You're Dead to Me Alexandria: city of knowledge and culture
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Sep 19, 2025 
Join Professor Islam Issa, a historian specializing in Middle Eastern culture, and comedian Athena Kugblenu for a captivating delve into Alexandria's rich past. They explore the city founded by Alexander the Great, renowned for its legendary library and brilliant minds like Hypatia and Euclid. Discover the impact of early Christianity, Crusader influences, and Alexandria's cultural revival under Muhammad Ali. Athena's humor adds a delightful twist as they unravel tales of science, philosophy, and the city’s vibrant heritage.
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The Library Declined Over Centuries
- The library suffered repeated losses over centuries from fires and deliberate burnings by Roman leaders.
- Decline was gradual with documented empty shelves appearing by the fifth century.
Alexandria Shaped Early Christianity
- St Mark brought Christianity to Alexandria, which blended with existing Jewish and pagan cultures.
- The city's cosmopolitanism made it fertile ground for theological development and conflict.
Hypatia's Murder Marked A Cultural Clash
- Hypatia, a Neoplatonist mathematician and public intellectual, was murdered by a Christian mob.
- Her death marked a climax in the pagan–Christian cultural conflict in Alexandria.
