Mast pole

The mast was erected on top of Bab Sidra hill between the present Muslim burial area known as
(The Column) and the archaeological plateau of Kom el-Shoqafa. Since the Crusades, the Pole Column has been erroneously known as the “Pompeii” Column.

This error is due to the fact that the Europeans thought that the head of Pompey (the Roman leader who fled to Egypt to escape Julius Caesar and was killed by the Egyptians) thought that his head had been placed in a precious funerary urn and placed on it. He. She. Top of column capital.

The column was known as the “Theodosian Column” (in the Byzantine era). The name of the column “mast column” dates back to the Arab era, where it is believed that it came as a result of the towering height of this column among 400 other columns that resemble masts (ship masts). Therefore, the Arabs called it “the mast pole.” Columns later.

The column of columns is located in a central place in the lobby of the Serapeum Temple (the temple that was called the Palace of Alexandria in the days of the Arabs)… The column is located in a prominent place among the monuments standing on that high hill, so it can be seen from a far place. The column shaft is made of red granite stone. The body of the column is one piece, 20.75 meters long, 2.70 meters in diameter at the base, and 2.30 meters at the crown. The total height of the column, including the base, is approximately 26.85 metres.

It is likely that this column was erected by the Alexandrians for the Roman Emperor Diocletian as an expression of the Alexandrians’ gratitude to him. He spoke of his kindness and generosity to them… after coming to Egypt in the second half of the third century. He put down the revolution carried out in Alexandria by the Roman commander Domitian, nicknamed Achilles. Diocletian restored calm, stability and prosperity to the city.