The Rise and Fall of Alexandria

Birthplace of the Modern Mind

By: Justin Pollard, Howard Reid

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Founded by Alexander the Great and built by self-styled Greek pharaohs, the city of Alexandria at its height dwarfed both Athens and Rome. It was the marvel of its age, legendary for its vast palaces, safe harbors, and magnificent lighthouse. But it was most famous for the astonishing intellectual efflorescence it fostered and the library it produced. If the European Renaissance was the "rebirth" of Western culture, then Alexandria, Egypt, was its birthplace.

It was here mankind first discovered that the earth was not flat, originated atomic theory, invented geometry, systematized grammar, translated the Old Testament into Greek, built the steam engine, and passed their discoveries on to future generations via the written word. Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Jewish scholars, Greek philosophers, and devout early Christians all play a part in the rise and fall of the city that stood "at the conjunction of the whole world". Sparkling with fresh insights into science, philosophy, culture, and invention, this is an irresistible, edifying delight.

©2006 Justin Pollard and Howard Reid (P)2006 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A nourishing account." (Publishers Weekly)
"Classical history buffs will savor this survey." (Booklist)

Worth listening to 20 times

Pretty much the best book you can find about Ancient Alexandria. This title helped me get the badge for repeat listening. I bought the Kindle version because this book is that good.

Also Epstein did not kill himself!!!!

Great read for all who love history!

This is a very good read. Covers a great span of time with elagance. The reading is supurb. The story fascinating.

All about its history

This books shows all about Alexandria. Really interesting and good narration. I started it and wanted to know all about in the end. Worthwhile to know more about ancient history

A good listen

I would call this book a sort of "missing link." Not in the regard of new information or discovery but in the sense that most people are taught history in a sort of huge bulleted list. The way I was taught history, it was like reading a paper that has no transition sentences and therefore the relevance of each event was not adequately portrayed. In other words, I knew something about Alexandria, something about Alexander the great's importance to the Roman empire, and something about the library and the lighthouse. Also, with a background in science, the stories of archimedes and the like were briefly told to me. However this book is a good explanation of the actual story and importance of the history of this pivotal city. I especially enjoyed learning its role in the rise and characterization of christianity.

A Worthy Treatment of the Topic of Alexandria

Tragic, Tremendous, Detailed, and Regenerative

The authors are sharing and credible. Theirs is a systematic and entertaining explanation of Alexandria. The Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt are now fleshy for me. I have a much more comprehensive understanding of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Judaism, Ancient Rome, and Early Christianity than I had before despite studying history in college and recreationally for a long time. After reading this book on Audible, I plan to delve deeper elsewhere to learn more about the philosophers Celsus and Philo, the Therapeutae sect, The Antikythera wreck, and more. I found the level of historical detail to be medium; at times, I paused to google topics or to seek out titles brought up by the authors. I can appreciate dimensions of medicine, science, mathematics, physics, history, war, religion, and philosophy in a deeper way. I have taken college classes in philosophy and religion, but I never heard a presentation on Logos as logical and Alexandrian as in this book by Pollard and Reid. Two simple concepts that anchor the book: how information causes change, and how destruction’s opposite is creation/preservation. Highly recommended for the patient listener. The narrator on Audible is pleasant, clear, and accurate.

An amazing history

The history of this amazing city will fascinate all who listens to it ... it’s epic rise and subsequent fall has change the face of the world we live in today ... it’s famous library a mystery we can still only dream of today .... Who knows maybe one day we’ll rediscover some day in the future 🤞

Great flow of Alexandria History

If you could sum up The Rise and Fall of Alexandria in three words, what would they be?

I would say it was intriguing, captivating and brief. I only say brief, not because the book was too short, but that it took many subjects of history and made tied them to Alexandria. Each these subjects it touches on are volumes in there own right.

What other book might you compare The Rise and Fall of Alexandria to and why?

I can not think of one like it exactly, however, Roma flows well and does a good job in emerging the reader into ancient history while giving one plausible explanation to the facts behind the myths.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I believe so. He does quite well and the english accent helps allot and seems to fit within this subject matter.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Each of the declines of the library and museum were very interesting.

Any additional comments?

I am a 48 year old Texan, who is very well educated in American History, as it was my minor at Texas Christian University. And I have always struggled with world history as a whole and more specifically, ancient world history. I am a year and date fellow, who attaches all events to the spinal column of a time line. That is why world history has always been a weak area for me. It is not taught in Schools the way I need it taught. This book does a good job of laying out a timeline that will be a starting point for me to build that spinal cord backbone and discover more of world history. I strongly recommend this book. I am also a right wing, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin loving conservative and I did not find any left wing socialist marxist attitude from the author, which might be a contaminant of other researchers who try and throw a modern leftist agenda into the mix of history. This book was about what it needs to be... history, plain and simple.

Alexandria

Who knew a city I'd never really given much thought to (outside of playing Sid Meier's 'Civilization') would be so interesting? The history starts with Alexander and goes on through many events, historical figures, & intellectual contributions.

The narrator does a great job. Has a pleasant voice.

A great history lesson

I enjoyed the narration and learning about Alexandria. It wasn't a subject I was to familiar with outside of the general known facts, such as the library and the lighthouse. But the way the book is told I feel like I have a better grasp of it's history. Highly recommend!

A good, but sometimes underwhelming listen.

I'm extremely torn on this book; probably more so than any of the dozen or so history titles I've listened to on audible so far.

On one hand, it is extremely imformative. Note that this book is really about the academics/scholars/scientists that were from Alexandria, or those who studied/lived there for a time. It's less about the city itself and it's history, although that of course works its way into Reid and Pollard's narrative...especially and the beginning and the end of the book.

There's some great stuff in here....Reid and Pollard argue that Archimedes may have lived in Alexandria; discuss the important Alexandrian Jewish community and its impact on early Christianity; flesh out the geographer Ptolemy; and discuss Celsus, an early critic of Christianity and its origins. Among other topics.

That said, I feel like this book would work better in print form, as the voiceover can drag on and there isn't the kind of narrative that makes a history book work in audio format.