The Memorial Of Diocletian (Pompey's Pillar)
The so-called "Pompey Pillar" is the biggest memorial
column in Egypt. It is a huge column of red granite, its total height
is about 28 m with a diameter at the base of 2.7 m, and towards the
capital at the top it tapers to 2.3 m.
On the upper part at the western side is an inscription in Greek, which reads:
"To the most just Emperor, tutelary of Alexandria
Diocletian, the invincible, Postumus, the Prefect of Egypt (has erected
this monument)".
The Roman ruler of Egypt, during the reign of the Roman Emperor
Diocletian, erected this memorial column between 284-305A.D in honour of
the Roman Emperor, as a sign of gratitude. A serious revolt in the city
took place and Diocletian came himself, ordering the city to be
besieged. After 8 months of resistance, the city finally surrendered. As
a result of the siege, there was famine in the city; therefore the
Emperor ordered that a portion of the corn, which was sent to Rome
annually, be given to the people of Alexandria. He exempted them from
paying taxes during these hard times. For that they erected, in his
honour, this memorial column. In the middle ages the Crusaders believed,
mistakenly, that the ashes, or the remains, of the great Roman general
Pompey were in a pot at the top of the column. Thus today it is called
"Pompey's Pillar".
Around the commemorative Column of Diocletian there are some monuments that can be seen. On the backside, there is the remains of a Serapium, or a temple of the God Serapis, now badly damaged. It was built during the reigns of Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III, but was damaged due to the revolts of the Jewish population in Alexandria, during the reign of the Emperor Trajan (89-118 A.D). It was rebuilt again during the reign of Hadrian (117-137 A.D). It was likely was destroyed, once more, after the appearance of Christianity. It consisted mainly of a high platform accessed by a staircase of 100 steps.
Around the commemorative Column of Diocletian there are some monuments that can be seen. On the backside, there is the remains of a Serapium, or a temple of the God Serapis, now badly damaged. It was built during the reigns of Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III, but was damaged due to the revolts of the Jewish population in Alexandria, during the reign of the Emperor Trajan (89-118 A.D). It was rebuilt again during the reign of Hadrian (117-137 A.D). It was likely was destroyed, once more, after the appearance of Christianity. It consisted mainly of a high platform accessed by a staircase of 100 steps.
At the side of the platform there was a basin, which
was used for purification. There were 2 galleries at the back of the
temple, cut completely into the rock.
In the 1st gallery a black statue of basalt, dating
back to the reign of Hadrian, was discovered. It represents the God
Serapis, in a shape of a bull, and it is now exhibited in the
Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria. The 2nd gallery is known mistakenly as
the Daughter Library, but it seems that it was an Anubidiun, or a
burial for the mummies of Anubis, which was considered until the a reign
of Ptolemy IV, a member of the Pantheon of Alexandria.
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