The Burning of the Library at Alexandria; 391 AD. Theodosius I showed himself a fanatic in his zeal for Christianity. Among other things he deprived apostatizing Christians of the right to bequest. When the image of Serapis was destroyed by his order; the Christians burnt the valuable library housed in the Serapeum. Those books stored in Brucheium were burnt in the reign of Aurelian; and many manuscripts were destroyed when Julius Caesar took Alexandria. Illustration for Hutchinson's History of the Nations (Hutchinson; c.1920). Note: Image has been digitally enhanced to facilitate repro.