The Scribes from Alexandria
Encyclopedia
The Scribes from Alexandria is a children's historical novel by Caroline Lawrence
. The novel, the fifteenth in the Roman Mysteries
series, was published in 2008. It is set during the reign of Titus
, primarily in Roman Egypt
.
and up the Nile
following a trail of clues laid by a mysterious eunuch
to find Nubia, who believes they are all dead.
from Volubilis
, they have suffered shipwreck. Flavia soon finds Lupus and Jonathan alive, but Nubia and Flavia's uncle Gaius are missing. Nubia has been seen in the company of one of the scribes from the Library
, but the scribe, a eunuch called Chryses, cannot be found.
The Head Scholar assigns another young scribe, a devout Jew called Seth, to go with the children to find Chryses and Nubia. Starting in Chryses's sleeping quarters they find a trail of riddles and anagrams leading to different places in Alexandria, and then to the Great Pyramid
. Their search is complicated by the fact that they are being pursued by Roman soldiers.
Seth's cousin Nathan, a smuggler, takes them up the Nile on his sailing boat, hoping to find treasure. They find more clues leading far up-river and realise that Nubia is returning to her native land. They follow, but wonder if Nubia will want to go back to Ostia with them.
Some of the chapters describe Nubia's journey with Chryses, by donkey-cart and camel, and her meeting with other members of the Leopard clan on Elephantine
, an island in the Nile on the southern Egyptian border.
, the temple of Serapis
and the sarcophagus
of Alexander the Great. The children also see the Lighthouse
, one of the Wonders of the World
.
In the second part, the journey up the Nile leads past the various towns and mud villages of ancient Egypt, which are strung out along the river. From the Nile Delta
, they join the Nile proper at Heliopolis
. They visit Crocodilopolis
where they see the sacred crocodile, Apollonospolis where Lupus visits the great Temple of Horus
, and Cynopolis
where they all witness an attack by the Oxyrhynchites.
They also see the Pyramids
, including another of the Wonders, the Pyramid of Khufu
, the Valley of the Kings
, the Colossi of Memnon
, and the Nilometer
on Elephantine.
The various religious practices in ancient Egypt are another theme. Many temples are visited, beginning with the Temple of Poseidon
where the children give thanks after surviving the shipwreck. The creation of Serapis, a human-looking amalgam of Osiris
and Apis
designed to appeal to both Egyptians and Greeks, is explained. The animal-headed gods of Egypt, particularly Sobek
and Anubis
, and their associated sacred animals, are often referred to. Alexandria had a large Jewish population, and the religious tensions between the Jews and the Egyptians are expressed through Seth, who is very scornful of the pagan practices and superstitions, and is faithful in his own devotions, including keeping Sabbath
. Jonathan joins him and Nathan in Jewish prayers, and does not mention being a Christian.
Caroline Lawrence
Caroline Lawrence is an English American author, best known for The Roman Mysteries series of historical novels for children. The series is about a Roman girl called Flavia and her three friends: Nubia , Jonathan and Lupus...
. The novel, the fifteenth in the Roman Mysteries
The Roman Mysteries
The Roman Mysteries is a series of historical novels for children by Caroline Lawrence. The first book, The Thieves of Ostia, was published in 2001, finishing with The Man from Pomegranate Street, published in 2009, and 17 more novels were planned, plus a number of "mini-mysteries" and companion...
series, was published in 2008. It is set during the reign of Titus
Titus
Titus , was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own father....
, primarily in Roman Egypt
Aegyptus (Roman province)
The Roman province of Egypt was established in 30 BC after Octavian defeated his rival Mark Antony, deposed his lover Queen Cleopatra VII and annexed the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt to the Roman Empire. The province encompassed most of modern-day Egypt except for the Sinai Peninsula...
.
Plot introduction
The novel is set in early summer AD 81. After a shipwreck, the children are separated. Flavia, Jonathan and Lupus go around AlexandriaAlexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and up the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
following a trail of clues laid by a mysterious eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
to find Nubia, who believes they are all dead.
Plot summary
The story starts with Nubia struggling in the sea and Flavia waking up on a beach. On the way home to OstiaOstia Antica
Ostia Antica is a large archeological site, close to the modern suburb of Ostia , that was the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, which is approximately 30 km to the northeast. "Ostia" in Latin means "mouth". At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but, due to...
from Volubilis
Volubilis
Volubilis is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat along the N13 road. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of northern Africa...
, they have suffered shipwreck. Flavia soon finds Lupus and Jonathan alive, but Nubia and Flavia's uncle Gaius are missing. Nubia has been seen in the company of one of the scribes from the Library
Library of Alexandria
The Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was the largest and most significant great library of the ancient world. It flourished under the patronage of the Ptolemaic dynasty and functioned as a major center of scholarship from its construction in the...
, but the scribe, a eunuch called Chryses, cannot be found.
The Head Scholar assigns another young scribe, a devout Jew called Seth, to go with the children to find Chryses and Nubia. Starting in Chryses's sleeping quarters they find a trail of riddles and anagrams leading to different places in Alexandria, and then to the Great Pyramid
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact...
. Their search is complicated by the fact that they are being pursued by Roman soldiers.
Seth's cousin Nathan, a smuggler, takes them up the Nile on his sailing boat, hoping to find treasure. They find more clues leading far up-river and realise that Nubia is returning to her native land. They follow, but wonder if Nubia will want to go back to Ostia with them.
Some of the chapters describe Nubia's journey with Chryses, by donkey-cart and camel, and her meeting with other members of the Leopard clan on Elephantine
Elephantine
Elephantine is an island in the River Nile, located just downstream of the First Cataract at the southern border of Ancient Egypt. This region is referred to as Upper Egypt because the land is higher than that near the Mediterranean coast. The island may have received its name because it was a...
, an island in the Nile on the southern Egyptian border.
Allusions to actual history and geography
The first part of the book gives a glowing account of the beauties of ancient Alexandria, including the wide streets and the healthy atmosphere. The clue trail, which begins at the famous Library, leads to many of the notable places of the city, including the park dedicated to PanPan (mythology)
Pan , in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein , meaning "to pasture." He has the hindquarters, legs,...
, the temple of Serapis
Serapis
Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian name of God. Serapis was devised during the 3rd century BC on the orders of Ptolemy I of Egypt as a means to unify the Greeks and Egyptians in his realm. The god was depicted as Greek in appearance, but with Egyptian trappings, and combined iconography...
and the sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
of Alexander the Great. The children also see the Lighthouse
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria , was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt...
, one of the Wonders of the World
Wonders of the World
Various lists of the Wonders of the World have been compiled from antiquity to the present day, to catalogue the world's most spectacular natural wonders and manmade structures....
.
In the second part, the journey up the Nile leads past the various towns and mud villages of ancient Egypt, which are strung out along the river. From the Nile Delta
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
, they join the Nile proper at Heliopolis
Heliopolis (ancient)
Heliopolis was one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, the capital of the 13th Lower Egyptian nome that was located five miles east of the Nile to the north of the apex of the Nile Delta...
. They visit Crocodilopolis
Crocodilopolis
Crocodilopolis or Krokodilopolis or Ptolemais Euergetis or Arsinoe or Krialon was an ancient city in the Heptanomis, Egypt, the capital of Arsinoites nome, on the western bank of the Nile, between the river and the Lake Moeris, southwest of Memphis, in lat. 29° N...
where they see the sacred crocodile, Apollonospolis where Lupus visits the great Temple of Horus
Temple of Edfu
The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus,...
, and Cynopolis
Cynopolis
-Cynopolis superior:Cynopolis, the Greek name for the ancient Egyptian town Hardai in the seventeenth nome of Upper Egypt, it was home to the cult of Anubis . A burial ground for dogs is found on the opposite Nile bank near Hamatha...
where they all witness an attack by the Oxyrhynchites.
They also see the Pyramids
Egyptian pyramids
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt.There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.The earliest known Egyptian pyramids are found...
, including another of the Wonders, the Pyramid of Khufu
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact...
, the Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
, the Colossi of Memnon
Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For the past 3400 years they have stood in the Theban necropolis, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor.-Description:The twin statues depict Amenhotep III The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as...
, and the Nilometer
Nilometer
A Nilometer was a means of measuring the River Nile's clarity and for measuring the water level of the Nile river during the annual flood season....
on Elephantine.
Themes
Concealment is a theme which runs through the book. Disguise is common: Flavia encounters revellers from a costume party, Seth and Jonathan twice disguise themselves as Egyptian women, Flavia and Nubia spend most of the journey up the Nile dressed as boys, and Lupus exchanges clothes with a beggar boy. Flavia and Lupus hide from soldiers in the concealed hold on the smuggler's boat, and later in a secret passage in a temple. Placenames are concealed in riddles and anagrams. Apparent friends turn treacherous and rivalries are not what they seem.The various religious practices in ancient Egypt are another theme. Many temples are visited, beginning with the Temple of Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
where the children give thanks after surviving the shipwreck. The creation of Serapis, a human-looking amalgam of Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
and Apis
Apis (Egyptian mythology)
In Egyptian mythology, Apis or Hapis , was a bull-deity worshipped in the Memphis region.According to Manetho, his worship was instituted by Kaiechos of the Second Dynasty. Hape is named on very early monuments, but little is known of the divine animal before the New Kingdom...
designed to appeal to both Egyptians and Greeks, is explained. The animal-headed gods of Egypt, particularly Sobek
Sobek
Sobek , and in Greek, Suchos was the deification of crocodiles, as crocodiles were deeply feared in the nation so dependent on the Nile River...
and Anubis
Anubis
Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu . According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis' name was vocalized as Anapa...
, and their associated sacred animals, are often referred to. Alexandria had a large Jewish population, and the religious tensions between the Jews and the Egyptians are expressed through Seth, who is very scornful of the pagan practices and superstitions, and is faithful in his own devotions, including keeping Sabbath
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
. Jonathan joins him and Nathan in Jewish prayers, and does not mention being a Christian.