Alexandria, the site of the Serapeum is the largest Classical site  preserved in the city. At least so far!

All over Alexandria, one sees sphinxes. Most of the faces on these statuary depict various Ptolemaic rulers. It's thought that they were used as decorative elements to line roadways or entrances. One example crowns the central part of the Serapeum, along with a large column (see below on right). Called "Pompey's Pillar", the pillar's name incorrectly points to Pompeius Magnus--Caesar's rival in my book, Antonius: Second in Command. Actually, the column dates from the reign of Diocetian, having nothing to do with Pompeius Magnus who was, in fact, murdered on the shores near Alexandria. ​

---

Visible from both the Harbor and in other areas around town is the newly-built Library of Alexandria (left). It's a very modern building, housing some spectacular finds, dug up on the grounds of its building, including mosaics, statuary, jewelry, etc. Also inside the Library is the Center for Alexandrian Studies, founded by Jean Yves-Empereur, one of the archaeologists who has done so much to bring the ancient city to light.

I spent half a day at the new Library. My thoughts were that sadly, it's still in need of more books--and hopefully that will change as time progresses. At the time of my visit, its collection was quite limited. However, the small museum housed there, along with the Center, focusing on scholarly studies of the Ptolemaic and Classical periods, is an invaluable resource for Egypt.

---

I absolutely loved the interior lay-out of the Library. It's all about natural light and space (at right). And for those traveling abroad in Alexandria, internet use on the Library's computers was free of charge on a first come, first serve basis. 

On the left is one of the sculptures within the Library's museum, that rather reminded me of Marcus! 

---

Pictured on the right is a part of what was once Lake Mareotis. Plutarch wrote about a little fishing expedition in which Cleopatra and Marcus took out on this lake. Turns out, he was a sportsman and enjoyed fishing! Since nothing was biting, Cleopatra played a trick on him, ensuring he caught something. The entirety of this amusing story will be featured in my upcoming book, Antonius: Legend.

There are so many other fabulous places to visit in northern Egypt, besides Alexandria. Below (right) is a picture of a Ptolemaic tomb, dating to the time of Ptolemy Soter--the first of the Ptolemies, who brought Alexander's body to Egypt for burial. Nobody knows who was buried here, but this fascinating place is located just to the west of Alexandria. It's considered to be important, as it's believed to have been the Pharos Lighthouse in miniature, and aside from coinage and a few scant pieces of contemporary art, it has been helpful in reconstructing what the Pharos once looked like.

Next week, I'll have a special guest post, on behalf of the Coffee Pot Book Club, featuring a brand new book release dealing with the end of WWII!!! And following that, we'll be continuing Through My Lens with a virtual photo visit to Ephesus, Turkey--another of the magnificent ancient cities preserved from Greek and Roman times. It will also be the setting for several scenes in my upcoming novel.

To close, I'm also pleased to announce that the cover design for Antonius: Legend has officially begun, so very soon, I'll be able to present a cover-reveal! Everyone have a super week and READ ON!