Pompey’s Pillar, An Open Museum in Alexandria – Keep Calm and Wander

Pompey's Pillar - Alain

Pompey’s Pillar is an open museum in Alexandria. This pillar wasn’t really built for Pompey, a Roman politician and military general. He was also Julius Caesar’s fiercest rival and mortal enemy in the civil war.

This monolithic column was built to commemorate the triumph of the Roman Emperor Diocletian over a revolt in Alexandria. And now, you’d ask: How in the world this shaft became known as Pompey’s Pillar?

It’s known in the Middle Ages that a bronze urn on top of the pillar contained the ashes of Pompey. This corinthian column is standing on blocks that comes from earlier foundations. It’s cut from red granite in Aswan in the southern part of Egypt.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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