Pharos - A Lighthouse For Alexandria

Pharos - A Lighthouse For Alexandria by Thomas C. Clarie. Hardcover edition. ISBN: 9781934582121.

This work takes a fresh look at the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and along the way explores both the modern and ancient city of Alexandria, Egypt. Built in 279 B.C. to proclaim Alexandria the Pearl of the Mediterranean, the Pharos served as a beacon of freedom, acceptance, and intellectual fervor for centuries. Many famous rulers passed through the light of this magnificent tower that was, perhaps, planned by the citys founder, Alexander the Great. Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, and Napoleon all saw it cast its beacon of both welcome and warning. Weakened by the effects of earthquakes, wind, and waves, it was finally destroyed in 1349 A.D. In the past few decades, stubborn divers have sought to find the lighthouse underwater and have exhorted the Egyptian government to make its rediscovery a priority. UNESCO and two noted divers are making exciting finds. Jean-Yves Empereur has found massive underwater blocks near the ancient lighthouse site. Franck Goddio has dived further east and found first Cleopatras Palace and then, still further east, the lost cities of Herakleion and Canopus. This book explores these questions, among others: -Why was the Pharos on the list of Ancient Wonders of the World? -What happened to the Pharos? -What was so special about the lighthouse site and the city of Alexandria? -Would the Pharos be considered a wonder in todays modern era?