A history of this Egyptian metropolis from its founding by Alexander the Great to our own day. Close to a hundred pages are devoted to the medieval era.
Excerpt:
By virtue of its location at the intersection of three continents, its busy harbour welcoming visitors from around the globe, and a fast-developing Alexandrian Dream that compelled migration to its shores, the city became a meeting point of cultures, enacting in its early days a previously inconceivable diversity, from Egyptians and Greeks, to Jews and Buddhists. It became a place where East and West could meet, one that took something of Africa, Europe and Asia, and where great civilisations – not least Egyptian, Greek and Roman – could amalgamate. Its story is therefore one that transcends the bounds of the city to encompass the most conceptual ideas about place. Generations of different people – with their rituals, races, faiths, skills and values – arrived in Alexandria, each making a mark on its traditions, architecture and levels of tolerance.
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Who is this book for?
While this book is a general history of Alexandria, it does provide several chapters that deal with the city during the Middle Ages. With works on medieval Egypt usually focusing on Cairo, this history offers something new for medievalists.
The author
Islam Issa is an Egyptian-British scholar and author, and a Professor at Birmingham City University. His previous works have focused on early modern literature. You can learn more about Islam through his personal website or on X/Twitter.
Alexandria: The City That Changed the World
By Islam Issa
Pegasus Books
ISBN: 978-1-63936-545-6
A history of this Egyptian metropolis from its founding by Alexander the Great to our own day. Close to a hundred pages are devoted to the medieval era.
Excerpt:
By virtue of its location at the intersection of three continents, its busy harbour welcoming visitors from around the globe, and a fast-developing Alexandrian Dream that compelled migration to its shores, the city became a meeting point of cultures, enacting in its early days a previously inconceivable diversity, from Egyptians and Greeks, to Jews and Buddhists. It became a place where East and West could meet, one that took something of Africa, Europe and Asia, and where great civilisations – not least Egyptian, Greek and Roman – could amalgamate. Its story is therefore one that transcends the bounds of the city to encompass the most conceptual ideas about place. Generations of different people – with their rituals, races, faiths, skills and values – arrived in Alexandria, each making a mark on its traditions, architecture and levels of tolerance.
Who is this book for?
While this book is a general history of Alexandria, it does provide several chapters that deal with the city during the Middle Ages. With works on medieval Egypt usually focusing on Cairo, this history offers something new for medievalists.
The author
Islam Issa is an Egyptian-British scholar and author, and a Professor at Birmingham City University. His previous works have focused on early modern literature. You can learn more about Islam through his personal website or on X/Twitter.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can also buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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