What was the Ulpian Library?

The Ulpian Library, or Bibliotheca Ulpia, was a prominent ancient Roman library founded in AD 114 by Emperor Trajan within the Forum of Trajan. It housed both Greek and Latin collections and became a major library in the Western World following the destruction of the Library of Alexandria. Notably, it is the only known Roman library to have survived until the Fall of Rome in the mid-fifth century.

What we know

• The Bibliotheca Ulpia was founded by Emperor Trajan in AD 114 in the Forum of Trajan. [2]
• It contained both Greek and Latin collections. [1, 2]
• It became a major library in the Western World after the Library of Alexandria was destroyed in the 3rd century. [2]
• It is the only Roman library known to have survived until the Fall of Rome in the mid-fifth century. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Emperor Trajan?
• whereWhat was the Forum of Trajan?
• what caused itHow did the Library of Alexandria get destroyed?
• whenWhat happened during the Fall of Rome?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the Justinian Digest?
• an unexpected connectionHow does ancient Roman legal history connect to Tyre?Ulpian, a great legal authority whose writings supplied about a third of the Justinian Digest, was born in Tyre in Roman Syria.

Sources

• [1]Ulpian Library (Wikidata Q2901311) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Ulpian Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Ulpian · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Roman Empire · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Ancient Rome · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. What are the biology and characteristics of birds?
2. /What was the Ulpian Library?