Hypatia | Death, Facts, & Biography

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[{"p":1,"t":279463},{"p":3,"t":14417},{"p":1,"t":409036},{"p":3,"t":2100321},{"p":1,"t":267782},{"p":17,"t":528804},{"p":1,"t":175759},{"p":27,"t":369194},{"p":20,"t":40047},{"p":2,"t":32808}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="279463"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia">Hypatia</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction & Top Questions </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Hypatia">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/19157-050-7C257C1D/Hypatia.jpg" data-href="/media/1/279463/17143" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/19157-004-BCE43E09/Hypatia.jpg" alt="Hypatia" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-050-FC2897A8/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg" data-href="/media/1/279463/232809" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-004-480FE0DA/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg" alt="Robert Trewick Bone: Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/149364-050-6AE948DE/impression-Artist-Cyril-Alexandria-murder-hands-Hypatia.jpg" 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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="Deakin, Michael" data-authors-initial="Deakin, M." data-title="Hypatia" data-published-date="11 Feb. 2025" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=279463] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Hypatia" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia">https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=279463] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/279463"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? 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Author of <em>Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr</em>.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Michael Deakin</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-11T00:00:00CST" >Feb 11, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>c. 355 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Died: </dt> <dd>March 415, <a href="/place/Alexandria-Egypt">Alexandria</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Movement / Style: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Neoplatonism">Neoplatonism</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Hypatia"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>When was Hypatia born?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hypatia was born about 355 CE." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>When did Hypatia die?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hypatia died in March of 415." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Why is Hypatia famous?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hypatia is famous for being the greatest mathematician and astronomer of her time, for being the leader of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Neoplatonism\">Neoplatonist<\/a> school of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Western-philosophy\">philosophy<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Alexandria-Egypt\">Alexandria<\/a>, for spectacularly overcoming the profound sexism of her society, and for suffering a violent death at the hands of ignorant zealots." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How did Hypatia die?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hypatia was brutally murdered by a mob of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Christianity\">Christian<\/a> fanatics. They pulled her from her carriage on a street in Alexandria, dragged her to a church, stripped her naked, beat her to death and\/or flayed her, tore off her limbs, and burned her remains." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>When was Hypatia born?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Hypatia was born about 355 CE.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>When did Hypatia die?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Hypatia died in March of 415.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Why is Hypatia famous?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Hypatia is famous for being the greatest mathematician and astronomer of her time, for being the leader of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Neoplatonism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Neoplatonist</a> school of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Western-philosophy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">philosophy</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alexandria-Egypt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alexandria</a>, for spectacularly overcoming the profound sexism of her society, and for suffering a violent death at the hands of ignorant zealots.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How did Hypatia die?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Hypatia was brutally murdered by a mob of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Christian</a> fanatics. They pulled her from her carriage on a street in Alexandria, dragged her to a church, stripped her naked, beat her to death and/or flayed her, tore off her limbs, and burned her remains.</p></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref288688"></span>Hypatia</strong> (born c. 355 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>—died March 415, Alexandria) was a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/mathematics" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mathematician</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/astronomy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">astronomer</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">philosopher</a> who lived in a very turbulent era in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alexandria-Egypt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alexandria</a>’s history. She is the earliest female mathematician of whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Hypatia was the daughter of <span id="ref1178406"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theon" class="md-crosslink ">Theon</a> of Alexandria, himself a mathematician and astronomer and the last <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="attested" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attested" data-type="EB">attested</a> member of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Alexandrian-Museum" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alexandrian Museum</a> (<em>see</em> <a href="/biography/Hypatia/additional-info#Researchers-Note">Researcher’s Note: Hypatia’s birth date</a>). Theon is best remembered for the part he played in the preservation of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Euclid-Greek-mathematician" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Euclid</a>’s <em>Elements</em>, but he also wrote extensively, commenting on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ptolemy</a>’s <em>Almagest</em> and <em>Handy Tables</em>. Hypatia continued his program, which was essentially a determined effort to preserve the Greek mathematical and astronomical heritage in extremely difficult times. She is credited with commentaries on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Apollonius-of-Perga" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Apollonius of Perga</a>’s <em>Conics</em> (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/geometry" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">geometry</a>) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diophantus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Diophantus of Alexandria</a>’s <em>Arithmetic</em> (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/number-theory" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">number theory</a>), as well as an astronomical table (possibly a revised version of Book III of her father’s commentary on the <em>Almagest</em>). These works, the only ones she is listed as having written, have been lost, although there have been attempts to reconstruct aspects of them. In producing her commentaries on Apollonius and Diophantus, she was pushing the program initiated by her father into more recent and more difficult areas.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="232809" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-050-FC2897A8/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/279463/232809"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-050-FC2897A8/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-050-FC2897A8/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg?w=300" alt="Robert Trewick Bone: Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria" data-width="1600" data-height="1027" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/194753-050-FC2897A8/Hypatia-Teaching-Alexandria-watercolour-paper-Robert-Trewick.jpg" data-href="/media/1/279463/232809">Robert Trewick Bone: <em>Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria</em></a><span><em>Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria</em>, watercolour and brown ink on paper by Robert Trewick Bone; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">She was, in her time, the world’s leading mathematician and astronomer, the only woman for whom such claim can be made. She was also a popular teacher and lecturer on philosophical topics of a less-specialist nature, attracting many loyal students and large audiences. Her <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">philosophy</a> was <span id="ref1178407"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Neoplatonism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Neoplatonist</a> and was thus seen as “pagan” at a time of bitter religious conflict between Christians (both orthodox and “heretical”), Jews, and pagans. Her <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Neoplatonism" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Neoplatonism</a> was concerned with the approach to the One, an underlying reality partially accessible via the human power of abstraction from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/metaphysics/Problems-in-metaphysics#ref344389" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Platonic forms</a>, themselves abstractions from the world of everyday reality. Her philosophy also led her to embrace a life of dedicated virginity.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/Numbers-and-mathematics" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/86/94086-131-0BAE374D/Equations-blackboard.jpg" alt="Equations written on blackboard" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Numbers and Mathematics</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="161904" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/149364-050-6AE948DE/impression-Artist-Cyril-Alexandria-murder-hands-Hypatia.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/279463/161904"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/149364-050-6AE948DE/impression-Artist-Cyril-Alexandria-murder-hands-Hypatia.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/149364-050-6AE948DE/impression-Artist-Cyril-Alexandria-murder-hands-Hypatia.jpg?w=300" alt="Hypatia of Alexandria: murder" data-width="1600" data-height="1052" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/149364-050-6AE948DE/impression-Artist-Cyril-Alexandria-murder-hands-Hypatia.jpg" data-href="/media/1/279463/161904">Hypatia of Alexandria: murder</a><span>Artist's impression of the murder of Hypatia of Alexandria at the hands of followers of Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">An early <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="manifestation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifestation" data-type="MW">manifestation</a> of the religious divide of the time was the razing of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Serapeum" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Serapeum</a>, the temple of the Greco-Egyptian god <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Serapis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Serapis</a>, by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Theophilus-of-Alexandria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Theophilus</a>, Alexandria’s bishop until his death in 412 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>. This event was perhaps the final end of the great <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Library-of-Alexandria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Library of Alexandria</a>, since the Serapeum may have contained some of the Library’s books. Theophilus, however, was friendly with Synesius, an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ardent" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ardent" data-type="MW">ardent</a> admirer and pupil of Hypatia, so she was not herself affected by this development but was permitted to pursue her <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="intellectual" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual" data-type="MW">intellectual</a> endeavours unimpeded. With the deaths of Synesius and Theophilus and the accession of <span id="ref1231477"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Cyril-of-Alexandria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cyril</a> to the bishopric of Alexandria, however, this climate of tolerance lapsed, and shortly afterward Hypatia became the victim of a particularly brutal <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/murder-crime" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">murder</a> at the hands of a gang of Christian <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="zealots" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zealots" data-type="MW">zealots</a>. It remains a matter of vigorous debate how much the guilt of this atrocity is Cyril’s, but the affair made Hypatia a powerful <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">feminist</a> symbol and a figure of affirmation for intellectual endeavour in the face of ignorant <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="prejudice" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prejudice" data-type="MW">prejudice</a>. Her intellectual accomplishments alone were quite sufficient to merit the preservation and respect of her name, but, sadly, the manner of her death added to it an even greater emphasis.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/contributor/Michael-Deakin/9175579">Michael Deakin</a></span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":279463,"pageLength":510,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.9' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Hypatia | Death, Facts, & Biography | Britannica