How Abraia Laid The Foundations For The Modern World Summary

In the article, “How Alexandria Laid the Foundations for the Modern World,” by Jack Shenker, he proposes that Alexandria is a foundation for cities today. The author believes that Alexandria is a foundation for cities today because the architecture used in the city is now used in many cities today. Alexandria was also one of the first cities to unite academics and scholars in one place. Lastly, Alexandria was one of the first cities to have a design that is for the benefit of the ruler’s power. These aspects imposed on the author and resulted in the author’s great interest in the city causing him to propose it as a foundation for cities today. Alexandria, Egypt is a foundation for cities today due to it’s design of architecture, the combining …show more content…
One reason that the author proposes Alexandria as a foundation for today’s cities is because of the exquisite planning and architecture used in the city. Alexandria was one of the first cities to use Western and Eastern art in their architecture. This type of architecture set a bases for cities today and provides an unusual look at ancient architecture. The passage said, “The famous octagonal walls of the ancient lighthouse are replicated today on countless minarets of mosques throughout Egypt.” This type of architecture was way ahead of their time but they had brilliant minds that made it possible to set this type of architecture as a foundation for cities today. In addition, the city of Alexandria, Egypt was phenomenally planned so that it would function accurately. The designers of the city were very precise in the angles and details of the shops, harbors, streets, royal palace, and more. The author wrote, “Additionally, its roads were angled to maximize circulation of the sea’s cooling winds.” This detailed strategy of creating a city has set a foundation for cities today in that we must take great care …show more content…
The designer’s of Alexandria were one of the first to take into account that the layout of a city can determine how much power a ruler of a city has. The author wrote, “Leaders sought to harness the city as a vehicle for their power and the entrenchment of divine rule.” People of that time realized that if they could take in the city as power, they would be able to obtain greater opinions, protests, and shape the government more due to the huge manpower that a city has. This aspect of Alexandria has set a foundation for cities today because in the same way, cities today design, plan, and govern cities for the benefit of power. The passage said, “Its regimented layout and carefully marked quarters were a display of control from above, not democracy from below.” Rulers and officials in Alexandria and in today’s city want to control every aspect of life and will do whatever it takes to make sure that this happens and that they are in complete control. The way of design to harness power in Alexandria caused the author to propose it as a foundation for cities