The Battle For The Lighthouse of Alexandria

A true spectacle for history nerds

(Public domain)

One of the least remembered chapters of the tale of Julius Caesar involves a strange siege of Alexandria, Egypt. Caesar sailed into Alexandria with some soldiers in search of money and troops for his ongoing battle against Pompey in the Roman civil war. When he arrived, he discovered that the Egyptians had captured his rival Pomey and unceremoniously slew him. His head was turned over to Caesar. Instead of currying favor with the rising general, the Egyptians infuriated him by denying him the right to honorably defeat his counterpart on the battlefield or in the political arena.

Caesar decided to let the Egyptians know how displeased he was with them. At the time, Egypt was split between “native” Egyptians and Alexandrians or Greek Egyptians that were tied to the old Alexandrian dynasty, the Ptolemys. Egypt decided to throw his sword behind the claim of Cleopatra and her brother for rulers of Egypt in accordance with the will of their late father, a Ptolemy.

Caesar quickly became besieged and nearly entombed in the city of Alexandria as angry Egyptians swarmed into the region to attempt to trap and kill Caesar. No love was lost between Egypt and Rome at this point in history.