Was the legend of Saint Catherine based on Hypatia?

Many modern scholars believe that the life and murder of the Greek philosopher Hypatia formed part of the basis for the legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. While Hypatia was a pagan Neoplatonist philosopher killed by a Christian mob in Alexandria, the hagiography of Saint Catherine reverses these roles by depicting her as a Christian scholar martyred by a pagan emperor. During the Middle Ages, however, Hypatia was also co-opted as a symbol of Christian virtue.

What we know

• Many modern scholars believe that Hypatia was part of the basis for the legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. [3]
• Hypatia's death occurred 110 years prior to the traditional timeframe of Saint Catherine, featuring a reversed dynamic where a Neoplatonist philosopher is killed by Christians. [2, 3] · medium confidence
• During the Middle Ages, Hypatia was co-opted as a symbol of Christian virtue. [3]
• Some modern scholars consider that the legend of Catherine may have instead been based on the virgin Saint Dorothea of Alexandria. [2] · medium confidence

Still open

• Scholars debate whether the legend of Saint Catherine was based on Hypatia or on Saint Dorothea of Alexandria.

Where to go next

• whoWho was Hypatia of Alexandria?
• what caused itHow did Cyril of Alexandria influence the political conflicts of his era?
• the bigger pictureWhat are the common motifs in early Christian martyr hagiographies?
• compared withHow did Enlightenment thinkers view Hypatia compared to medieval scholars?
• how we knowWhat evidence links Saint Catherine's legend to historical figures in Alexandria?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a pagan philosopher become a medieval Christian symbol?Despite being a pagan philosopher murdered by a Christian mob, Hypatia was co-opted during the Middle Ages as a symbol of Christian virtue.

Sources

• [1]Catherine of Alexandria (Wikidata Q179718) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Catherine of Alexandria · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Hypatia · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Cyril of Alexandria · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Black Legend · CC BY-SA 4.0