The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC as he made his way to consult the oracle at Siwa Oasis as to whether he was genuinely the son of Amun. Alexandria became the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, and grew to become one of the most prosperous and culturally significant cities of the Hellenistic age.
The Alexandria Graeco-Roman Museum was inaugurated in 1895 to showcase objects from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, both from Alexandria and from elsewhere in Egypt. It is housed in an attractive neoclassical building whose front declares it to be a ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟΝ, ‘place of the Muses’. This recalls the memory of the mouseion that stood nearby in ancient times as the gathering place of seekers of knowledge who hoped to be inspired by the Muses.
From 2005 to 2023, the building was closed and underwent a major renovation. Now it is open to the public again and is a major attraction for visitors to Alexandria. There are two floors of galleries: the ground floor displays a stunning collection of both Ptolemaic- and Roman-era objects, while the upper floor covers the Nile, the economy (including a major coin collection), and the arts.
War Classics: The Cruel Sea