History of Alexandria Severus after temporary abolition by Augustus. Monumental buildings were erected in Alexandria through the third century BC. The Heptastadion connected Pharos with the city and the Lighthouse of Alexandria followed soon after, as did the Serapeum, all under Ptolemy I. The Museion was built under Ptolemy II; the Serapeum expanded by Ptolemy III Euergetes; and mausolea for Alexander and the Ptolemies built under Ptolemy IV. The Ptolemies fostered the development of the Library of Alexandria and associated Musaeum into a renowned center for Hellenistic learning. Luminaries associated with the Musaeum included the geometry and number-theorist Euclid; the astronomer Hipparchus; and
Alexandria on the Caucasus the reign of Menander I the city was recorded as having a thriving Buddhist community, headed by Greek monks. In epic Sri Lankan poem Mahavamsa mentions the Greek (Pali: "Yona", lit: "Ionian") Buddhist monk Mahadhammarakkhita (), who is said to have come from “Alasandra” (thought to be Alexandria of the Caucasus), with 30,000 monks for the foundation ceremony of the Maha Thupa at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka: Some archaeological evidence concerning Alexandria of the Caucasus was gathered by Charles Masson (1800–1853), providing insight into the history of that lost city. His findings include coins, rings, seals and other small objects.