|
ash
Iraq's National Archives and Koranic Library burned in apparent arson.
"[F]or Iraq, this is Year Zero; with the destruction of the antiquities in the Museum of Archaeology on Saturday and the burning of the National Archives and then the Koranic library, the cultural identity of Iraq is being erased."
This history of Islamic libraries outlines a timeline of similar catastrophes:
1499: Christian conquerors of Spain, led by Cardinal Ximenes, burn over a million Arabic books, "including unique works of Moorish culture" as part of Spanish Inquisition
1099: Christian Crusaders burn the Muslim library of Tripolis (modern-day Syria)
391: Christian mob led by Emperor Theodosius of Constantinople destroys Library of Alexandria
From Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. III:
[W]hen a sentence of destruction against the idols of Alexandria was pronounced, the Christians set up a shout of joy and exultation, whilst the unfortunate Pagans, whose fury had given way to consternation, retired with hasty and silent steps, and eluded, by their flight or obscurity, the resentment of their enemies. Theophilus proceeded to demolish the temple of Serapis ... to make room for a church, erected in honor of the Christian martyrs. The valuable library of Alexandria was pillaged or destroyed; and near twenty years afterwards, the appearance of the empty shelves excited the regret and indignation of every spectator, whose mind was not totally darkened by religious prejudice."
|
Thursday, April 17, 2003
11:14 AM
|
