Who was Hypatia of Alexandria?
Hypatia was a prominent Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician who lived in Alexandria during the late fourth and early fifth centuries AD. She taught philosophy, advised political figures, and wrote commentaries on classical mathematical texts. In March 415 AD, she was murdered by a Christian mob amid local political tensions, transforming her legacy into a symbol that has been reinterpreted across centuries.
What we know
- Hypatia was a Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician based in Alexandria, Egypt. [1, 2]
- She wrote commentaries on Diophantus's Arithmetica and Apollonius of Perga's treatise on conic sections. [2]
- Hypatia constructed astrolabes and hydrometers, though she did not invent them. [2]
- In March 415 AD, she was murdered by a mob of Christians led by a lector named Peter, following political friction involving Orestes and Bishop Cyril. [2]
Still open
- It remains uncertain how much of Hypatia's commentary on Diophantus survives through interpolation versus how much was lost entirely.
- Scholars debate whether Hypatia edited the surviving text of Ptolemy's Almagest based on her father Theon's commentary.
Where to go next
- the bigger pictureWhat was the Library of Alexandria?
- a case in pointWho was Pandrosion, the earlier Alexandrian female mathematician?
- whenHow did Hypatia influence Western philosophy timelines?
- whoWho was Orestes, the Roman prefect of Alexandria?
- how we knowHow did Charles Kingsley portray Hypatia in his 1853 novel?
- an unexpected connectionHow did Hypatia inspire the legend of Saint Catherine?During the Middle Ages, Hypatia was co-opted as a symbol of Christian virtue and became part of the basis for the legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
Sources
- [1]Hypatia (Wikidata Q11903) · CC0 1.0
- [2]Hypatia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [3]Hypatia (given name) · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [4]Timeline of Western philosophers · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [5]Library of Alexandria · CC BY-SA 4.0
Your path
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