Ratings UK Explores | Series 1 - Women of Science | Hypatia of Alexandria

As part of my 2022 run, I'm going to take a few new steps to keep my account 100% about ratings, but with some little educational bits and bobs alongside. I thought, if I'm researching this myself for enjoyment and work, I may as well share it with anyone that could potentially be interested! I think it's great to learn about the familiar and not-so-familiar faces of history and show how they've helped shape the world, or certain aspects of it, to the way it is. 

Next in our little exploration is Hypatia of Alexandria. Also, please be prepared for vivid brutality, and some serious themes being mentioned.

Hypatia, (born c. 355 CE—died March 415, Alexandria), was a mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who lived in a very turbulent era in Alexandria’s history. She is the earliest female mathematician whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists. Hypatia continued in her father's footsteps, himself being a mathematician. She is credited with commentaries on Apollonius of Perga’s Conics (geometry) and Diophantus of Alexandria’s Arithmetic (number theory), as well as an astronomical table.

She was, in her time, a leader in her chosen fields, something that could rarely be said for women within this period. Her philosophy was seen as 'pagan' which, in a time of such bitter discourse between religion & belief, was not always favourable to Christians. Despite this, the ongoing divide didn't cause much of an issue at first, as several of her students were Christian. 

Hypatia was a powerful feminist symbol and a figure of affirmation for the intellectual endeavour in the face of prejudice. 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.

Speaking of her death, Hypatia was brutally murdered by a mob of Christian 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.

Despite this, she will always be remembered as a powerful woman who stood in defiance against sexism and religious quarrels. Her workings, and her mind will always be fondly remembered, and her teachings will forever inspire how we approach the mathematical world.