It
was not only a center of Hellenism, but
was also the greatest Jewish city in the
world. There the Septuagint was produced.
The early Ptolemies kept it in order and
fostered the development of its museum
into the leading Greek university but
they were careful to maintain the distinction
of its population into three nations,
"Greek", Jew and Egyptian. One
of the earliest inhabitants was the geometer
and number-theorist Euclid. From this
division arose much of the later turbulence
which began to manifest itself under Ptolemy
Philopater, who reigned 221–204
BC. In ancient times, Alexandria was known
for its lighthouse (one of the Seven Wonders
of the World) and its library (the largest
in the world). Ongoing maritime archaeology
in the harbor of Alexandria, begun in
1994, is revealing details of the Alexandria
of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The city passed
formally under Roman jurisdiction in 80
BC, according to the will of Ptolemy Alexander:
but it had been under Roman influence
for more than a hundred years previously.
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