Whither Aristotle’s Library?

A large part of the personal library of the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) may have been acquired by the Ptolemies for the library at Alexandria.

Aristotle was closely linked to Alexander the Great, founder of Alexandria. Not only was Aristotle’s father the personal physician of Alexander’s father, Philip of Macedon, but Aristotle—who had studied under Plato—became Alexander’s tutor. Ptolemy I (c. 367–283 B.C.E.), the first king of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, even encouraged the story that Aristotle, too, was the son of Philip.¹

As tutor to Alexander and later as head of the Lyceum in Athens, Aristotle had a greater opportunity than most to acquire books. His library would have reflected the talents and interests of a scholar of universal learning; it would also have included the 400 or so books authored by Aristotle himself.²