When and where was alchemy?

The exact origins of alchemy are debated, but the earliest known evidence of the practice dates back to the 1st century AD in Alexandria, Roman Egypt. The city was a thriving hub of learning and culture, and its location at the crossroads of trade routes between the East and the West made it a melting pot of ideas. It is believed that alchemical knowledge came to Alexandria from various sources, including the ancient Egyptian tradition of metalworking, the Hellenistic philosophy of the four elements, and the mystical traditions of the Middle East.

Alchemy flourished in Alexandria and elsewhere in the Roman Empire until the decline of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It then spread to the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world, where it continued to be practiced and developed for several centuries. In the 12th century, alchemy was introduced to Western Europe through the writings of Arab scholars, and it quickly became a popular pursuit among scholars and practitioners of medicine, natural philosophy, and metallurgy.

During the Renaissance and early modern periods (14th-17th centuries), alchemy played an important role in the development of science, medicine, and technology. Alchemists conducted extensive experiments and made significant contributions to the fields of chemistry, metallurgy, pharmacology, and the study of materials. They also influenced the development of astrology, medicine, and philosophy, and their ideas and practices provided the foundation for many of the scientific discoveries of the 18th and 19th centuries.