Lost libraries and their missing mysterious content
Nov21,2023
In 335 BC, Aristotle moved to Athens where he founded a school at the Lyceum. He began to build a formidable collection of books, which would become the very first private library in Europe
Library of Aristotle
A degree of mystery surrounds the library’s decline, however, especially the question of whether its collection played a role in the relationship between Marc Antony and Cleopatra.
Library of Pergamon
The Imperial Library of Constantinople was one of the last great libraries of the ancient world to be founded but one of the longest to endure. It was begun by Emperor Constantine I
Imperial Library of Constantinople
York itself later became an important place of learning in Europe during the eighth century because it was the home of the renowned scholar Alcuin and his library of manuscripts.
Library of Alcuin of York
The poet Francesco Petrarca, commonly known as Petrarch, built a collection of books from across Europe. It eventually became one of the largest libraries of its kind in the world during the 14th century.
Library of Petrarch
In the late 14th century, Charles V of France began a collection of works at the Louvre Palace that was estimated to contain 917 manuscripts. This became extremely influential on the development of libraries in France
Library of Charles V of France
One of the most impressive libraries of the Renaissance period was the Bibliotheca Corviniana. It was collected by Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary from 1458 to 1490.
Bibliotheca Corviniana
The Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica developed a writing system which they used to record information about their culture on folding books, known as codices. These book collections were mostly destroyed during the Spanish conquest of Yucatan
Libraries of the Maya
Much of the contents of the Hanlin Yuan, one of the key centers of learning in Peking, China(now known as Beijing), was destroyed when the building was set on fire during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900