On Library Myths

November 26, 2022 timothywstanley@me.com

But the library’s reputation as a magical irreplaceable repository of unique items only became solidified after Carl Sagan said on a TV programme that was broadcast worldwide... In eight minutes of television, Sagan invented out of thin air the myths: that the library was a unique institution, with no parallels; that lots of knowledge was lost along with the library; that Hypatia’s death had something to do with the library’s destruction; for that matter, that Hypatia had anything at all to do with the library. All of these are pure fiction, without any basis of any kind. Sagan also repeats a bunch of myths that he didn’t invent: that religion caused the onset of a ‘Dark Age’ and centuries of superstitious ignorance; even the idea that there was still a library in the temple of Serapis when it was destroyed in 391 CE, which is doubtful. How influential is Cosmos? Insanely influential. I talked about this a little back in 2016, but it bears repeating. Many articles, books, documentaries, and videos about the history of science still have no hesitation over citing Cosmos as the only authority they need. This is crazy, because at least half of what Sagan says about history is outright false, but his authority is still seemingly unimpeachable today, forty-two years after the programme first aired.

Peter Gainsford, “The Library of Alexandria and Its Reputation” - http://kiwihellenist.blogspot.com/2022/11/alexandria.html.