Pergamon
Hellenistic city famed for its library, its medical centre, and the invention of parchment.
The Story of Pergamon
Pergamon in Asia Minor rivalled Alexandria as a centre of learning. Its library held 200,000 scrolls, prompting Ptolemaic Egypt to ban papyrus exports. The Pergamenes responded by perfecting writing on animal skin — pergamene, which became "parchment." The city's Asclepion was among the ancient world's greatest healing centres, where Galen trained. The Great Altar of Pergamon, depicting the Gigantomachy, now stands reconstructed in Berlin.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The word "parchment" derives directly from Pergamon — every medieval manuscript written on animal skin carries this city's name.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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