Podcast Summary: Dan Snow’s History Hit – “Alexandria”

Release Date: October 7, 2025
Guest: Islam Issa, author of Alexandria: The City That Changed the World

Overview

In this episode, historian Dan Snow welcomes scholar and Alexandria-native Islam Issa to explore the legendary city of Alexandria. Together, they discuss its origins under Alexander the Great, its purpose-built diversity, the wonders of the ancient world like the Pharos Lighthouse, the legendary Library of Alexandria, and the city's enduring legacy in both ancient and modern contexts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Foundation of Alexandria

[02:07–06:38]

• A Blank Canvas:
  Islam Issa explains that when Alexander arrived, Pharos Island and the surrounding area were largely uninhabited, just scattered fishing villages and farmlands. “I think it was probably a bit of an anti climax in terms of who was there and how many people occupied the space. This was really a city that was constructed purposefully.” (Islam Issa, 04:35)

• Alexander’s Strategic Aims:
  Alexandra was built at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia—an intentional site for a “world capital.” Alexander sought a city not just with strategic geographic placement, but also one that linked him to Egypt’s prestigious, ancient civilization.

  “Egypt is very much at the center of his world between Europe and Asia. But also Egypt has existed as a civilization for a long time […] a reputation as a place of medical knowledge … engineering feats.”
  (Islam Issa, 05:40)

• A City of Myth and Vision:
  Because Homeric epics mention Pharos, Issa argues that the site already had mythological weight for Greeks, further motivating Alexander.

2. Radically New Civic Ideals

[06:38–10:18]

• Engineered Diversity:
  Alexandria was purpose-built to gather people of different cultures and faiths, allowing a multicultural city and a global trading hub to flourish—radically different from organically grown or conquest-driven cities.

  “Gathering a uniquely diverse group together in one space and allowing them the freedoms of their own cultures and faiths … can create a global trading hub. […] And that knowledge equals power.”
  (Islam Issa, 07:03-08:49)

• Knowledge as Power:
  The founding principle: collecting and disseminating knowledge would bring immense “soft power.”

3. Urban Planning & Lasting Design

[10:18–13:05]

• Innovative Urban Layout:
  Hippodamus’ grid system, championed by Aristotle, laid out wide, straight avenues that maximized sea breezes—a street plan still felt in the modern city.

  “The promenade should profit from the sea breeze and shelter the people from strong winds. And that's probably what's felt today from that initial design.”
  (Islam Issa, 12:15)

4. Alexandria as a Cosmopolitan Metropolis

[13:05–16:52]

• Rapid Population Growth:

  • Early planning (sewage systems, unbuilt spaces) anticipated massive population booms.
  • The “Alexandrian Dream” and religious inclusivity (e.g., creation of the god Serapis) drew diverse newcomers.

  “There's loads of work here, come and work.”
  (Islam Issa, 14:26)

• Liberal, Open Society:
  Unlike Athens, Alexandria allowed scholars and migrants unprecedented freedoms.

  “So, for the large part, it's a place where people are free to be themselves. Obviously that begins to change as the centuries pass.”
  (Islam Issa, 15:55)

5. The Lighthouse of Pharos – Wonder of the World

[19:43–21:09]

• Technological and Symbolic Might:

  • Possibly the tallest or second tallest building in the ancient world (est. 100–135 meters).
  • Its mirrored beacon and massive cost (a tenth of the royal treasury) both assisted navigation and demonstrated Ptolemaic wealth and power.

  “It's as much for practical purposes … but it's also supposed to be a show of power.”
  (Islam Issa, 19:48)

6. The Library of Alexandria – Knowledge Capital

[21:09–26:45]

• The Obsession with Collecting Knowledge:

  • Ptolemaic rulers tasked library founders: “gather all the books in the world,” making the city a global intellectual magnet.
  • By the 1st century BC, estimates cite 500,000–700,000 scrolls.

  "It's a huge project, a huge complex, gathering all the books in the world. ... The quest to find these is quite intriguing."
  (Islam Issa, 21:26)

• Famous Scholars:

  • Hypatia: Iconic female philosopher, her murder marked Alexandria’s intellectual decline amid religious strife.

    “She’s the greatest female philosopher of her generation.” (Islam Issa, 23:25)

  • Ptolemy (the Geographer): Advanced cartography and music—epitome of Alexandrian interdisciplinarity.
  • Euclid: His Elements remained a foundational math text for millennia.

    “There is no royal road to geometry.”
    (Euclid to Ptolemy I, as quoted by Islam Issa, 26:22)

• Library’s Decline:

  • A long fade rather than a single cataclysm; Caesar’s burning of ships likely damaged the library, but political changes, stricter rulers, and religious intolerance eroded its foundation.

  “It’s a slow and steady decline. ... The more the Romans influence Egypt, the more the library declines.”
  (Islam Issa, 26:45)

7. Alexandria’s Fate Under Rome and Its Aftermath

[28:10–31:44]

• Absorption by Giant Empires:
  • Alexandria’s independence and primacy waned as Rome, then Constantinople, and later the early Islamic empires rose.
  • Caliph Omar's preference for inland capitals, lack of a navy, and Alexandria's immense diversity led to its demotion after the Muslim conquest.
  • "It often serves their cities and serves their empires rather than being important in and of itself." (Islam Issa, 31:44)

8. Modern Alexandria & Enduring Legacy

[31:44–35:25]

• A City Apart:
  The city’s cosmopolitan, slightly “outsider” identity lingers today in traditions, linguistic quirks (calling Cairo “Egypt”), multi-faith neighborhoods, and unique local customs.

  “Alexandrians today will refer to Cairo as Egypt. They don't say Cairo, they say Egypt. … Alexandria's always been a kind of odd one out, and I think that still remains.”
  (Islam Issa, 33:54)

• Alexander’s Tomb:

  • Its location remains a mystery, the source of rumors and legends among locals.

    “Alexandrians will tell you. Yes, he's still there. But where? … I heard so many theories about where Alexander is buried.”
    (Islam Issa, 34:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Mythic Spark:
  “Homer at this time isn't just literature. It's kind of like history. … It's mentioned that Helen of Troy goes there twice in Greek mythology. So it's already part of the consciousness.”
  (Islam Issa, 07:03)

• On True Multicultural Purpose:
  “He allows the Egyptians to continue worshipping their gods. He invites the Jews … There are early Buddhists. It's really quite a unique vision for how to build a population.”
  (Islam Issa, 09:11)

• No Royal Road to Geometry:
  “There is no royal road to geometry.”
  (Euclid to Ptolemy I, as quoted by Islam Issa, 26:22)

• On Alexandria’s Evolving Attitude:
  “For the large part, it's a place where people are free to be themselves. Obviously that begins to change as the centuries pass.”
  (Islam Issa, 15:55)

• Present-Day Alexandria’s Character:
  “… you can just hear it echoing around the city. Until today. That's something that Alexandria is doing on the New year, and that comes from a Jewish and Greek and Hellenistic tradition.”
  (Islam Issa, 33:54)

• On Alexander’s Tomb:
  “So many Roman rulers visit Alexander's tomb one after the other, and then suddenly it stops. Even his people know not where he is, writes Streble.”
  (Islam Issa, 34:05)

Timeline of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |:-----------:|:---------------------------------------------------------| | 02:07 | Origins: Why and how did Alexandria arise? | | 06:38 | The city’s mythic resonance & radical founding visions | | 10:18 | Urban planning & Hippodamian grid | | 13:05 | Population growth and the "Alexandrian Dream" | | 15:55 | Civic freedoms and multi-ethnic society | | 19:43 | The Lighthouse: technology & symbolism | | 21:09 | The Library’s founding myth, mission, and scholars | | 26:45 | The fate of the Library | | 28:10 | Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Alexandria’s fall to Rome | | 31:44 | The city’s fluctuating fortunes under later empires | | 31:58 | Modern Alexandria’s character and ancient remnants | | 34:05 | The enigma of Alexander’s tomb |

Conclusion

Islam Issa and Dan Snow paint Alexandria as a city of intentional diversity and intellectual aspiration—a place whose echo can still be felt in the modern world. Whether through its surviving street plan or the legendary mystique of Alexander’s unlocated tomb, Alexandria’s radical experiment in urban life and cosmopolitanism persists against the tides of history.

Book Mentioned:
“Alexandria: The City That Changed the World” by Islam Issa

For Further Engagement

• Look up Ptolemy’s maps, Euclid’s Elements, and the story of Hypatia for deeper context.
• Explore local traditions and neighborhoods in modern Alexandria, where ancient cosmopolitanism is still alive.