Interesting news for my fellow history geeks.

The legendary city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great as he swept through Egypt in his quest to conquer the known world.

Now scientists have discovered hidden underwater traces of a city that existed at Alexandria at least seven centuries before Alexander the Great arrived, findings hinted at in Homer's Odyssey and which could shed light on the ancient world.

Alexandria was founded in Egypt on the shores of the Mediterranean in 332 B.C. to immortalize Alexander the Great.

The city was renowned for its library, once the largest in the world, as well as its lighthouse at the island of Pharos, one of the "Seven Wonders" of the ancient world.

Alexandria was known to have developed from a settlement known as Rhakotis, or Râ-Kedet, vaguely alluded to as a modest fishing village of little significance by some historians.

But now it looks like there was something more than a sleepy fishing village -- hardly a surprise, given that there are a limited number of sites that meet the needs of a Bronze Age city. I'd have been shocked if something hadn't been discovered there.

Posted by: Greg at 03:22 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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