The ancient city of Alexandria (also spelt Alessandria and Alexandrie) derived its fame from its university, the Scientific Complex "Mouseion", and its library which was the first real research institute in history, and from its lighthouse that became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The scientists of Alexandria began to discover the nature of the universe and understood much about natural forces. They studied physics, astronomy, geography, engineering, mathematics, natural history, medicine, philosophy and literature. From these studies, Euclides the geometrist taught most of the greatest mathematicians such as Archimedes, Apollonius and Herophilus, in the science of medicine and anatomy; Arasistratos in the science of surgery; Galen in the science of pharmacy; Aristacos in astronomy and geography; Eratosthenes and Theophrastus in botany; Climacus and Theocritus in poetry and literature; Fillon and Plato in philosophy, and dozens of others who enriched human thought in the ancient world.

Ancient monuments of Alexandria

The researchers who discovered the ancient monuments of Alexandria and Abu Qir found old ruins submerged under water which date back 2,500 years. These ruins were of Pharaonic and Greek cities.  Before this there had been no mention of them except in the narration of travellers and historians, in legends, or in ancient Greek epics.  Ancient Heraklion and Menotas were close to old Alexandria City and they now lie 8 meters below the waves in Abu Qir Bay. Heraklion was a commercial port which overlooked the beginning of the Nile River Branch that was called Canopus. Menotas City was known to have been a place of worship for the idols Isis and Serapis. Both cities sank into the Mediterranean Sea due to earthquake or Nile flood. The Pharaonic Heraklion port was famous for its temples and flourishing commercial center. It was also one of the most important Pharaonic commercial ports. Archeological expeditions discovered the locations of these two ancient cities, known as Heraklion and Menotas, and found houses, temples, statues and pillars. The French Expedition found the first evidence of the existence of these cities that were famous for their temples to the gods Isis, Osiris, and Serapis, and this caused them to become an area of pilgrimage to these shrines.