There are two different versions that describe the founding of the city of Alexandria. The first, and more interesting version, is based on legend which states that Alexander chose the location of this new city after a dream in which Homer (author of the Odyssey) appeared to Alexander in a dream. According to the legend Homer recited lines of the Odyssey which referred to the island of Pharos (an island above the Nile) and after Alexander awoke from this dream he went straight to Pharos, looked over the site, and after noting the positive qualities ordered the new city to be planned there. To add to the mythical qualities of Alexandria's founding, the legend states that when the architects of this new city were drawing the lines of the plan in chalk on the ground, they ran out and were forced to switch to flour. After completing their work a great number of large birds of various types descended on the site and ate up the flour. Alexander took this to be a bad omen and had to be convinced that this was a sign the city would be so great that people of other nations would flock to it as the birds had.
The other version relies more on historical record and though not quite as interesting reveals the thinking behind its location. According to this version, for some time it had been recognized that the land of Egypt was in need of a good harbor and Alexander and his advisors more than likely took this into consideration when creating Alexandria. It is believed that Alexandria was officially founded on April 7, 331 BC.
Into this great city, which was made the capital of Egypt, would come a Library known nearly the world over. This famous library which was the largest in history was not erected until between 305 and 283 B.C. under Ptolemy I Soter (general and successor to Alexander). It was regarded as a center of scientific research that attracted scholars from all over the Mediterranean area. It also led to the founding of the University of Alexandria, adding to the city's reputation as a haven for international scholarship. At its peak the library held as many as 900,000 scrolls with some collected by force from ships passing through the harbor.
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