Alexandria, known in Arabic today as Al-Iskandariyah, was the great metropolis of Egypt during the time of Jesus and His apostles. This city, founded by Alexander the Great in 332 or 331 B.C.E., became one of the most influential centers of politics, commerce, and learning in the ancient world. Though modern Alexandria occupies its ancient site as a thriving seaport, only scant remains of the former grandeur survive. Yet, the city played an important role in the unfolding of biblical history, Jewish religious life, and the backdrop of the New Testament era.

The Founding of Alexandria

The city of Alexandria derived its name directly from its founder, Alexander the Great. After his conquest of Egypt, Alexander envisioned a Greek-style city strategically located on the western edge of the Nile Delta. The site chosen was adjacent to the small Egyptian village of Rhakotis, on the Mediterranean coast, and next to Lake Mareotis. From its inception, Alexandria was laid out in a grid system, a hallmark of Hellenistic urban planning. It was designed as a rectangular city with broad avenues intersecting at right angles, giving it the appearance of a rationally ordered Greek polis rather than a traditional Egyptian settlement.

One of the city’s greatest engineering marvels was the causeway, or mole, that connected the island of Pharos to the mainland. This construction, approximately 1,200 yards long, created two magnificent harbors: one facing east and one westward. The harbor system allowed Alexandria to flourish as a port city, making it the hub of Mediterranean trade and communication.

The Rise Under the Ptolemies

Following the death of Alexander, Egypt fell under the control of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a line of Greek rulers beginning with Ptolemy I Soter. The Ptolemies developed Alexandria into the capital of Egypt, and it remained such through the Hellenistic and Roman periods until the Arab conquest in the seventh century C.E. During their reign, the Ptolemies adorned Alexandria with some of the most celebrated monuments of antiquity.

Among these was the Lighthouse of Pharos, built around 297 B.C.E. by the architect Sostratos of Cnidus. This towering structure, counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, guided ships safely into the harbors and became a lasting symbol of the city’s greatness. Other significant buildings included the Temple of Poseidon, the Museion (a center for learning and research), the Caesarium (a temple begun by Antony and completed by Augustus), and the famous Library of Alexandria. The latter institution housed hundreds of thousands of scrolls and became the preeminent repository of knowledge in the ancient world, drawing scholars from across the Mediterranean.

Population and Jewish Community

By the first century B.C.E., Alexandria had grown into a city of perhaps half a million inhabitants. The population was a diverse mixture of Greeks, Egyptians, and Jews, with smaller groups of Romans and other peoples drawn by commerce. The Jewish community was particularly significant, forming as much as one-third of the city’s total population in certain periods. Many Jews had arrived after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E., when refugees fled into Egypt. Over time, this community became deeply rooted, possessing its own quarter in the northeastern part of the city, governed by Jewish authorities, and allowed to live in accordance with the Law of Moses.

The Jews of Alexandria were among the most Hellenized of all Jewish communities, speaking Greek as their common language. Their influence extended far beyond Egypt through their literary and cultural contributions. The most notable achievement was the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek—the Septuagint—produced beginning in the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 B.C.E.). This translation became essential for Jews of the Diaspora and later for the spread of the Gospel among Greek-speaking peoples.

Alexandria’s Jewish synagogue was legendary in its size and splendor, though it was eventually destroyed under Roman rule. The city provided fertile ground for the blending of Jewish thought with Greek philosophy, giving rise to figures such as Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher who attempted to harmonize the Hebrew Scriptures with Platonic thought. Though Philo’s allegorical interpretations are rejected by a sound historical-grammatical approach, his prominence reflects the unique intellectual climate of Alexandria.

Alexandria in the Roman Period

When Rome assumed direct control of Egypt in 30 B.C.E. after the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, Alexandria retained its role as the administrative capital of the province. It was not merely a provincial city but a crucial hub for Rome’s grain supply. The fertile Nile Delta provided an abundance of grain, and fleets of large Alexandrian grain ships carried this vital resource across the Mediterranean to feed the population of Rome. These vessels, among the largest of their time, are referenced in the book of Acts, where Paul traveled on ships from Alexandria (Acts 27:6; 28:11).

The Roman period also brought civil strife. Tensions between Greeks, Romans, and Jews often erupted into violent conflict. Under Emperor Caligula, the Jews of Alexandria suffered persecution, and later under Hadrian, their quarter was burned, bringing destruction to the once-thriving community. Despite these hardships, Alexandria continued to exert tremendous influence on the wider world.

Alexandria in the New Testament

Though Alexandria was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, the Bible itself makes only a few references to it. Yet, those references highlight its importance. In Acts 6:9, Jews from Alexandria are mentioned among those disputing with Stephen. This reflects the intellectual vigor and debate characteristic of the Alexandrian Jewish community.

One of the most notable Alexandrians in the New Testament was Apollos, described as “an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria, became a skilled preacher of the Gospel, though initially he knew only of John’s baptism. After being instructed more fully by Priscilla and Aquila, he became a powerful defender of the Christian faith, showing how Scripture pointed to Jesus as the Messiah.

Additionally, as noted, the ships carrying Paul as a prisoner to Rome were Alexandrian grain ships. Their presence highlights Alexandria’s crucial economic role in supplying Rome with food and maintaining the stability of the empire.

Intellectual and Cultural Influence

Beyond its political and economic significance, Alexandria was a world-renowned center of learning. The Library of Alexandria, though ultimately destroyed in a series of calamities, represented the pinnacle of ancient scholarship. It is said to have housed as many as 700,000 scrolls, encompassing works of philosophy, history, science, and literature. Even though the original Hebrew Scriptures were divinely inspired and complete, the presence of the Septuagint within this intellectual environment ensured that God’s Word was accessible to the Greek-speaking world.

Alexandrian art and craftsmanship also influenced Jewish and early Christian art. Pottery, mosaics, and architectural styles spread from Alexandria across the Mediterranean. The city’s cultural prestige shaped the atmosphere into which the early church expanded, making Alexandria one of the most significant centers for the spread of Christianity after Jerusalem and Antioch.

Decline of Alexandria

Despite its grandeur, Alexandria’s fortunes eventually waned. In 269 C.E., it suffered during the conquest by Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra. In 389 C.E., the temple of Serapis was destroyed, marking the decline of pagan worship in the city. Later, in 618 C.E., it fell to the Persians, was briefly regained by the Byzantines, and finally succumbed to the Arabs in 642 C.E. The Arab conquest marked the definitive end of Alexandria’s role as the preeminent metropolis of Egypt, shifting the center of power elsewhere.

Biblical and Archaeological Importance

Alexandria serves as a striking example of the interplay between biblical history, Jewish tradition, and the Greco-Roman world. Its role in producing the Septuagint prepared the way for the Gospel’s spread to the Gentile nations. The presence of eloquent Jewish preachers like Apollos illustrates the city’s intellectual vitality. Its massive grain trade ensured that Rome was dependent on its harbors, linking the destinies of the great empires with the humble journeys of the apostles.

Though few ruins of ancient Alexandria remain today, its legacy continues to remind Bible students of how God’s providence worked through the events of history, ensuring that His Word reached “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The city’s foundation by Alexander the Great, its flourishing under the Ptolemies, its integration under Rome, and its place in the ministry of the apostles make it one of the most significant cities in the backdrop of Scripture.

The Legacy of the Library

The Library of Alexandria in antiquity stood as one of the greatest repositories of knowledge ever assembled. Though it was eventually destroyed and countless works were forever lost, its legacy continues to remind us of the fragility of human wisdom when divorced from God’s inspired Word. In that vast storehouse of scrolls, Jewish scholars produced the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which would later serve as a vital tool for the spread of the Gospel. In Jehovah’s providence, while the world’s literature perished in flames or neglect, His Word was preserved and carried forward through faithful copyists and translators.

Today, Alexandria once again houses a grand library—the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002 as a modern center of learning. Its immense reading halls, planetarium, and millions of volumes stand as a symbol of mankind’s enduring desire for knowledge. Yet unlike the fragile papyrus scrolls of the past, the Word of God remains unchanged, enduring through centuries of turmoil and destruction. As Scripture declares: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Thus, while the ancient library has become a legend, and its modern successor seeks to revive its glory, it is ultimately the Scriptures that continue to shine as the one true light of knowledge, preserved from Alexandria’s time until now by the power of Jehovah’s hand.

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