Hypatia: Mathematician, Philosopher, Myth

by Charlotte Booth

This biography of Hypatia, the female philosopher and mathematician in Christian Egypt, provides background on her work and her life as an elite woman at this time. There are many myths about Hypatia, including her research, inventions and the impact of her murder, all based on a handful of contemporary resources. Through presenting the different theories and myths alongside the available evidence, this book will enable the reader to make their own interpretations about her life.

Whilst the evidence does leave many questions unanswered, this book provides the evidence as it stands, separating the myth from reality. There is very little published on Hypatia and she forms quite a niche market in the history of ancient Egypt. However, she is an interesting example of how multicultural Alexandria functioned at such an unstable political time, and provides anecdotal evidence of the atrocities that occurred. This book will appeal to scholars, lay people and political and religious researchers, and will show that the history of Egypt does not end at Cleopatra.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

192 pages, Hardcover

Published April 3, 2017

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is strictly just the facts ma'am, and with barely any contemporary writings about Hypatia it leaves it bare bones. However the author does delve into the legend that Hypatia left behind and ends with a conclusion that focuses on the ambiguity she left behind. Definitely a must read if you want a non biased view.