List of books and articles about public libraries online. Pergamon was important not only for having the second largest library of the roman empire, but because that is apparently where the codex the bound book was invented, in the 200s bce. Legend has it that mark anthony, ruler of the macedonian empire at its height. Library, traditionally, collection of books used for reading or study, or the building or room in which such a collection is kept. Lucullus 117 bce57 bce even built a hotelandlibrary complex for scholars and philosophers in the highlands of tusculum where people could spend time reading and thinking. The idea of a universal library in alexandria may have been proposed by demetrius of phalerum, an exiled athenian statesman living in alexandria, to ptolemy i soter, who may have established plans. In asia minor, a library rivaling that of alexandria was set up at pergamum during the reigns of attalus i soter d. When pergamum was a roman province, cleopatra prevailed on mark antony to replenish her alexandrian library with books from the library at pergamum, which he did, to the extent of 200,000 scrolls. Between the first and fourth centuries ce, the codex overtook the scroll as the preferred format for first christian, then eventually all, grecoroman literature. The egyptians stopped the exports out of fear that pergamums library would become larger than the great library of. It was at the library of alexandria that the scientific method was first conceived and put into practice, and its empirical standards applied in serious textual.
Other more ancient cities such as ephesus and miletus also benefited from their government. Pergamum purgamos, or purgamum he pergamos, or to pergamon. Containing the chorography and history of the whole world, and all the principal kingdoms, provinces, seas, and isles thereof by peter heylyn. Pergamum international standard bible encyclopedia. However, writing on prepared animal skins had a long history.
Ephesus and the ancient library of celsus thoughtco. Eumenes set out to build the greatest library in the world. It was, in fact, the intellectual crown jewel of the ancient world. The dark trade of collecting books used to get really messy. The eighth book of marcus varros treatise on the latin language, dedicated to. Read online history of the church at pergamum book pdf free download link book now. Library of alexandria simple english wikipedia, the free. In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of revelation there ar. The pergamenes invented parchment paper made out of calfskin as a substitute for papyrus after the egyptians stopped exporting papyrus to pergamum. The bookloving ashurbanipal compiled much of his library by looting. After alexandria and pergamum, the bibliotheca ulpia as it is called by the historia augusta was the most famous library of antiquity and, of all the roman libraries, the only one to have survived at least until the midfifth century ad. Literary works, history texts, and ptolemaic literature were found in the first category. Were going to be looking at verses 12 through 17, the letter to the church at pergamos.
Its acropolis, shining like a marble gem on a steep ridge between two river valleys, strikes the eye for miles around even today. As these beautiful and striking photos reveal, each age and culture has reinvented the library, molding it to reflect their priorities and preoccupationsand in turn mirroring the history of civilization itself. Both attempted to amass the most complete collection of texts, and they developed rival. Pergamos, to which the ancient writers also gave the neuter form of the name, was a city of mysia of the ancient roman province of asia, in the caicus valley, 3 miles.
Eumenes also established a centre of scholarship and research by creating a library second only to alexandria s in terms of the number of volumes and repute of its scholars. Designed by the roman architect vitruoya, the library was built in memory of celsus polemeanus, who was a roman senator, general governor of the province of asia, and a great lover of books. The word derives from the latin liber, book, whereas a latinized greek word, bibliotheca, is the origin of the word for library in german, russian, and the romance languages. More reliable than typical historical fiction and far more interesting than standard textbooks and reference books, the lost letters of pergamum provides readers with a delightful opportunity to step into the world of the new testament. For now, lets open our bibles to revelation chapter 2. Pergamum is sometimes associated with the invention of parchment charta pergamena. Crates of mallus in cilicia likely was a director of the library of pergamum. The library of pergamum pergamon is founded 197 bce 159 bce. Parchment charta pergamena was said to have been developed there after the copying of books was impeded by ptolemy philadelphus ban on the export of papyrus from egypt. Pergamon was an ancient city located in the anatolia region, approximately 25.
The library was also home to a host of international scholars. Stash of books from the witch library of nazi chief himmler found in prague. This volume surveys pergamums history from the late third century bce to the second century ce. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Discover librarianselected research resources on library history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. It also had a great collection of paintings for public enjoyment. This was the time when the great altar or pergamon altar was created. This resulted in a fierce rivalry in which each library tried to obtain copies of homers works, striving to have the most accurate and oldest works. Its ruling dynasty the attalids were patrons of the arts and while in power were responsible for the remarkable embellishment of their capital at pergamum.
It was the second most important library in ancient times, after the library in alexandria. The pergamon library was one of the biggest libraries of the hellenistic world. The library of alexandria built by ptolemy i in 295 bc, the great library of alexandria holds a prestigious title in history as a universal library where scholars from all over the world would visit, share ideas, and study from over thousands of texts that it offers. A temple in the babylonian town of nippur, dating from the first half of the 3rd millennium bc, was found to have a number of rooms filled with clay. Pergamon was originally part of the kingdom of antioch, but when it gained its independence in the late third century bc, the monarch wanted to be among the elite international powers.
The city suffered numerous blows during the declining years of the roman empire, and passed. It is located 26 kilometres 16 mi from the modern coastline of the aegean sea on a promontory. The library of pergamum was constructed by the attalid ruler eumenes ll on the acropolis of the city of pergamon between 197 and 159 bce to house a vast collection of literary and philosophical works. The approximate number of books contained by ancient libraries can be calculated from the number and size of the alcoves in their main halls. As varied and inventive as the volumes they hold, such buildings can be much more than the dusty, dark wooden shelves found in mystery stories or the catacombs of stacks in the basements of academia. The great rival to the status of alexandrias collection was the library of pergamon. With an accurate and an approved index, much wanted and desired in the former, and now annexed to this last impression. Pergamums library was the center for all things cultural. A library is not just a collection of books, but also the buildings that house them. Parchment charta pergamena was said to have been developed there after the copying of books was impeded by ptolemy philadelphias ban on the export of papyrus from egypt. A contender for the greatest library of the ancient world one of the key libraries of the ancient world. This site is like a library, you could find million book here by using search box in the header. List of books and articles about library history online.
Ad 190 and the more important ulpian library, founded during the reign of trajan. On the acropolis stood a library and temples in honor of the olympian gods and deified roman emperors. John as one of the seven churches of revelation in the book of revelation. Although the library of pergamum was built roughly a century after the library of alexandria, the two had a fierce rivalry, as libraries were often used to reflect wealth and culture. The augustan history the lives of the roman emperors from domitian to constantine 1693 scriptores historiae augustae the augustan history latin. Ancient origins articles related to books in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends. The facilities for research afforded by dios official duties and his own industry make him a very vital source for roman history of the last years of the republic and the first four emperors. Among other details, this article discusses the architectural philosophy of this influential city, as it reflected the cultural and social values of its people. Pergamon aka pergamum was an ancient city developed by the attalid dynasty into a powerful kingdom that was situated in what is now part of presentday turkey a degree of mystery surrounds the librarys decline, however, especially the question of whether its collection played a role in the. Bibliothecanulpian library bibliothecanulpian library was built by emperor trajan of rome. The library of pergamum wasnt built until a century after the library of alexandria.
Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. The fierce, forgotten library wars of the ancient world atlas. Parchment charta pergamena was invented at pergamum to free the library from egypts jealous ban on the export of papyrus. Historia augusta is a late roman collection of biographies, written in latin, of the roman emperors, their junior colleagues, designated heirs and usurpers of the period 117 to 284. The library of pergamum in pergamum, turkey, was one of the most important libraries in the. A temple in the babylonian town of nippur, dating from the first half of the 3rd millennium bc. The attalid dynasty turned pergamon into a kingdom between 282 bce and. The fierce, forgotten library wars of the ancient world. Offers a brief cultural and political history of the city. Pergamum was an ancient seat of culture and possessed a library that rivaled alexandrias. The complex was likely built in the style of pergamum with reading rooms, work rooms, and areas for scroll shelving. A world history is one of the first books to tell the story of library architecture around the world and through time in a single volume, from ancient mesopotamia to modern china and from the beginnings of writing to the present day. In earliest times there was no distinction between a record room or archive and a library, and in this sense libraries can be said to have existed for almost as long as records have been kept.
Pergamos, to which the ancient writers also gave the neuter form of the name, was a city of mysia of the ancient roman province of asia, in the caicus valley, 3 miles from the river, and about 15 miles from the sea. Pergamum also hired some homeric scholars, who studied the iliad and the odyssey. A statue of athena, the goddess of wisdom, stood in the main reading room wikipedia article on library of pergamum, accessed 12242009. As these beautiful and striking photos reveal, each age and culture. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection.
Legend says that upon seeing the library of ashurbanipal, alexander the great was inspired to create a library that combined all the works of the nations he. In the roman period, pergamum was the capital of the province of asia. The two libraries competed for parchment, books, and even literary interpretation. The library filled its stacks with new works in mathematics, astronomy, physics, natural history and other subjects. Celsus son, julius aquila, began the construction in a. Public domain space was left between the shelves and the outer walls of the building to allow for air to circulate around the volumes in the large, central reading room.
If the library was destroyed by julius caesar, it supports the story that mark. The loeb classical library edition of dio cassius is in nine volumes. The library was directed to collect all the books of the world from cookbooks. Some egyptian fourth dynasty texts were written on. According to the greek historian plutarch, the library collection consisted of 200 thousand books including bundles of papyrus and parchment. Whether this was in competition with the alexandrian library, or just a worthy independent effort, remains the subject of speculation. Lets examine the wellknown libraries of alexandria, royal libraries, and libricide in china.