Hypatia of Alexandria Was an outstanding philosopher born in the mid-fourth century (370 AD) in Greco-Egyptian society. Outstanding in mathematics, astronomy and Neoplatonic thought, without forgetting his tendencies to paganism, which caused him innumerable problems with the ecclesiastical community, which would lead to his death at the early age of 40 years.
Qualified as one of the earliest thinkers of whom we have recorded, Hypatia of Alexandria not only excelled in the applied sciences, but also in her studies on geometry. The invention of the densimeter, an artifact that determines the relative density of liquids, or the renewal of the archaic astrolabe are some of its most significant milestones.
Of a sharp personality, Hypatia of Alexandria developed in a prejudiced society, but came to exercise the teaching and left the mold of woman typical of the old time.
It is considered an outstanding figure for the feminine archetype, arriving to consider a banner for the feminism and the socio-political advance of the future generations by its thought in concrete in the sciences and philosophy.
First days
The exact date of his birth can still be debated, always falling on two specific dates: the years 350 and 370 AD, the latter being most accepted for its coherent character with respect to his later life.
Hypatia together with Theon of Alexandria, his father and mentor. Image belonging to the film Ágora (2009)
Born under an academic family, she was always closely linked to her father, the respected mathematician Theon of Alexandria . This led Hypatia to rub shoulders with the geniuses of the Neoplatonic School of thought, in whom she acquired the first mathematical and astronomical knowledge, always accompanied by her progenitor.
Always driven by a natural curiosity, Hypatia was not satisfied with this knowledge, delving into other matters of the philosophy of the time, knowledge that would take her to travel to Athens and Rome, where she began to study theology and the art of oratory, Showing an early eagerness for teaching.
By the year 400, Hypatia enjoyed respect in the branches of Neoplatonism, turning her pedagogical efforts to the analysis of the works of Plato and Aristotle. Among its ranks of students are thinkers of weight and Of economically affluent families like Synesius of Cyrene, who would leave manuscripts of his memoirs, Seleucia Pieria, landowner or Hesychius of Alexandria, governor of Upper Libya.
Hypatia never married, choosing instead to continue striving to reach the erudition that would make her earn a living until her last days. She was an esteemed citizen of Alexandria, loved by her people and respected by high officials, despite her status as a woman.
It was said that everyone was silent on hearing it, since their grace, beauty and eloquence were as fascinating as the wisdom that emanated in exposing part of their philosophy.
The Library of Alexandria is where Hypatia spoke more often. It is said that her father Teon was the last chief librarian, although in some cases it is disputed if it was not the same Hypatia that exerted that position. That is to say, Hypatia had access to the greatest reserve of knowledge of the ancient world, which was believed to contain among its shelves more than half a million scrolls.
The new century
With the religious changes that fell on Alexandria, among which was orthodox Christianity was implemented; Paganism, the theological current followed by Hypatia, would come to be considered a heresy among society, in which case it would move multiple rows to eradicate it together with the lands of Jerusalem, Rome and Constantinople.
Hypatia continued to grow as an adviser to the magistrates and to the high ranks, always in favor of the advance of Alexandria.
Although many of her Christian disciples recommended that she convert to Christianity, she remained true to her beliefs and oblivious to the religious conflict that developed around her between the beginning of the fifth century and thereafter.
Noteworthy is the time when Emperor Theodosius gave the order to Patriarch Theophyte to demolish part of the most important pagan temples of Alexandria in 390, among which was Mitreo. This resulted in a bloody wave of riots in the streets, as well as an uncontrolled bloodshed of part and all of the Christian and pagan factions.
After the death of Theodosius, the Episcopate Cyril would continue the work of exterminating the pagan roots of Alexandria, bringing with it a new commotion in the streets, in which the novices were the victims of excessive and bloody persecution.
Part of the resistance to the massacre came from the Prefect Orestes, who would die of a rock in an armed conflict between the wings. Hypatia, above all, was kept as close as possible to the clashes due to her social position and great influence in the courts of the Patriarch.
In those years, he continued to teach astronomy and arithmetic, leaving a total of fourteen treatises and an astronomical canon, collected by his closest students.
Last days
Finally, social disturbances also affected Hypatia, who was assaulted one afternoon in which Lent was celebrated when she was in her carriage. Religious fanatics stripped her and dragged her with total lack of humanity towards the Cesarean Temple, Cathedral of Alexandria.
Once they were prostrated before the city, they stoned it with blocks, shards, embers and debris until it was dismembered and left completely deformed and lifeless. Not content with that, their spoils were taken to the crematorium, where they incinerated it to ashes. It is believed that Hypatia was 60 when she was killed.
With the death of Hypatia the Neoplatonic school came to an end. Some of the philosophers moved to Athens, but his School was closed by order of the emperor Justinian.
The definitive decline came with the departure of the last seven philosophers of the great Neoplatonic Movement (Hermias, Priscianus, Diogenes, Eulalius, Damaskias, Simplicius and Isidorus) who fled to the Far East to escape Justinian's persecution.
Although the motives could be debated, it is not yet clear whether Cyril orchestrated or not the death of Hypatia in order to send a clear message to pagan and Neoplatonic resistance.
Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria
After the assassination, Christian influence, because of the vehemence with which the case was perpetrated, diminished the power of the Alexandrian patriarchy, so that Cyril did not prevent his Nestorius, his political rival, from taking the reins of his post in 428 AD. As Patriarch of Constantinople.
Work
Much of the philosophical works of Hypatia of Alexandria have been lost with the passage of the ages, although by references of its more close students it is known that not only aupaba his work to the astronomy. He is also credited with collecting, editing and preserving essays, academic articles and exhibitions of mathematicians prior to his time.
Her perfection of the astrolabe, an instrument that allowed her to possess an almost exact knowledge of the stars, as well as her height, was the culmination of her research, which led her to have a respected position as a woman in Greek society.
Thanks to this, Hypatia would go down in history as one of the first female astronomers, above her fellow men. His astrolabe would greatly improve the art of navigation for the accuracy of his measurements, in addition to extending the same navigation charts thanks to his Astrological Canon, which would continue to be used in the next 1200 years.
Hypatia's astronomical work is central to the politics of the region, focusing on controversies related to Equinox observations, which served ultimately to highlight the errors in Ptolemy's work and the need for independent observation.
He densimeter , Another of the inventions attributed to Hypatia, determined the specific gravity of the liquid by measuring the extent to which it sank when liquid was placed in a measured vessel.
As is well known, Hypatia shared a taste for teaching. Her home served as a classroom for a long time, in addition to generating countless public gatherings. Hypatia exhorted critical and analytical thinking of phenomena.
"Reserve your right to think. Even thinking badly is better than not thinking about the absolute,"he used to recite in his classes and in most councils where he disputed knowledge with the high ranks of Alexandria, Constantinople, and the like.
The 13 Volumes of Arithmetic Comments on Diofanus, which he considered the father of said area, also earned him fame as one of the most outstanding works that can still be counted today in the XXI century.
She was considered one of the most fervent advocates of Neoplatonism, in whose words she quoted:"It is a progressive philosophy and does not expect to declare the final conditions to men whose minds are finite. Life is a display, and the more we travel, the more truth we can understand. The things that are on our doorstep is the best preparation for the understanding of those beyond."
The slope of paganism was known as transcendentalism, according to the same canons of Neoplatonism. Although he never wrote philosophy treatises, he intuited the formation of his students who collected many of his speeches, letters and ideas.
The precarious foundations of Christian dogma were exposed when the Neoplatonic School, of which Hypatia was a reference, began to adopt the inductive method of reasoning sponsored by Aristotle.
Of all things on earth, logic and reasonable explanation of things were more odious to the new religion of mystery. When Hypatia explored the metaphysical allegories that Christianity borrowed from her dogmas, the light of Neoplatonism shone too brightly on the mosaic of Christianity
Hypatia's general aura, and her way of doing things her way, really changed the way for women to partially improve their status in a male-dominated society.
It is said that she was so popular that, when walking in the streets, people threw flowers at her feet and praised her. She was called"High Priestess of Science"for her vast and amazing vision of the world.
It is sad to say that most of today's knowledge is from secondary sources because of the difficult times it experienced. Her students, Plotinus and Iamblico, revered her.
Her death was purely religious, based on the reason that Hypatia refused to demand a religion. All the possible inventions and useful tools that could have been created by Hypatia died with her.
She created a reform in the thoughts of the people in Alexandria, and shows how much she changed modern society by the innumerable books, films and works that have been based on her life.
References
- Hypatia of Alexandria: Defender of Reason.
- Damascius: The Life of Hypatia from the Suda
- Female Inventors.
- Hypatia of Alexandria, Egypt.
- Hypatia Biograghy of Hypatia.
- Great Inspirations-Hypatia.
- The Great Hypatia of Alexandria.