Gaza was once known as the "Athens of Asia", a famous center of Byzantine learning. Historian William Dalrymple explains how it rivaled modern Oxford and Cambridge by producing influential scholars whose legacy reached Canterbury.
The video talks about the historical significance of Gaza in the Byzantine period as a leading educational and intellectual center. Special attention is paid to the influence of the Gazan school of rhetoric and biblical texts on the formation of early Christian culture in England.
The biblical commentary, written by Procopius of Gaza, was brought to England in the 7th century and became a fundamental part of the country's Christian history. This deep-rooted commitment to education continues. Despite decades of occupation and siege, Gaza has maintained one of the highest literacy rates in the region, reflecting the Palestinians' ongoing commitment to education.