the earliest known library was discovered in iraq and belonged to the ancient civilization in sumer. they didn't use paper books but instead wrote everything on clay tablets using a style of writing called cuneiform. these tablets are over 5,000 years old. the library of alexandria, in egypt, was the largest and most important library of the ancient world. it was destroyed when the romans conquered egypt in 30 bc. rome’s first public library was established by asinius pollio who was a lieutenant of julius caesar. eventually rome would build 28 public libraries within the city. when the roman empire fell in 330 ad, many books went east to the city of byzantium where a large library was built. other libraries were built in monasteries and public homes.