Alexandria around 391: at the instigation of Bishop Theophilus the temples were destroyed, the images of the gods melted down for the church, and the books of the Serapeum plundered

At the request of Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria, Emperor Theodosius I ordered the pagan temples of the city to be demolished under the bishop's direction. Theophilus publicly exposed the places of worship to ridicule; pagans then attacked the Christians and killed many. Afterwards the temples, among them the famous Serapeum, were razed to the ground and the images of the gods melted down into pots and utensils for the Church of Alexandria. According to the Britannica, Christians plundered the books of the library in the Serapeum.

Period

389-391 (2 years)

Country

Egypt

Institutions

Theophilus of Alexandria
Church of Alexandria
Emperor Theodosius I

Category

Expropriation, Persecution

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Persons

Theophilus of Alexandria (Bishop (Patriarch) of Alexandria 385 to 412, directed the destruction of the temples)

Background

Course of events

1. Theophilus did his utmost to expose the pagan mysteries to contempt: he had the Mithraeum cleaned out and displayed to the public, destroyed the Serapeum, and had the phalli of Priapus carried through the forum. Thereupon the pagans, especially the professors of philosophy, fell upon the Christians at a preconcerted signal and murdered everyone they could lay hands on; according to Socrates very few pagans died, but a great number of Christians.
   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „Seizing this opportunity, Theophilus exerted himself to the utmost to expose the pagan mysteries to contempt.“

   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „Then he destroyed the Serapeum, and the bloody rights of the Mithreum he publicly caricatured; the Serapeum also he showed full of extravagant superstitions , and he had the phalli of Priapus carried through the midst of the forum.“

   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „Then it was discovered that very few of the heathens had been killed, but a great number of Christians“

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. The images of the gods were melted into pots and other utensils for the use of the Church of Alexandria; the emperor had instructed Theophilus to distribute them for the relief of the poor. According to the Britannica, the books of the library in the Serapeum, at that time the principal library of Alexandria, were pillaged by the Christians.
   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „the images of their gods molten into pots and other convenient utensils for the use of the Alexandrian church; for the emperor had instructed Theophilus to distribute them for the relief of the poor“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Libraries, Abschnitt Alexandria

   „Thenceforward the Serapeum became the principal library.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Libraries, Abschnitt Alexandria

   „its books were pillaged by the Christians“

Response of the Church

1. Theophilus preserved a single statue and set it up in a public place, so that the pagans could not later deny that they had worshipped such gods. The grammarian Ammonius regarded this as a mockery of his religion.
   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „except one statue of the god before mentioned, which Theophilus preserved and set up in a public place; 'Lest,' said he, 'at a future time the heathens should deny that they had ever worshipped such gods.'“

   Evidence: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, Kap. 16

   „the religion of the Gentiles was grossly abused in that that single statue was not also molten, but preserved, in order to render that religion ridiculous“

See also

• 412-415 · 3 years

  Alexandria 412 to 415: Bishop Cyril drove the Jews out of the city, and a Christian mob led by a reader of his church murdered the philosopher Hypatia

  • Egypt
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Expropriation
  • Murder
  • Persecution
• 590-604 · 14 years

  Pope Gregory I (590 to 604): pagans in Sardinia were to be forced into conversion with crushing payments, blows, torments and confinement

  • Italy
  • Torture
  • Persecution

Original documents to read

1. Historical source (contemporary text)
   Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Bd. 2, übers. von A. C. Zenos (1890), Ausgabe New Advent: Sokrates Scholastikos, Kirchengeschichte, Buch 5, 1 January 1890. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912): Theophilus, 1 January 1912. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Libraries, 1 January 1911. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 23 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.