Daybreak in Alexandria

“Stephanus wake up!” It was Joudaios, the uncle of Theron.

“Yes, get up” chimed in Theron. “Look at that lighthouse! We’re in Africa. The lighthouse, called Pharos, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Alexandria, Africa was a Roman outpost. It had been annexed in 30 B.C. with the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra. Latin, which w

ould continue to be spoken in Minnesotum Mare Clarum, was the official language, Greek was still used since the city’s founding in 331 B.C. and still served as the primary language for commerce, scholarship and everyday communication. An it was the language in which the coming of Jesus to the Earth was written in the entire New Testament.

So without the Gospels the great Alexandria would have been just a stale battleground of the ancients. As it was, the story would transform all of the Europe and reach Minnesota near Alexandria. Minnesotum Mare Clarum, and leave behind the Kensington Rune on top of the glacier-sculpted New World. And the Nordics would descend on Minnesota and extend freedom, and a government that abolished slavery.

So Theron’s lessons were very useful to Stephanus.
The city Stephanus and Theron were sailing into was a mix of Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Phoenician influences. It would serve as an intellectual battleground of sorts as Christianity and Judaism continued to clash. In the end Mark the Evangelist, the immediate Disciple of Jesus Himself, would fall, at the hands of a pagan mob, in 73 A.D. In Alexandria.

In 50 A.D., as you sailed past the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), you would have had a stunning view of the city and its shoreline. The lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stood on the island of Pharos, connected to the mainland city of Alexandria by a causeway called the Heptastadion2.
From your boat, you could likely see the bustling harbor, the grand architecture of Alexandria, and parts of the city’s shoreline. However, the famous Library of Alexandria, which was part of the Mouseion complex, was located inland and not directly visible from the sea4. The library was a hub of knowledge and learning, but its location within the city meant it was not positioned for visibility from the harbor.
The city itself would have been a vibrant sight, with its mix of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman influences, making it one of the most remarkable cities of the ancient world. It must have been quite the spectacle to sail past!

at what point would i b able to see the library from my boat if at all
The Library of Alexandria was located inland, as part of the Mouseion complex, and not directly on the shoreline2. From your boat, you wouldn't be able to see the library itself, even as you sailed past the lighthouse. However, you would have had a spectacular view of the bustling harbor, the lighthouse towering above, and the vibrant cityscape of Alexandria3.

The library was a hub of intellectual activity, but its placement within the city meant it was designed for scholars and visitors on land rather than for visibility from the sea. If you docked and ventured into the city, you could explore its wonders, including the library's treasures.

Would you have been tempted to step ashore and immerse yourself in the knowledge of the ancient world?