Q 01/05

Which Wonder of the Ancient World stood in Alexandria alongside its famous Library?

A) The Colossus

B) The Lighthouse

C) The Hanging Gardens

D) The Mausoleum

Answer · why

B) The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse of Alexandria stood for centuries until earthquakes wrecked it, and its stones were reused to build the Citadel of Qaitbay on the same ...

Q 02/05

What was the research institution that housed the Library of Alexandria's scholars called?

A) The Academy

B) The Lyceum

C) The Stoa

D) The Mouseion

Answer · why

D) The Mouseion

The Mouseion under Roman rule gave membership to politicians and even athletes, not only to scholars.

Q 03/05

Which exiled Athenian statesman may have proposed the idea of a universal library to Ptolemy I?

A) Demetrius of Phalerum

B) Solon of Athens

C) Theophrastus of Eresos

D) Demosthenes of Athens

Answer · why

A) Demetrius of Phalerum

Demetrius of Phalerum was a Peripatetic, a student of Aristotle's school, and had taken refuge at the Ptolemaic court.

Q 04/05

Under which ruler was the Library of Alexandria probably actually built?

A) Ptolemy I Soter

B) Ptolemy III Euergetes

C) Ptolemy II Philadelphus

D) Ptolemy IV Philopator

Answer · why

C) Ptolemy II Philadelphus

Ptolemy I may have laid the groundwork, but the Library was probably built only under his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

Q 05/05

What writing material made up the Library's scroll collection?

A) Parchment

B) Papyrus

C) Vellum

D) Wax tablets

Answer · why

B) Papyrus

Papyrus was once abundant across the Nile Delta, giving Egypt's rulers a near-monopoly on the ancient world's prime writing material.