Hypatia of Alexandria

The end of the Classical World

Alexandria

• 331 BC - Founded by Alexander the Great

• 323 BC – Alexander died, and his empire was divided amongst his generals –

  Ptolemy Soter took Egypt

• 323 – 30 BC – Egypt would be a great Hellenistic kingdom ruled by Ptolemy

  and his descendants as pharaohs

• 30 BC – Cleopatra VII, last pharaoh of Egypt, committed suicide after picking the losing side of the Roman Civil War – Egypt became a Roman province

• Under the Ptolemaic dynasty, Alexandria grew to be one of the grandest and wealthiest cities of the Ancient World

• Was called “The Pearl of the Mediterranean”

• Rose to prominence at the same time as Carthage – both cities complimented rather than competed against each other

• The city became the center of trade, culture, philosophy, and scientific research of the Western World

• Would remain one of the most important cities of the world for 700 years

• The province of Egypt was vitally important to the Roman world

• The grain of Egypt fed the huge Empire and the trade in goods from the East passed through Alexandria

• With trade came wealth and leisure – with leisure came

  art and philosophy

• The city was home to stunning palaces and public buildings

• The most famous buildings were:

  • The Pharos – Lighthouse of Alexandria

  • Temple of Seraphis – part of the Library of Alexandria

The Pharos – Lighthouse of Alexandria

• One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

• Constructed in the 3rd century BC

• Finally destroyed in 1480 AD after a series of earthquakes

• Tallest structure in the world after the Great Pyramids of Giza

• Was visible 35 miles out to sea

• A symbol of power and technological advancement

The Temple of Seraphis

• Built by Ptolemy III (246-222 BC)

• Dedicated to Serapis, a Hellenistic-Egyptian god who was the protector of Alexandria

• This combination of Greek and Egyptian religion was a means by which the Ptolemies legitimized their rule in Egypt

• One of the most magnificent temples of the Ancient World on par with the Temple of Jupiter in Rome and the Parthenon in Athen

The Library of Alexandria

• Begun by Ptolemy I and finished by Ptolemy II

• Was the Ancient World’s greatest library

• Part of the larger Musaeum of Alexandria - a center of art, poetry, music, philosophy, and astronomy

• Believed to have held over half-a-million works – copies of almost every important manuscript in the Western World

• Ships that sailed into Alexandria were searched for books which were added to the library

• The greatest thinkers of the age studied and taught at this institution including:

  • Eratosthenes (c. 276-194 BC) – calculated the circumference of the earth to within 50 miles

  • Euclid (c. 300 BC) – was a mathematician and the father of geometry

  • Archimedes (287-212 BC) – inventor, mathematician, and astronomer, taught and studied there

• The original library is thought to have been destroyed when Julius Caesar came to Egypt and became involved in the civil war between Cleopatra VII and her brother Ptolemy XIII

• By Hypatia’s time, centuries later, the Temple of Seraphis housed the books and scrolls that had survived to this period

Hypatia of Alexandria

• Born somewhere between 350-370 AD

• She was a professor of philosophy and mathematics

• Considered that last great philosopher of the classical era

• The first woman to leave a lasting influence on the field of mathematic

• Daughter of Theon, the last known professor of mathematics in the Musaeum of Alexandria

• She was a student of her father and travelled extensively throughout the Roman world

• Became a lecturer and was described as a charismatic teacher

• Appointed to the chair of philosophy at the University

• Her lectures attracted many rich and influential people as her students throughout the Empire

• She wrote on mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy – about number theory, conic sections, and the motions of the planets

• Dressed in the clothing of a scholar rather than in women’s clothing

• Moved freely about the city, driving her own chariot, contrary to the norm for women’s public behavior

• Exerted considerable political influence in the city

Women in the Late Empire Period

• Women during this period could be citizens but could not vote or hold political office

• The lives of women could vary greatly based on their position in society or in which part of the Empire they lived

• Upper Classes

  • The women who came from wealth had much of their daily labor done by slaves

  • Could spend much of their days socializing and planning their next entertainment with friends

• Lower Classes

  • Life was hard for the vast majority of women in the Roman Empire

  • Women were in charge of raising children and keeping house

  • Women were often pregnant and spent most of their days with household chores such as making and washing clothes by hand

• In the country, women helped with the farming chores

• In the city they worked with their craftsmen husbands running the store

• Some worked as entertainers, but this was a social position one step up from prostitution

• Hypatia did not fit into any traditional female role in Roman society

• She found herself thrown into the middle of a large political conflict in the city between the Prefect and the Bishop.

Christianity in Alexandria

• 313 AD – The Edict of Milan, issued by Constantine the Great, proclaimed Christianity was legal throughout the Roman World

• By the late 4th century AD there were millions of Christians in the Empire most of which were part of the lower classes

Cyril of Alexandria

• 412 AD – Cyril became bishop of Alexandria

• His ambition was to become the most powerful man in Alexandria

• Alexandria was a tumultuous place in the early 5th century as many Christians and Jews were becoming fanatical

• Cyril expelled the Jewish community from Alexandria – something that should only have been done by the Roman Governor

• From what we know, Cyril’s primary concern was enforcing Christian Orthodoxy, and he used his position to persecute heretics.

  • I.E. He did NOT like heretics

Orestes

• 415 AD - Orestes was appointed Prefect (Governor) of Egypt

• As the secular leader in Alexandria, he clashed with Cyril over control of the city

• This struggle between Christian and secular authority existed in other cities throughout the Empire during this period

• At one-point Cyril offered Orestes a bible – Orestes refused it

  • To accept the bible would be a symbolic acknowledgment of Cyril’s authority over Orestes

• Orestes was almost killed in the ensuing riot

• Orestes had been baptized a Christian but had good relations with other religious groups in the city

• He was a close associate with Hypatia and often sought her out for advice

• It was for this reason that a rumor started that Hypatia was the reason why Orestes and Cyril had been unable to reconcile

End of the Classical World

• There is a popular myth that Cyril ordered the death of Hypatia and that a Christian mob burned down the University of Alexandria.

• While most sources seem to agree that a mob of “Christians” drug her through the streets and tore her apart with roof tiles and other sharp improvised weapons, even sources critical of Cyril do not claim him to be directly responsible

  • The hard part lies in how much responsibility should we lay at Cyril’s feet.

• However, the historian Socrates Scholasticus (not THAT Socrates) and a contemporary of Cyril and Hypatia, lays the blame at a University lector named Peter

Facts and Fabrications

• Hypatia has been used as a symbol for Catholic sainthood, Protestant anti-Catholic, feminist, and even anti-Christian propaganda.

• Her story and it’s distortions is a prime example of the dangers of uncritically accepting stories and narratives.

• Never simply accept one person’s story as truth.

• For many, Hypatia’s shocking murder is also seen as the metaphorical death of the classical world.

The School of Athens

• A fresco painted by Raphael between 1509-1511 AD

• Represented the Classical spirit of the Renaissance

• Featured a collection of the greatest thinkers and philosophers in history

• Hypatia is the only woman in the work – a testament to her legacy

In the fourth century, Alexandria faced heightened tensions among various religious and political factions. Cyril of Alexandria, the bishop, aimed to strengthen Christian authority and often resorted to violence against heretics. Orestes, the secular governor, frequently clashed with Cyril over control of the city. Hypatia, a respected philosopher, served as an advisor to Orestes and was influential across religious lines. Unfortunately, her association with Orestes embroiled her in the political turmoil, leading to her tragic death at the hands of a Christian mob.