Hypatia (Hypatia), a Byzantine mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher, was murdered by Christian monks. Daughter of Theon of Alexandria, she studied astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, and science, and, although a woman, taught philosophy publicly and belonged to the Neoplatonic school. She invented the astrolabe, the planisphere, and the hydroscope. She earned universal respect for her wisdom and wielded considerable political influence over the city, particularly over the imperial prefect, Orestes. Among her students was Synesius of Cyrene, bishop of Ptolemais, who wrote her numerous letters, expressing his great admiration. In March 415, on the orders of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, a group of fanatic Christians surprised the philosopher as she was returning home, pulled her from her litter, dragged her to the church built on the Caesarion and brutally killed her, flaying her to the bones (According to some sources using ostrakois – literally “oyster shells”, but the term was also used to indicate tiles or shards), and dragging the remains to a place called Cinarion, where they were burned.
