The vast majority of theses in this collection are open access and freely available. There are a small number of theses that have access restricted to the WWU campus. For off-campus access to a thesis labeled "Campus Only Access," please log in here with your WWU universal ID, or talk to your librarian about requesting the restricted thesis through interlibrary loan.

Date Permissions Signed

5-14-2010

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Garfinkle, Steven J.

Second Advisor

Diehl, Peter D.

Third Advisor

Mariz, George

Abstract

Hellenistic monarchs were fervently competitive with one another in the pursuit of political and cultural dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean. These rulers used their power, influence, and patronage to promote themselves as worthy successors of Alexander by building massive monuments and glorious capital cities; this is how they legitimized their rule. The ruler's attempt to outshine their opponents became a key feature of Hellenistic urbanism, typified in the city of Alexandria. One of the key reasons why Alexandria was able to become the dominant city in the Hellenistic World was the existence of learning institutions such as the Great Library, Mouseion, and Serapeum, all fostered by the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Rival libraries, sponsored by foreign royal patrons, challenged the Great Libraries' supremacy in the scholastic realm. These libraries were paradigms of Hellenism in many ways. This thesis will explore the role of these learning institutions within the city of Alexandria itself, as well as their wider implications in Hellenistic society.

Type

Text

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25710/xqc0-y924

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

643124571

Subjects – Names (LCNAF)

Alexandrian Library

Subject – LCSH

Libraries--Egypt--Alexandria--History--To 400; Culture diffusion--Mediterranean Region; Hellenism

Geographic Coverage

Alexandria (Egypt); Mediterranean Region--Intellectual life

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

Download

Included in

History Commons

Share

COinS