Alexandria: city of knowledge and culture

You're Dead to Me

BBC

Comedy, History

4.7 • 10.9K Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Greg Jenner is joined in Egypt by historian Professor Islam Issa and comedian Athena Kugblenu to learn all about the history of science and philosophy in the city of Alexandria. Founded by ancient conqueror Alexander the Great, Alexandria from its earliest days was a city at the forefront of scientific discoveries, philosophical enquiry and religious debate. At its height, the city’s famous library housed nearly one million texts, and attracted thinkers like Hypatia of Alexandria, Euclid and Heron (who invented the steam engine). This episode tells the story of this incredible site of knowledge and culture, taking in its epic founding, the rise of Christianity and its impact on the city, its fate during the Crusades, the coming of Napoleon, and its role in the rise of the Arab nationalism movement. If you’re a fan of the history of science, brainy philosophers and incredible architectural achievements, you’ll love our episode on Alexandria. If you want more from Athena Kugblenu, check out our episodes on the Haitian Revolution and Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba. Or for another journey through a historical city, listen to our episode on Istanbul in the Ottoman Golden Age. You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Emma Bentley Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:05.6	Your time starts now.
0:07.2	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast.
0:09.4	Absolutely right.
0:11.5	So, you might like to know that the BBC makes loads of other podcasts.
0:15.6	Really?
0:16.4	Wow.
0:17.2	Many of them are very funny.
0:19.1	Which I think means...
0:20.3	A hatful of ha-hars. And energy. Even if you do say so ourselves. I agree 100% to that. Find them all on BBC Sounds. Just tell us a joke. Come on, tell us a joke. Tell us a joke. Come on, tell us a joke. Just search comedy on BBC Sounds. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in. Hello, Greg here.
0:37.6	Just a reminder, before we get going, that episodes of Your Dead to Me are released on Fridays
0:41.6	wherever you get your podcasts.
0:43.5	But if you're in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes 28 days earlier than anywhere
0:49.1	else, first on BBC Sounds.
0:52.9	Hello, and welcome to You're Dead to Me,
0:55.2	the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously.
0:58.2	My name is Greg Jenner.
0:59.3	I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster.
1:01.6	And today we are packing our travel guides
1:03.6	and venturing back over 2,000 years
1:05.8	as we trick all the way to Egypt
1:07.7	to trace the cultural and intellectual history
	...

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