Hypatiabrilliant mathematician, eloquent neoplatonist, and a woman renowned for her beautywas brutally murdered by a mob of christians in alexandria in 415. Since we do not have access to any of hypatia s mathematics or philosophy, the chapters on her work have to be mostly context and conjecture. According to some of her fathers contemporaries, hypatia who was taught by her father, surpassed him in. Deakin the american mathematical monthly,march 1994, volume 101, number 3, pp. Hypatia 370 410 ce was the daughter of the great theon alexandricus, who was one of the most eminent scholars of his timea renowned mathematician and geometrician. Hypatias brutal murder marked the end of platonic teachings in alexandria and throughout the roman empire. Hypatia was born in alexandria between 355 and 370 and died in march of the year 415 or 416. Hypatia, the first woman to challenge the preset notions of nature as a mathematical philosopher in the male dominated society of ancient greek, was born in 370 a. Deakin hypatia ofalexandria the fjistt woman in the history f mathematics is usually taken to be hypatiaft of alexandria who lived from about 370 a. In this engrossing book, maria dzielska searches behind the legend to bring us the real story of hypatias life and death, and new insight into her. Hypatia, also known as hypatia of alexandria, was a famed inventor, astronomer, mathematician and. Dsome philosophers argue that hypatia was born in 370 a.
Most historians now recognize hypatia not only as a mathematician and scientist, but also as a philosopher. This volume searches behind the legend of hypatia of alexandria mathematician, neoplatonist and renowned beauty who was brutally murdered by a mob of christians in 415 to provide a new read more. She was the daughter of the mathematician theon, the last professor at the university of alexandria, who tutored her in math, astronomy, and the. Unfortunately there is not much in the way of source material to base a life of hypatia on. Her name was hypatia and she lived in ancient grecian times. However, the information about her achievements in this and other fields is. Hypatia worked really hard to accomplish many things. Aug 15, 2014 hypatia or the history of a most beautiful, most virtuous, most learned and in every way accomplished lady, who was torn to pieces by the clergy of alexandria to gratify the pride, emulation and cruelty of the archbishop commonly but undeservedly titled st cyril, tetradymus, chapter 3, london, 1720.
Dhypatia was taught philosophy, science, literature, mathematics, and the arts by her own father, theon of alexandria. For hypatia lived and died on the cusp of the transition from the graecoroman to the christian tradition and to tell her story is, in large measure, to tell the story of her times. Hypatia was the daughter of theon of alexandria who was a teacher of mathematics with the museum of alexandria in egypt. History of mathematics section hypatia ofalexandria. A center of greek intellectual and cultural life, the museum included many independent schools and the great library of alexandria. Hypatia of alexandria \she was a person who divided society into two parts. Lyra, professor of roman and early byzantine history at the jagiellonian university in krakow, poland.
Unfortunately, in 415, hypatia was killed in the streets by a mob during a time of religious unrest. In 640 alexandria was invaded by the arabs and what was. Hypatia was the daughter of theon, who was considered one of the most educated men in alexandria, egypt. The first female mathematician, scientist, and philosopher gabrielle birchak academia. Smashwords hypatia of alexandria a book by laurel a. In this engrossing book, maria dzielska searches behind the legend to bring us the real story of hypatias life and death, and new insight into her colorful world. She is the first female mathematician whose life is reasonably well recorded. Jan 22, 2017 people primarily remember hypatia of alexandria, martyr of female intellectuals and tragic heroine, for two things. She was born to theon, an eminent professor at the university of alexandria. She was a prominent thinker of the neoplatonic school in alexandria where she taught philosophy and astronomy. She is the earliest female mathematician of whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists.
Dand the rest of the details of her life are a bit sketchy. Hypatia, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who lived in a very turbulent era in alexandrias history. This volume searches behind the legend of hypatia of alexandria mathematician, neoplatonist and renowned beauty who was brutally murdered by a mob of christians in 415. At a time when women had few options and were treated as property, hypatia moved freely and unselfconsciously through traditional male domains. She became the victim of a particularly brutal murder at the hands of a gang of christian zealots. Ancient greece laid the philosophical foundations for much of western liberal democracy, but women by and large did. Apr 22, 2019 hypatia was the daughter of theon of alexandria who was a teacher of mathematics with the museum of alexandria in egypt.
He sought to raise the perfect person, and achieved this goal, as is evident in. In her time, she was the worlds leading mathematician and astronomer. Discover how much you know about hypatia with these study assessments. The life of hypatia was one enriched with a passion for knowledge.
Pdf hypatia of alexandria quotes vikas tyagi academia. The first woman mathematician of whom we have reasonably secure and detailed knowledge is hypatia of alexandria. Watts, theon was the head of a school called the mouseion, which was named in emulation of the hellenistic mouseion, whose membership had ceased in the 260s ad. Hypatia of alexandria, considered the worlds first female mathematician, was born between 350 and 370 a. Hypatia, ancient alexandrias great female scholar history. Hypatia of alexandria ancient history encyclopedia. Alexandria, 415, mathematical commentaries, philosophy. This biography profiles her childhood, family, personal life, contributions, accomplishments, death and other facts. The first woman mathematician of whom we have reasonably secure and detailed knowledge is. Ever since this column began, i have had requests to write up her story.
As one of the most attentiongrabbing figures from antiquity, the necessity for further biographical scrutiny of hypatia of alexandria is a question that demands consideration before even opening this slim and handsome. With the spread of christianity, the appearance of numerous religious cults and widespread religious chaos, interest in astrology and mysticism replaced scienti c investigation. Mar 12, 2011 hypatia of alexandria by maria dzielska. Her brutal death at the hands of a christian mob foretold the death of reason, of questioning, of reverence for nature, of the goddess herself. In this engrossing book, maria dzielska searches behind the legend to bring us the real story of hypatia s life and death, and new insight into her. She was one of the earliest women to be a noted astronomer, mathematician and philosopher in ancient greece and egypt, and was also the head of an important school in alexandria. Hypatia was the daughter of the mathematician theon of alexandria c. Hypatia hypatia born in 350 was known as a great thinker in her age.
Hypatia was the daughter of theon of alexandria, himself a mathematician and astronomer and the last attested member of the alexandrian museum see researchers note. She was the wife of the philosopher isidorus, and she flourished under the emperor arcadius. Hypatia 370415 ce was the daughter of theon, the last professor of the alexandrian university associated closely with the famous library of alexandria. Mathematician, philosopher, and allaroundbadass hypatia of alexandria is best remembered for two things. Hypatia of alexandria by maria dzielska is the first book i have ever read specifically devoted to the exploration of the life of hypatia, like many who enjoy reading about the late antique i was familiar with the name. Hypatia, also known as hypatia of alexandria, was a famed inventor, astronomer, mathematician and philosopher from egypt. Hypatia was the daughter of theon of alexandria and the only woman in antiquity for whom historians have some positive evidence of her mathematical activities. Theon is best remembered for the part he played in the preservation of euclids elements, but he also wrote extensively, commenting on ptolemys almagest and handy tables.
Damasciuss life of isidore, reproduced in the suda translated by jeremiah reedy hypatia, daughter of theon the geometer and philosopher of alexandria, was herself a wellknown philosopher. Hypatia of alexandria by maria dzielska springerlink. Having succeeded to the school of plato and plotinus, she explained the principles of philosophy to her auditors, many of whom came from a distance to. Hypatia brilliant mathematician, eloquent neoplatonist, and a woman renowned for her beauty was brutally murdered by a mob of christians in alexandria in 415. Hypatias father was the wellknown mathematician and astronomer theon, a contemporary of pappus, who lived at alexandria during the reign of emperor theodosius i. The life of hypatia by socrates scholasticus, from his ecclesiastical history. Since we do not have access to any of hypatias mathematics or philosophy, the chapters on her work have to be mostly context and conjecture. Hypatia was an egyptian woman who became a symbol of learning and science.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading hypatia of alexandria. Hypatia or the history of a most beautiful, most virtuous, most learned and in every way accomplished lady, who was torn to pieces by the clergy of alexandria to gratify the pride, emulation and cruelty of the archbishop commonly but undeservedly titled st cyril, tetradymus, chapter 3, london, 1720. Editing of mathematical texts, greek, roman and byzantine studies. Youll be quizzed on key points like who her father was and her religious beliefs. Hypatia of alexandria 157 pages, harvard university press, 1995. Within this maelstrom we find hypatia, a woman of great intellectual achievement and known as the worlds greatest mathematician. The claim of the archbishops direct involvement allows these writers to depict him as an emblem of a christianity full of passion rather than intellect, as a symbol whose contrasts with hypatia can be. See more ideas about alexandria, women in history and ancient greece. There was a woman at alexandria named hypatia, daughter of the philosopher theon, who made such attainments in literature and science, as to far surpass all the philosophers of her own time. But it was also a city wracked by religious conflict that finds echoes in our own time. As the western world fell into darkness, she dared defend the light. Alexandria in 412 ce was a venerable city that honored and preserved great learning. The best books of the ideas alexandia held regarding hypatia have been strongly influenced and shaped by a tradition which used hypatia as a symbol for its own attitudes and beliefs.
This deakin does very thoroughly, indicating clearly what is known, what is speculative and, where appropriate, which side he believes the weight of the evidence. As one of the most attentiongrabbing figures from antiquity, the necessity for further biographical scrutiny of hypatia of alexandria is a question that demands consideration before even. Hypatia of alexandria was a scholar, teacher, mathematician, philosopher and astronomer. When i first got this book in 1995, it was a godsend. The christian historian socrates of constantinople, in his ecclesiastical history, describes her. Hypatia of alexandria mathematician and martyr pdf posted on may 9, 2020 by admin in the late fourth and early fifth centuries of our era, hypatia of alexandria was the worlds greatest living mathematician and astronomer. She was the daughter of another intellectual, theon of alexandria, lived in the waning years of the roman empire and died in 415 a. Brilliant, beautiful, accomplished and free, hypatia of alexandria was the last of the great pagan teachers. Hypatia the last of classical philosophers light warriors.
For over 40 years hypatia stood between the dark ages and the light of classical philosophy, arts, and sciences. Hypatia of alexandria maria dzielska pdf april 21, 2020 in this engrossing book, maria dzielska searches behind the legend to bring us the she takes us back to the alexandria of hypatia s day, with its library and. Hypatia of alexandria, the female intellectual stoned to. She is variously described as a philosopher, a mathematician, a. I made this tribute to one of the first women of science and reason. Hypatia, ancient alexandrias great female scholar an avowed paganist in a time of religious strife, hypatia was also one of the first women to study math, astronomy and philosophy.
Though none of her books survived the aggressive book burnings of religious zealots, her legacy remains that of one of the greatest scientists of all time. Mathematician and martyr kindle edition by deakin, michael a. Deakin does compare 4th century alexandria to current trouble spots such as baghdad and malaysia, but then reverts to the pagan martyr approach. She lived in alexandria during the last years of the roman empire. She was the daughter of the mathematician theon, the last professor at the university of alexandria, who tutored her in math, astronomy, and the philosophy of the day which, in modern times, would be. People primarily remember hypatia of alexandria, martyr of female intellectuals and tragic heroine, for two things. B download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Hypatia s father was the wellknown mathematician and astronomer theon, a contemporary of pappus, who lived at alexandria during the reign of emperor theodosius i. The role of cyril, archbishop of alexandria, in hypatias death has been central to the polemic of writers like gibbon and kingsley. An expert overachiever, hypatia was one of the most extraordinary women. Raised by only her father,hypatia of alexandria was born in alexandria,egypt in 355 a. Hypatia, the much loved pagan philosopher of alexandria, egypt, has long been acknowledged as the symbol of the passing of the old ways and the triumph of the new.
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