WI : Library of Alexandria, The First Roman University

That said : I could see an emperor, with ideological ties with hellenism and Egypt attempting to build such a Library in Rome.
Nero, particularly, would be a really good exemple. The Golden House points to the plausibility of such a prestige (as well as political) project he could have launched.

Its my understanding that Caesar himself wanted to do just that, and tasked Varro with the job.
 
Its my understanding that Caesar himself wanted to do just that, and tasked Varro with the job.

I can't say I've a good knowledge of Cesarian projects (what follows is essentially information I looked into earlier, in order to answer this thread) but I tought it was about the public libraries supervision, especially the Atrium Libertatis on the forum, rather than a creation ex nihilo of a big Alexandrine-like project.

If Pollio's own work should be a clue, the library on Aventine was funded on his own treasury rather than an imperial-supported project. Wouldn't Varro's library be more close to that?
 
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