Overview Research: Hypatia of Alexandria

Mathematician, astronomer, philosopher and martyr.

-Contention of her birth varies from 350 CE to 370 CE, died 415 CE

-Daughter of mathematician and philosopher Theon of Alexandria under whom it is fairly certain she first studied.

-Regarded by many as being one of the first woman to rise to prominence in the fields of science, maths and philosophy or at least she is the earliest example of who's life there is some level of accurate detail.

-She was head of the Platonist, or rather at that time Neo-Platonist, school of Alexandria

-The main teachings of said school were set out by Plotinus and taught that there was an ultimate form of reality beyond the comprehension of our thought or language but that we should none the less aim for this ultimate reality.

-These were further elaborate on by Iamblichus who distinguished further levels of reality ordered in a hierarchy beneath this.

-Considered by the contemporary source of Socrates Scholasticus, there are few other contemporary sources, as far surpassing  achievements of other philosophers of her time.

-Had commentaries on Apollonius of Perga's Conics (geometry), Diophantus of Alexandria's Arithmetic(number theory) as well as creating, or possibly revising a previously existing astronomical table. 

-However during her life Alexandria was going through one of its most turbulent periods due to the strong divide that had resulted in population due to the incompatibility the old Pagan religion/ways of life and the early Christian movement.

-Due to her philosophical beliefs and teachings she was labelled by these early Christians as a Pagan practising witch craft and was subsequently demonised.

-This culminated in her death in 415 CE of which, ironically, the most detailed recount of her life exists.

Death:

-Caught in between the political cross fire of Orestes, the governor of Alexandria, with him she consulted/advised at times and Cyril, The Arch Bishop of Alexandria.

-This culminated in a an episode of city wide anger in which she was brutally murdered.

-Her death become symbolic for many historians as the end of the period of Classical Antiquity as well as the end of Alexandria as a city at the forefront of intellectual pursuits/endeavours.