Hypatia of Alexandria

Sonia Bugajska

Hypatia of Alexandria (350–370 - March 415 AD) was a mathematician, Neoplatonist philosopher and astronomer. She was the only child of Theon of Alexandria, which allowed her to receive a high-quality education and later on to become the head of the Neoplatonic school in Alexandria. Hypatia is believed to have contributed to several important works, including commentaries on Diophantus's Arithmetica and Ptolemy's Almagest. She is known for her work with scientific instruments, particularly improving the design of the astrolabe, an ancient tool used for navigation and astronomy, and for her role in the development of the hydrometer, an instrument used to measure the density of liquids, which aided in scientific experimentation.

Hypatia was known for being tolerative and had a circle of beloved students. She lived during an era marked by religious and political tensions, and despite the fact she was a pagan, Hypatia lectured students from different backgrounds and religions, which included Christians such as Synesius of Cyrene. As Christianity became state religion of the Eastern Roman Empire, the archbishop Ciril gained unprecedented political power. He commanded certain Christian monks to destroy pagan temples and harass Jewish population. These acts were attempts to bypass the authority of the Roman governor Orestos. As Hypatia was a highly respected figure, Orestos asked her for her opinion. She advised him to act with fairness and restraint, but when a riot caused by the Ciril monks led to Orestos’s injury, their leader was tortured to death. In response, Ciril and his followers accused Hypatia of witchcraft against Christianity and blamed her for the unrest, which resulted in Hypatia ‘s murder and dismembered by militia monks. Her death became a symbol of religious fanaticism. 

Hypatia has become an inspiration for many literary and cinematic works. In Agora, a 2009 English-language Spanish historical drama film directed by Alejandro Amenábar, Hypatia is trying to save the achievements of Greek science and philosophy from oblivion against the backdrop of religious tensons between pagans and Christians in Alexandria. Hypatia, a novel written by Charles Kingsley published in 1853, is a fictionalised account of the life of the philosopher. It tells the story of a young monk called Philammon who travels to Alexandria, where he becomes mixed up in the political and religious battles of the day.

Hypatia is said to be one of the first women to achieve fame and acclaim in academia. For this reason, she is an icon of Feminist philosophy and an inspiration for generations of women in science. 

Hypatia