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There were once many Hellenistic cities named after the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great. Today, Alexandria in Egypt, the home of Cleopatra, is perhaps the best-known city to continue to bear the name. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and has since been one of the most important cities of Egypt (it is the second-largest city today).

While Alexandria came after the period of Ancient Egypt, it does have a long Hellenistic, Ptolemaic, Roman, and Islamic history. Famous ancient monuments include the Library of Alexandria and the Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and its ruins can be seen today). But ancient monuments have all but disappeared from Alexandria, with the exception of Pompey's Pillar. It is a giant Corinthian column, and it once held a massive porphyry statue of the emperor clad in armor.

Cityscape with Pompey's pillar and ancient sphinx statue
Nastya Smirnova RF / Shutterstock
Cityscape with Pompey's pillar and ancient sphinx statue

The History Of Pompey's Pillar: The Massive Column Dedicated To Emperor Diocletian

Pompey's Pillar is the last ancient monument still standing in Alexandria in its original location. Its name is a misnomer, and it has nothing to do with Pompey (who fought against Julius Caesar to preserve the Roman Republic, lost, and fled to Egypt, where he was beheaded). The misnomer may have been from a misreading of an inscription on the column "ΠΟΥΠΛΙΟΣ". It actually referenced Publius - the governor of Egypt at the time.

Pompey's Pillar is a Roman triumphal column made to honor the much later Roman emperor Diocletian. It was built between 298 and 302 AD.

  • Built: Between 298 and 302 AD
  • Dedicated: To Emperor Diocletian

It was erected in honor of Diocletian after he suppressed a revolt of the usurper Domitius Domitianus in Egypt. He took the city of Alexandria after a prolonged siege. Elsewhere, one of the most impressive Roman ruins today is Diocletian Palace - the fortified retirement palace that Diocletian built for himself in Split, Croatia.

View of the Pompey's Pillar
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View of the Pompey's Pillar

Related: The Lighthouse Of Alexandria And What Can Be Seen Today

The Impressive Size Of Pompey's Column In Egypt (One Of The Largest In The World)

The column is impressive, standing 88 feet or 26.9 meters high (including the base and the capital). The base has a diameter of almost 9 feet or 2.7 meters. The weight of the column shaft is calculated to be around 285 tons.

The statue of Diocletian would have been 23 feet or 7 meters tall. The statue is known from large fragments that there still at the base of the column in the 18th century. The fragments included an over 5-foot or 1.6-meter fragment of the thighs of the statue. There were other fragments, but now they have been lost.

  • Pompey's Pillar Height: 88 feet or 26.9 meters (Including Base & Capital But Excluding Former Statue)
  • Pompey's Pillar Diameter: 8 feet 11 inches or 2.7 meters at Base
  • Pompey's Pillar Weight: 285 Tons (Column Shaft)

It is also the only known monolithic column of Roman Egypt and is counted among the largest ancient monoliths ever built. Speaking of ancient monoliths, see the impossibly massive Ancient Egyptian Unfinished Obelisk still lying unfinished in its quarry.

Base and socle are constructed out of pink granite shipped all the way from Aswan at the other end of Egypt. The column is of grey granite. It is possible there were other columns built alongside the surviving Diocletian column.

Pattern from Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria, Egypt
Shutterstock
Pattern from Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria, Egypt

Related: This Is What You'll Find Inside Egypt's Red Pyramid

The Last Remaining Structure Of The Greek Temple - The Serapeum Of Alexandria

Pompey's Pillar is located next to the ruins of the temple of Serapis or Serapeum of Alexandria. The Serapeum of Alexandria was an ancient Greek temple built by Ptolemy III Euergetes not so long after the founding of Alexandria (between 246 and 222 BC). It was dedicated to the god Serapis and was likely the largest and most impressive of the temples in the Greek quarter of Alexandria. This was the acropolis part of the city of Alexandria.

  • Entrance Fee: 80 Egyptian Pounds ($2.50)

It seems the Serapeum of Alexandria was destroyed in 391 as violence erupted in the Empire between Christians and non-Christains (although the exact details remain disputed). As the Empire converted to Christianity, many of the age-old pagan temples were destroyed.

Today, this once-great temple is completely ruined, and its stone plundered and quarried. All that remains standing is the ginormous Pompey's Pillar.

Artist Impression of The Lighthouse of Alexandria

It is also close to other interesting Roman archeological sites like the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. As Alexandria was never abandoned and has remained a vibrant city through the eons, most of the ancient ruins have not survived the test of time. Even the location of the famous Library of Alexandria has not been found and is presumably somewhere underneath the streets of the modern city.

Today, anyone can visit Pompey's Pillar and the ruins of the Serapeum of Alexandria. Most travel packages of Egypt that include visits to Alexandria have excursions to Pompey's Pillar and the Roman Amphitheater.