Under Gallus, Alexandria, whose population amounted to three hundred
thousand freemen, and as many slaves, became the theatre of a frightful
civil war, which lasted twelve years. All communication was cut off
between the different parts of that unfortunate city; every street was
inundated with blood; the major part of the better sort of houses
were converted into citadels, and these horrible disorders were not
appeased till after most of the inhabitants had perished by the sword,
pestilence, or famine.