# Timeline of Alexandria

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Alexandria, Egypt.

## Greek era (331–30 BC)

Part of a series on the :
History of Egypt :
Prehistoric Egypt Predynastic Period6000–3000 BC :
Ancient Egypt Early Dynastic Period3150–2686 BC Old Kingdom2686–2181 BC 1st Intermediate Period2181–2055 BC Middle Kingdom2055–1650 BC 2nd Intermediate Period1650–1550 BC New Kingdom1550–1069 BC 3rd Intermediate Period1069–664 BC Late Period664–332 BC :
Greco-Roman Egypt Argead dynasty332–310 BC Ptolemaic dynasties310–30 BC Roman and Byzantine Egypt30 BC–641 AD Sasanian Egypt619–629 :
Medieval Egypt Rashidun caliphate641–661 Umayyad caliphate661–750 Abbasid dynasty750–935 Tulunid dynasty868–905 Ikhshidid dynasty935–969 Fatimid dynasty969–1171 Ayyubid dynasty1171–1250 Mamluk dynasty1250–1517 :
Early modern Egypt Ottoman Egypt1517–1867 French occupation1798–1801 Muhammad Ali dynasty1805–1953 Khedivate of Egypt1867–1914 :
Late Modern Egypt British occupation1882–1922 Sultanate of Egypt1914–1922 Kingdom of Egypt1922–1953 Republic1953–present :
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* 331 BC – Rhacotis renamed "Alexandria" by Alexander the Great (approximate date).
* 330 BC – Cleomenes of Naucratis appointed Governor of Egypt by Alexander, begins to turn the small village into the Capitol of Egypt.

### 323–30 BC

Egypt's capital under Ptolemaic dynasty
* 323 BC – Alexander dies. Ptolemy I Soter appointed "Satrap" of Egypt.
* 305 BC – Ptolemy I proclaims himself king.
* 283 BC – Library of Alexandria opens (approximate date).
* 247 BC – Lighthouse of Alexandria built (approximate date).
* 170 BC – Seleucid "Emperor" Antiochus IV Epiphanes briefly conquers Egypt
* 168 BC – First Roman intervention. City briefly invaded.
* 1st century BC – Caesareum built.

## 48 BC–365 AD Romans in power

* 48 BC – Julius Caesar conquers Alexandria.
* 48 BC – Great Royal Library of Alexandria burned.
* 47 BC – Siege of Alexandria.
* 47 BC – Caesar victorious.
* 44 BC – Assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome.
* 40 BC – Cleopatra VII marries Roman triumvir Mark Antony.
* 31 BC – Death of Antony and Cleopatra.
* 30 BC – Battle of Alexandria.
* 29 BC – Augustus takes city. Cornelius Gallus first prefect of Egypt.
* 25 BC – Strabo, the Greek geographer and philosopher, visits Alexandria.
* 19 AD – Germanicus resident in city.
* 38 AD – Pogrom against Jews.
* 115 AD – City sacked during a Jewish revolt. Possible genocide.
* 122 AD – Hadrian rebuilds city.
* 175 AD – Failed revolution of Avidius Cassius.
* 176 AD – Catechetical School of Alexandria (oldest such school in the world) founded. Some records say 190 AD; see article.
* 297 AD – Pompey's Pillar built.
* 365 AD – The 365 Crete earthquake affects the Greek island of Crete with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), causing a destructive tsunami that affects the coasts of Libya and Egypt, especially Alexandria. Many thousands were killed.

## Byzantine rule 390–650

* 391 – Theodosius I orders destruction of pagan temples.
* 395 – Roman Empire formally split in two. The official start of so-called Byzantine Empire.
* 415 – Lynching of the philosopher Hypatia by a radical Christian mob. The expulsion of the Jews from Alexandria, in 414 or 415 under the leadership of Saint Cyril. Around 100,000 Jews expelled—another Pogrom or "Alexandria Expulsion".
* 619 – City besieged; Sassanid Persians in power.
* 641–642 – City besieged; Arabs in power; capital of Egypt relocates from Alexandria to Fustat.
* 645 – Byzantines back in power.
* 646 – Arabs back in power, following the Battle of Nikiou

## Muslim Rule 700–1800

* 680 – Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral rebuilt.
* 956 – Earthquake.
* 1303 – Earthquake.
* 1323 – Earthquake. The Pharos lighthouse collapses.
* 1354 – Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue built.
* 1365 – October: City besieged by Cypriot forces.
* 1381 – Zaradel Synagogue established
* 1477 – Citadel of Qaitbay established.
* 1519 – Ottoman conquest
* 1775 – El-Mursi Abul Abbas Mosque built.
* 1798 – French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte besiege and conquer what is now just a town.
* 1800 – Nadir of the city. Population: a mere 8,000.

## 19th century

* 1801
** 21 March: Battle between French and British forces.
** 17 August – 2 September: City besieged by British forces.
** 2 September: Capitulation to British.
* 1807
** 7 March - September 25: City occupied by the British forces
* 1819 – Mahmoudiyah Canal constructed.
* 1821 – Population: 12,528.
* 1829 – Dockyard and arsenal open.
* 1833 – April: Luxor Obelisk shipped to Paris.
* 1834 – Ras el-Tin Palace construction begins.
* 1840 – Population: 60,000.
* 1847 – Ras el-Tin Palace built.
* 1850 – Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue restored.
* 1853 – Azouz Synagogue rebuilt.
* 1856
** Cairo-Alexandria railway begins operating.
** Cathedral of Evangelismos dedicated.
* 1859
** Institut d'Egypte founded.
** Theatre Europeen reopens.
* 1860 – Alexandria Ramleh Train Station established.
* 1862 – Theatre Zizinia built.
* 1861 – Cotton boom.
* 1863
** Horse-drawn trams begin operating.
** Population: 170,000.
* 1865 – Gas lighting introduced.
* 1865–1869 – New port created.
* 1872 – Population c. 200,000 (ca. 20% foreigners).
* 1873
** Breakwater built in harbour.
** Statue unveiled in Midan Muhammad Ali.
* 1875 – Al-Ahram newspaper begins publication.
* 1877 – One of Cleopatra's Needles shipped to London.
* 1880 – The Egyptian Gazette launched in Alexandria.
* 1880 – One of Cleopatra's Needles shipped to New York City.
* 1880 – Zaradel Synagogue restored.
* 1881 – al-Tankit wa al-Tabkit newspaper begins publication.
* 1882
** 11 July: Anti-European riots; city bombarded by British naval forces.
** Population: 232,626.
* 1883 – Alexandria Stock Exchange founded.
* 1887 – El-Hakaneia Palace built.
* 1892
** Graeco-Roman Museum established.
** Salamlek Palace built.
* 1896 - First Cinema Projection in the city took place.

## 20th century

* 1901 – Green Synagogue established.
* 1902
** Electric trams begin operating.
** Victoria College founded.
* 1903 – Khedivial yacht club built.
* 1905 – Sea wall constructed.
* 1907 – Population: 332,246.
* 1910 – Hellenic Football Club Alexandria formed.
* 1910 – Sasson Synagogue established.
* 1914 – Al Ittihad Alexandria Club formed.
* 1917 – Population c. 460,000 (c. 20% foreigners).
* 1919 – Princess Fatma Al-Zahra palace built.
* 1920 – Castro Synagogue established.
* 1920 – Nezah Israel Synagogue established.
* 1921 – Alexandria Opera House opens.
* 1922 – Shaaré Tefila Synagogue established.
* 1925 – Scottish School for Girls founded.
* 1927 – Population c. 600,000 (ca. 17% foreigners).
* 1928 – Collège Saint Marc founded.
* 1929
** Alexandria Stadium opens.
** English Boys' School established.
* 1930 – Alexandria Aquarium opens.
* 1932 – Al-Haramlik Palace built.
* 1934 – Corniche constructed.
* 1935 – English Girls College founded.
* 1937 – Eliahou Hazan Synagogue established.
* 1938 – Publication of The Egyptian Gazette moved from Alexandria to Cairo.
* 1941 – 19 December: Conflict between Italian and British naval forces.
* 1942 – Farouk University established.
* 1947 – Population: 919,024; (c. 11% foreigners).
* 1950 – Hassab hospital established.
* 1952 – Egyptian coup d'état.
* 1954 – 26 October: Alleged assassination attempt of Nasser during speech in Mansheya.
* 1958 – Alexandria Zoo opens.
* 1960 – Siddiq Abdul-Latif becomes mayor.
* 1964 – September: Arab League summit held.
* 1965 – Population c. 1.5 million.
* 1969 – St. Takla Haymanot's Church consecrated.
* 1974 – Population: 2,259,000.
* 1980 – El Alamein-Alexandria highway constructed.
* 1986
** Ismail El-Gawsaqi becomes mayor.
** Port of Dekheila constructed.
** Royal Jewelry Museum inaugurated.
* 1990 – Senghor University founded.
* 1992 – Population: 3,380,000 (estimate).
* 1996 – Alexandria Institute Of Technology founded.
* 1997 – Abdel-Salam El-Mahgoub becomes mayor.
* 1999 – Swedish Institute Alexandria established.

## 21st century

* 2001 – Alexandria Center of Arts opens.
* 2002
** Bibliotheca Alexandrina inaugurated.
** City named World Book Capital by UNESCO.
* 2003
** Harras El-Hedoud Stadium opens.
** Alexandria National Museum inaugurated.
* 2006
** Adel Labib becomes mayor.
** January–February: 2006 Africa Cup of Nations held.
** Population: 4,110,015.
** Pharos University established.
* 2007
** Borg El Arab Stadium opens.
** San Stefano Grand Plaza built.
* 2009 – Sadat Museum inaugurated.
* 2010 – Population: 4,358,439.
* 2011
** Egyptian revolution
** 1 January: Bombing of Saints Church.
* 2012 – Protests against state president Mohamed Morsi.
* 2013 – January: Anti-Morsi protests.
* 2017 – Population: 5,163,750 (urban agglomeration).