History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Lost Treasure of the Alexandria Library 5/5

Amr ibn al 'Aas conquest in 642
Several historians told varying accounts of an Arab army led by Amr ibn al 'Aas sacking the city in 642 after the Byzantine army was defeated at the Battle of Heliopolis. Some historians, including Alfred J. Butler, argue that, when the commander Amr ibn al-Aas asked the Caliph Umar on what to do with the library he gave the famous answer: "They will either contradict the Koran, in which case they are heresy, or they will agree with it, in which case they are superfluous[citation needed]." It is said that the Arabs subsequently burned the books to heat bathwater for the soldiers.[21][22] Burning and destruction of the Library of Alexandria was reported to be the first act of sacking after Amr ibn al 'Aas forces entered the city.[1] It was also said that the Library's collection was still substantial enough at this late date to provide six months' worth of fuel for the baths.

The first Western account of the book destruction was in Edward Pococke's 1663 translation of History of the Dynasties, and it was dismissed as a hoax or propaganda as early as 1713 by Fr. Eusèbe Renaudot. Over the centuries, numerous succeeding scholars have agreed with Fr. Renaudot's conclusion, including Alfred J. Butler, Victor Chauvin, Paul Casanova and Eugenio Griffini.[19] More recently, in 1990, Middle East scholar Bernard Lewis argued that the original account may not be true, but that it survived over time because it was a useful account for the great twelfth century Kurdish Muslim Sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin who found it necessary to break up the Fatimid caliphate's collection of heretical Isma'ili texts in Cairo following his restoration of Sunnism to Egypt. Lewis proposes that the story of the caliph Umar's support of a library's destruction may have made Saladin's actions seem more acceptable to his people.

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[petterb82]

As usual religious people are the cause of destruction..

[jvargas714]

very sad the effect that monotheism has on humanity's history. After all it was the islamic and the Christians that destroyed history's greatest reservoir of knowledge.

[blotto85]

@pondsj01 give the order to shut down not just YouTube but the entire Internet? Then ban all knowledge pertaining to conspiracy theories, especially those about the New World Order and the belief in Secret Societies. Soon people are being murdered for their beliefs? Or do we join together and fight back in order to live our lives in a free world?

[blotto85]

@pondsj01 When do you think our government (really just an out growth of the pinnacle of 21st century society, who live their lives only to obtain unlimited money and power. Become controlled by world bankers, who are controlled by ancient pagan devil worshipers who's religion is pure bullshit mumbo jumbo)

[pondsj01]

Todays government is too busy trying to dumb down the public... not educate them. Thank goodness for websites like Youtube, Todays Alexandria Library.

[reqiuemforadream]

Thank u v much uploader.

Greeks are so fascinating.

[sush139]

The commentator uses the word ''Persians'' and ''Arabs'' interchangeably while saying who brought about the final destruction of the library. First and foremost, they are not the same and so a distinction should be made while referring to them.Furthermore, ancient Persia was a seat of great culture and learning. This loose characterization unfairly casts aspersions on their intellect and way of life as it was back then.

[skeaneable]

@hagnuj yes we could have actually have the formula to create cold fusion then we wouldn't have to worry about the environmental degradation of the planet!

[kinghoover87]

that nigga said accident, ha... and cleopatra did not kill her self she was poisoned during a siege of her kingdom. that is a romanticized story(lie)

[rock1644]

@petterb82

Sad, but true.

[TheDocserge]

@jvargas714 Religion is no place for knowledge.

[LorynToo]

I find it interesting that they skirted over Hypatia and her death at the hands of a Christian mob. She was the only female librarian of Alexandria and an accomplished (and beautiful) mathematician and philosopher. She was murdered in the 4th century by Christians and the library burned or partially burned.