Pompay’s pillar
This site is located on a mount known as <Tall Bab Sedra>.this mount where the ancient Sarapeum was constructed was known in antiquity as Alexandrian Acropolis. This is due to its major importance as a cult center of Sarapis from one hand and for embracing a complex of constructions from the other. This region was once part of the national district where the native Egyptians lives in the west side of the ancient city of Alexandria
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| Pompay's pillar |
The mistakenly named Pompey’s Pillar was originally one of the 400 columns of the temple of Sarapeum
The column is made of one piece of red granite from Aswan
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| Pompay's pillar |
The greek inscription on the western side of the column is the most important as it indicates the precise dedication of the column despite being corroded today. It is four lined inscriotion that indicates the dedication of this memorial to the emperor Diocletian as gratitude. The reason behind this dedication is that the city suffered from the revolt commanded by Locius Domitius .Diocletian had to confront the situation therefore he came to Alexandria at the head of a great military force and suppressed this revolt after eight long months of siege. The emperor to help the Alexandrians to re-reorganize the city returned the annual Roman tribute of grain to be distributed among the Alexandrians and saved them from starvation. Therefore the correct designation of the column should be <Diocletian’s column>.
To the west of the column is a stairway cut in the rock leading down to subterranean galleries. These are a source of depate. For some scholars it is the daughter library of the Sarapeum proved by the cavities made in the walls of the gallery that might have used to keep the papyri rolls. For others they were secret galleried of the temple used for certain secret religious rituals.
Aside from the column of Diocletian the site embraces remains of Pharaonic monuments including a red granite scarb, a sphinx of Hormeheb the Egyptian king from the eighteenth dynasty besides other two red granite sphinxes bearing the name of Ptolemy 5 . there are also remains of Roman bath , a Ptolemaic Nilomater to measure the level of the Nile inundation and ruins of the church of John Baptist
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| Temple of Sarapeum |
The Ptolemaic Sarapeum was most probably constructed under Ptolemy 3. this can be judged from the discovery of foundation deposits in the southeast side inscribed with the name of Ptolemy 3. these deposits were found in three groups each contained ten stelai made of different materials ; gold, silver, bronze, terra cotta, and glass. According to the ancient writings the Ptolemaic temple was designed by the architect Parmenicus. The temple then was built on a rectangular plan inspired by the design of the ancient Greek temples with the main entrance found in the eastern side. It was decorated with the marble, golden leafes, silver and bronze. The temple also housed entrances elaborate passages and columns. The most distinguished part of the temple was the sanctuary that one embraced the most important statue of the god Sarapis represented in the human form.it was made of gold and inlaid with precious and semi precious stones.
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| Sarapeum |
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| Sarapeum |
In addition the Sarapeum was not a mere temple it was a complex more like a small independent city. It was also recourse for those who came to seek remedies as the complex of the Sarapeum embraced a sanatarium for this purpose. Finally the temple was largely destroyed in the Christian period particularly under the emperor Theodosius who issued a decree to destroy all pagan temples, the remaining part of the temple was transferred into a church under the name of the saint John the Baptist that stood till the tenth century of our era.
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