 The interior and contents of the library were destroyed by fire in 262 C.E., though it remains unknown whether this fire was the result of natural disaster or a Gothic invasion, as it seems the city was struck by one of each that year.Only the façade survived, until an earthquake in eleventh or tenth century left it in ruins as well.Between 1970 and 1978, a reconstruction campaign was led by the German archaeologist Volker Michael Strocka.