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The Contribution of the Ptolemaic Kings to the Development of Alexandria Essay Example

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The Contribution of the Ptolemaic Kings to the Development of Alexandria Essay Example
The city of Alexandria has stimulated the imagination of all the people who have visited it, from the instant it was founded by Alexander the Great to the present day. Under the Ptolemaic Kings, Alexandria blossomed as one of the great centres of learning in both science and literature. All Ptolemaic Kings; from Ptolemaic I Soter to Ptolemaic VI Philometer have contributed to the development of Alexandria. The first three Ptolemaic rulers had hope of their new home as together the capital of a new empire and a royal residence, filled with palaces and temples. These Ptolemaic rulers were responsible for the major buildings for which the city is mainly famous for.

When the great city Alexandria is mentioned regularly the famous lighthouse of Pharos will come to mind, which is included in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. The lighthouse of pharos was begun during the reign of Ptolemy I Soter. Ptolemy Soter has contributed a lot for the great city Alexandria. The Lighthouse of Pharos was the first lighthouse of the world. Ptolemy Soter does not have full acknowledgement of the lighthouse as he only commenced it, it was actually completed in the reign of the second Ptolemy, Philadelphus.

The Pharos was built to caution sailors of the dangerous sandbars off Alexandria, one of the busiest ports of the ancient world. It consisted of a three-stage tower, decorated with sculptures of Greek gods or goddesses and mythical creatures, upon which stood a lantern with an enormous bonfire whose light might have been focused by mirrors, perhaps made of refined bronze, into a beam noticeable 35 miles out to sea.

The lighthouse of Pharos was devoted to the Savior Gods Ptolemy Soter and his wife Berenice. The lighthouse was still carrying out when the Arabs conquered Alexandria in 642 AD; however, an earthquake damaged the lantern about 50 years later.

Ptolemy I Soter planned two other great buildings that were also completed in the reign of Ptolemy II

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