MARTYR FOR PHILOSOPHY

Today's blog post is about the great mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher from the city of ancient Alexandria, Hypatia.

© Britannica

Most of us are still unaware of her existance, I was deeply moved when I read about her life, how some people are so miserably treated just because of egoistic or religious intrests of some individuals or certain groups. 

She is often regarded as the "Martyr for philosophy"

Hypatia was born to the great mathematician and the last professor at the University of Alexandria, Theon around 350–370 CE.

Her father tutored her in math, astronomy, and the philosophy of the day which, in modern times, would be considered science.

Not much is know about her mother.

Hypatia is regarded as the earliest female mathematician and astronomer of whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists.

She was also a popular teacher and lecturer on philosophical topics of a less-specialist nature, attracting many loyal students and large audiences.

©Julia Margaret Cameron

Her death was so brutal that the primary sources, even those Christian writers who were hostile to her and claimed she was a witch, are generally sympathetic in recording her death as a tragedy.

She was a woman who is widely know for her generousity, love for learning and expertise in various scientific fields.

One early spring day during the year 415 in the city of Alexandria—the intellectual heart of the waning Roman Empire—the pagan philosopher Hypatia was murdered by a mob of Christian men.

These men were the Parabalini, a volunteer militia of monks serving to the archbishop of Alexandria.

The chief purpose of these volunteers was to aid and help the needy and poor but they were mainly found indulged in terrorizing opposing Christian groups and leveling pagan temples.

These volunteers destroyed Jewish quarters, defiled masterpieces of ancient art to obtain the gold by melting them.

They even destroyed the majestic Library of Alexandria at the order of Cyril, the archbishop of Alexandria.

They now set their gaze on the city's beloved teacher of mathematics and philosophy, whose social ranking was on par with Alexandria's most important men.

They were never able to understand her philosophy and called her witch.

“They pulled the elderly teacher from her chariot as she rode through the city and dragged her to a temple. She was stripped naked, her skin flayed with jagged pieces of oyster shells, her limbs pulled from her body and paraded through the streets. Her remains were burned in a mockery of pagan sacrifice.”

© Science photo library