The pillar is considered the largest ancient monument in Alexandria. It is rising from the ruins of the ancient and famous secretion(temple of Serapis). This column of red Aswan granite with a Corinthian capital, standing on a badly ruined substructure and rising to a height of almost 28m. It was set up in 292 A.D in honor of emperor Diocletian, who supplied food for the starving population after the siege of the city. Written on the base of this column a Greek text says: Posthumous, governor of Alex, erected this column as gratitude for the very fair emperor Diocletian.
The crusades called this column wrongly Pompey’s Pillar.
