jan 1, 133 BC - Pergamum library

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In Asia Minor a library rivaling that of Alexandria was set up at Pergamum during the reigns of Attalus I Soter (d. 197 bc) and Eumenes II (d. 160/159 bc). Parchment (charta pergamena) was said to have been developed there after the copying of books was impeded by Ptolemy Philadelphus’ ban on the export of papyrus from Egypt. (Parchment proved to be more durable than papyrus and so marks a significant development in the history of technical advances in the dissemination of knowledge.) The library was hand down with the whole of the kingdom of Pergamum to the Roman people in 133 bc, and Plutarch records an allegation that Mark Antony gave its 200,000 volumes to Cleopatra, to become part of the Alexandrian library.

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