The Scribes from Alexandria
First edition cover
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| Author | Caroline Lawrence |
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| Cover artist | Peter Sutton, Fred van Deelen |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Roman Mysteries |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Orion Children's Books |
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Publication date
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26 June 2008 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 260pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 220001063 |
| Preceded by | The Beggar of Volubilis |
| Followed by | The Prophet from Ephesus |
The Scribes from Alexandria is a children's historical novel by Caroline Lawrence. The novel, the fifteenth in the Roman Mysteries series, was published in 2008. It is set during the reign of Titus, primarily in Roman Egypt.
The novel is set in early summer AD 81. After a shipwreck, the children are separated. Flavia, Jonathan and Lupus go around Alexandria and up the Nile following a trail of clues laid by a mysterious eunuch to find Nubia, who believes they are all dead.
The story starts with Nubia struggling in the sea and Flavia waking up on a beach. On the way home to Ostia from Volubilis, they have suffered shipwreck. Flavia soon finds Lupus and Jonathan alive, but Nubia and Flavia's uncle Gaius are missing. Nubia has been seen in the company of one of the scribes from the Library, but the scribe, a eunuch called Chryses, cannot be found.
The Head Scholar assigns another young scribe, a devout Jew called Seth ben Aaron, to go with the children to find Chryses and Nubia. Starting in Chryses's sleeping quarters they find a trail of riddles and anagrams leading to different places in Alexandria, and then to the Great Pyramid. Their search is complicated by the fact that they are being pursued by Roman soldiers.
Seth's cousin Nathan, a smuggler, takes them up the Nile on his sailing boat, hoping to find treasure. They find more clues leading far up-river and realise that Nubia is returning to her native land. They follow, but wonder if Nubia will want to go back to Ostia with them.
Some of the chapters describe Nubia's journey with Chryses, by donkey-cart and camel, and her meeting with other members of the Leopard clan on Elephantine, an island in the Nile on the southern Egyptian border.
The first part of the book gives a glowing account of the beauties of ancient Alexandria, including the wide streets and the healthy atmosphere. The clue trail, which begins at the famous Library, leads to many of the notable places of the city, including the park dedicated to Pan, the temple of Serapis and the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great. The children also see the Lighthouse, one of the Wonders of the World.
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