Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Ptolemaic rulers created a major centre of learning housing thousands of papyrus scrolls. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a history fact?

Yes. It sits on the History shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

The Library of Alexandria gathered ancient world knowledge

Ptolemaic rulers created a major centre of learning housing thousands of papyrus scrolls

Founded in Egypt during the 3rd century BCE, the Library of Alexandria aimed to collect every written work in the known world. Scholars from across the Mediterranean gathered there to study mathematics, astronomy, literature, and medicine until fires and political unrest caused its gradual destruction.

Close-up of the T-shirt worn by volunteers in support of Earth Day April 21, 2001. US Air Force volunteers joined local citizens at the 4 Mile Run Park in Alexandria, Virginia, to g - DPLA - 49fd2bd330f9c2eacc4cb0237917f8a7 — Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994 · Public domain · source

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

History trivia Literature trivia

More facts like this

Spartan troops staged a heroic stand at ThermopylaeKing Leonidas led three hundred Spartans to delay a massive Persian invasion force in 480 BCE Greek warships won the decisive naval Battle of SalamisThemistocles lured the heavy Persian fleet into narrow straits in 480 BCE The Peloponnesian War reshaped ancient Greek politicsAthens and Sparta fought a twenty-seven-year conflict for regional hegemony Athenian forces defeated Persia at the Battle of MarathonA surprise Greek victory in 490 BCE halted the first Persian invasion of Greece Phyllo pastry is stretched rather than rolledBakers pull the dough outward until it is thin enough to read through The ancient Olympics are traditionally dated to 776 BCThey were held at Olympia in Greece for about twelve centuries

Tags: alexandria, greece, scholarship

The Library of Alexandria gathered ancient world knowledge: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Ptolemaic rulers created a major centre of learning housing thousands of papyrus scrolls. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a history fact?: Yes. It sits on the History shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.