Pompey’s Pillar and the Serapeum

Pompey's Pillar is a Roman triumphal column in Alexandria, Egypt, and the largest of its type constructed outside of the imperial capitals of Rome and Constantinople. It is the only free-standing column in Roman Egypt that is not composed of drums. The monolithic column shaft measures 20.46 m in height with a diameter of 2.71 m at its base and weighs an estimated 285 tons. The column was erected in 297 AD to commemorate the victory of Roman Emperor Diocletian over an Alexandrian revolt. The site was originally part of the Serapeum, a temple dedicated to the god Serapis, which was destroyed in the 4th century AD. Today, the column stands as a solitary monument, with some remains of the Serapeum still visible, including tunnels and artifacts