The Serapeum of Alexandria: The Ruins of the Great Temple of the Syncretic God
The Serapeum of Alexandria was one of the most grandiose religious complexes of the ancient world, a temple dedicated to the god Serapis that for centuries represented the spiritual heart of Ptolemaic and Roman Alexandria. Located on the hill of Rhakotis, in the south-western quarter of the city, the temple was an architectural masterpiece that rivalled in magnificence the most celebrated sanctuaries of the Mediterranean.
Today of the Serapeum survive only the foundations, the underground galleries and the celebrated Pillar of Pompey that towers solitary among the ruins, but even these fragmentary remains suffice to communicate the grandiosity of a place that was at the same time temple, library, centre of healing and symbol of the multicultural identity of Alexandria. The archaeological site shares the area with Pompey's Pillar and is found in the immediate vicinity of the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa.
The God Serapis: An Invented Divinity
The Creation of a God
The history of the Serapeum cannot be understood without knowing the extraordinary story of the god to whom it was dedicated. Serapis (in Greek Sarapis) is one of the most fascinating divinities of the ancient world, because he was literally invented deliberately with a precise political purpose: to unite the Egyptian and Greek religious traditions under a single cult that would favour social cohesion in the new Ptolemaic kingdom.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the partition of his empire, the general Ptolemy I Soter found himself governing an Egypt in which the native Egyptian population and the new Greek colonists belonged to profoundly different cultural and religious worlds. To create a bridge between these communities, Ptolemy commissioned the Egyptian priest Manetho and the Greek philosopher Timotheus to create a cult that could be accepted by both peoples.
The Attributes of Serapis
The result was Serapis, a divinity that combined attributes of different divine figures. From the Egyptian god Osiris derived the link with death and rebirth; from the sacred bull Apis, venerated at Memphis, came the name itself (Osorapis became Sarapis); from the Greek Zeus came the majesty and royalty; from Asclepius the power of healing; and from Dionysus the link with fecundity and abundance.
The cult statue of Serapis, attributed to the Greek sculptor Bryaxis of Athens, represented him as a majestic figure seated on a throne, with beard and curly hair in Greek style, a calathus (basket of grain) on the head as symbol of fertility, and the three-headed dog Cerberus at the feet. This image fused Greek iconography and Egyptian symbolism in a synthesis of great visual power.
The History of the Temple
The Ptolemaic Foundation
The first temple dedicated to Serapis at Alexandria was built under Ptolemy I Soter, probably around 300 BC, in the quarter of Rhakotis, the original nucleus of the city inhabited by the native Egyptian population. The choice of the site was not casual: to build the temple of the new god in the Egyptian quarter meant to honour the local component of the population and to facilitate the acceptance of the cult among the Egyptians.
The temple was progressively enlarged and embellished by the successors of Ptolemy I. Under Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-222 BC) the Serapeum reached the monumental dimensions that rendered it famous throughout the Mediterranean. The complex included the principal temple with the colossal statue of Serapis, colonnaded porticoes, ceremonial courtyards, a library and underground galleries for the cult of the sacred Apis bulls.
The Roman Epoch
Under Roman dominion, the Serapeum maintained and increased its importance. The cult of Serapis spread throughout the Roman empire, and the temple of Alexandria was its principal sanctuary. The Romans enlarged the complex, adding thermal structures, halls for ritual banquets and a nilometer to measure the level of the floods of the Nile, an information crucial for the Egyptian agricultural economy.
The temple was described by the ancient authors as one of the most magnificent buildings of the world. The rhetorician Aphthonius defined it second only to the Capitol of Rome for grandiosity, while the historian Rufinus described its interior as decorated with gold, silver and bronze in extraordinary quantities.
The Daughter Library
One of the most significant aspects of the Serapeum was the so-called "daughter library" of the Great Library of Alexandria. This secondary collection, which contained about 42,800 papyrus scrolls, was destined for public use and complemented the collection of the principal library of the Mouseion, which was reserved for the resident scholars.
The library of the Serapeum survived the destruction of the principal library and continued to function for several centuries as a centre of study and conservation of ancient knowledge. Its destruction, occurred together with that of the temple in 391 AD, represented the definitive loss of the last great book collection of Alexandrian antiquity.
The Destruction of 391 AD
The end of the Serapeum was a violent and traumatic event that marked symbolically the passage from pagan antiquity to the Christian era. In 391 AD, the emperor Theodosius I issued an edict that prohibited all the pagan cults in the Roman empire. The Christian patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria interpreted the edict as a mandate for the destruction of the pagan temples and led personally the Christian crowd to the assault of the Serapeum.
The historian Socrates Scholasticus reports that the destruction of the colossal statue of Serapis provoked panic among the pagan faithful, who feared that the end of the god would provoke cosmic catastrophes. But when nothing happened, many pagans converted to Christianity. The temple was systematically demolished and its precious materials were plundered or reused in the construction of churches.
The Underground Galleries
The Cult of the Apis Bull
The underground galleries of the Serapeum are the best preserved part of the complex and represent one of the most fascinating aspects of the site. These galleries, excavated in the limestone rock of the hill, hosted the cult of the sacred bull Apis, one of the most ancient religious traditions of Egypt.
The Apis bull was considered the earthly manifestation of the god Ptah of Memphis and, subsequently, was associated with Osiris and with Serapis. The sacred bulls were selected according to precise criteria (colour, spots, aspect of the horns) and maintained with royal honours in the temples. At their death, they were mummified and buried in the underground galleries of the Serapeums.
The niches in the walls of the galleries of Alexandria were destined to host the granite sarcophagi of the sacred bulls, although the original sarcophagi have not been found, probably removed during the destruction of the temple.
The Nilometer
Inside the complex of the Serapeum was found a nilometer, an instrument used to measure the level of the waters of the Nile during the annual floods. The nilometer of the Serapeum was connected to the river through underground canals and allowed the priests to monitor the level of the water and to predict the abundance or the scarcity of the harvest.
The nilometer had an importance both practical and religious: the floods of the Nile were considered a gift of Serapis, and the level of the water was interpreted as a sign of the benevolence or of the wrath of the divine. The priests of the Serapeum had the task of communicating to the pharaoh (or to the Roman governor) the data of the nilometer, an information that determined the fiscal and agricultural policies of the entire Egypt.
The Archaeological Site Today
The Visible Ruins
Today the visitor of the Serapeum can explore the foundations of the temple, the underground galleries with the niches of the cult of Apis, the nilometer and the surrounding area scattered with architectural fragments. Pompey's Pillar, which is found inside the same archaeological area, although not part of the original temple, completes its monumental panorama.
The two Ptolemaic granite sphinxes, one pink and one grey, have been repositioned at the sides of the column and add a touch of mystery to the atmosphere of the site. Fragments of capitals, bases of columns and sculpted blocks scattered in the area allow one to imagine the colossal dimensions of the vanished temple.
Tips for the Visit
How to Get There
The Serapeum shares the archaeological site with Pompey's Pillar, in the quarter of Karmouz. It is reachable by taxi from the centre of Alexandria in about 15 minutes. The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa are found in the immediate vicinity.
Duration and Route
Plan about an hour for the visit of the site, which combines naturally with that of Pompey's Pillar. Descend into the underground galleries to appreciate the suggestive atmosphere of the corridors of the cult of Apis. The site is partially open-air, so bring sun protection.
Recommended Itinerary
The Serapeum, Pompey's Pillar and the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa form an unmissable archaeological triptych that merits a dedicated half day. Complete the experience with the National Museum of Alexandria to admire the finds coming from the excavations of the area.
Practical Suggestions
An expert guide is highly recommended for this site, since the ruins, alone, communicate little of the grandiosity of the original temple. A good guide can help you to imagine the aspect of the Serapeum in its splendour, to understand the meaning of the cult of Serapis and to decipher the symbolism of the underground galleries.
The Serapeum of Alexandria is a place where the absence speaks more than the presence, where what is no longer there recounts a story more powerful than what has survived. These silent ruins guard the memory of a temple that was at the centre of the spiritual life of one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, of a god who was created to unite the peoples, and of a library that conserved the knowledge of humanity. To visit the Serapeum is an exercise of imagination and of memory, an invitation to reconstruct with the mind what time and men have destroyed.
