My apologies for missing you last week, Dear Reader, pressing family matters....
This week, let us explore the life and times of Hypatia of Alexandria.
Uh, who?
Hmmm. Conic sections? Or, how about the astrolabe?
Conic sections?
What is the importance of mapping conic sections?
Because I am illiterate in higher mathematics:
A conic section is the intersection of a plane and a double right circular cone . By changing the angle and location of the intersection, we can produce different types of conics. There are four basic types: circles , ellipses , hyperbolas and parabolas . None of the intersections will pass through the vertices of the cone.
https://www.varsitytutors.com/hotmath/hotmath_help/topics/conic-sections-and-standard-forms-of-equations
I should think that the importance of this would be self-evident, like the Declaration of Independence, but allow me to point out one example: the concept of the ellipse aided in formulating Johannes Kepler's 3 laws of planetary motion. Just slightly important, eh?
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OK. What the hell is an astrolabe?
(Don't for god's sake repeat that question to any fifteenth or sixteenth century explorer)
Let's try the Cambridge Dictionary:
a circular device used from ancient times until about the 18th century for measuring the position of stars, and on ships for calculating the ship's position
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/astrolabe
The astrolabe was and is an extraordinarily complex piece of equipment, and to use it properly was something of an art. Here is what it looked like:
I know, I know. Easy to operate, right?
Here is how to use this instrument to calculate a course over open sea.
Astrolabes also told the time--day and night.
The astrolabe was the instrument for any astronomer of fashion in the ancient world (actually, it was used until the 18th century). Now, depending on who's doing the talking, there is some controversy as to its' origins. Was it Appollonius in 225 BCE? And did he base the instrument on the theories of Hipparchus? Or perhaps, it was invented by a woman?
I am of the opinion, that the astrolabe was more than likely invented by a communion of like-minded intellects, over a period of time. But, we'll never know. However, this is certain: Hypatia's contributions have been subsumed by the male-oriented 'bent' of western history, and this is a shame. Oh H.G. Wells!! Where the hell are you when we need you?
If we cannot have our own time machine then this is the best we can do
What else did our female super hero do? How about instruments measuring the density of fluids (now remember, this the Classical Greece) OK, for the non-scientists out there, measuring density in fluids "allows us to determine what substances will float and what substances will sink when placed in a liquid." This is but one practical application.
https://www.chem.fsu.edu/chemlab/chm1lab/density/#:~:text=Density%20is%20an%20important%20concept,when%20placed%20in%20a%20liquid.
It is also now believed, by scholars of this period, that Hypatia (and not her father) re-interpreted Book 3 of Ptolemy's Almagest--work originally attributed to Theon. Almagest was a most influential work, promoting the theory of an Earth-centric universe. This wrongly constructed conception of the heavens would reign supreme until the time of Galileo and Copernicus.
It's interesting to pause here, for just a moment, to acknowledge that Theon's (and thus Hypatia's) wrong-headed idea about the geo-centric model of the heavens, was contested by Aristarchus of Samos.
Alright. We know something of her accomplishments, but what about her life?
Hypatia was born ca. 355 CE, in Alexandria. At that time, Egypt was a province of the Roman empire. In a way, the city was an important center for innovation and intellectual arts. She was the daughter of a great mathematician (and astronomer), Theon of Alexandria. He took charge of his only child's education--needless to say this was incredibly rare. As Hypatia entered into adulthood, she possessed an in-depth knowledge of both mathematics and astronomy.equal to, or greater than her father.
As her intellectual prowess developed, Hypatia began instruction at Alexandria's equivalent of a university, eventually occupying her father's place. Quite an accomplishment for a relatively young woman. From somewhat fragmentary evidence, we know that students came from all over the Roman world in order to study with the brilliant scholar. These students were nearly exclusively male, and yet were being taught by a woman--unusual, to say the least, amidst that uber-patriarchy.
Hypatia's spiritual convictions (if indeed she had any), tended toward the pagan--a belief system that embraced and worshipped the natural world. Paganism embodied polytheism (multiple gods, rather than one), a system that revered a union between the sacred feminine and the sacred masculine. This concept was antithetical to the Judeo-Christian pattern, which emphasized one male god--and patriarchy (and when I use that word, I mean in it's strictest sense).
It must be noted at this juncture, that Hypatia's later life reflected her intellectual convictions. She most likely remained loyal to her pagan convictions. Interestingly, there is some conflict on whether she never married, perhaps adhering to the Platonic concept abolishing the traditional family model, OR did she marry the philosopher Isidorus, as stated in Damascius's Life of Isidore, reproduced in The Suda? I leave it to your discretion, Dear Reader. If you'd like to take a closer look at the aforementioned document: https://www.faculty.umb.edu/gary_zabel/Courses/Phil%20281b/Philosophy%20of%20Magic/Arcana/Neoplatonism/hypatia-bio-suda.html
I am sure you can guess what happened next--something that always happens to free thinkers: Intolerance. Suppression. Persecution. Death. It is all so depressingly familiar.
The Pleides, or "Seven Sisters"
Ad astra per aspera. Through adversity to the stars....
By 364 CE, Alexandria was beset by violent civil strife as Christians flocked into the city. Quickly, these zealots worked, with brutal force, to destroy other religions. Any other religion. No compromise, and no mercy: after all, Christianity was the one true faith, right?
Ye gods, I feel like I'm back in Tudor England.
So, what was the fate of our dashing heroine? Not good, Dear Reader, not good. Scholars differ as to the timeline, so I shall concern myself with a progressive sequence. Inevitably, a civil war erupted between Jews, Christians, and Pagans. These conflicts eventually destroyed the great Alexandria library...again. Inevitably, the remains of the library's once great collection was destroyed by the archbishop Theophilus. Acting on orders from the emperor, he made it his special mission to obliterate anything that might remotely be characterized as a center of pagan worship. Thus the tragic destruction of what remained of the library's once great store of knowledge. It is recorded that Mr. Man, AKA Theophilus, built a church on the site of the library.
I am depressed.
As to what happened to the fair Hypatia, and when? Scholars differ on the date, but are agreed on one point: that one day, Hypatia's litter was attacked on the streets of Alexandria, by a mob of Christians. Then, she was dragged by this pond scum into a church and striped naked. She was subsequently pummeled and brutally cut with broken roofing tiles, until she was dead. Oh, but we're not done yet. Murder wasn't enough, Dear Reader, no. They still had to commit one more act of desecration. These assholes took her lifeless body, pulled it apart, finally setting it on fire.
Frankly, I'd like to remember Waterhouse's interpretation of this amazing person. Let's leave her here, shall we? Still beautiful and whole.
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I am happy to report that scholars are re-conceptualizing our scientific history, instead of assuming that important instruments and/or theories were invented exclusively by male scholars in a patriarchal environment. Historians and Classicists today embrace a collective approach--one that allows for the achievements of women. It's an encouraging thought, n'est-ce pas?
Believe it or not, Ripley, Hollywood is making movies about women of science. Recently, there was a questionable film made about Hypatia: "Agora" with Rachel Weisz.
If you feel like watching it, here's a link: https://ww7.soap2dayhd.co/film/agora-16524/
WARNING: as with other 'free sites,' be careful if you decide to use the link. But, then, I never gave you the link did I? And we were never here. : ).
While I love movies, they invariably do little honor to their subjects. If you'd like to watch a good documentary on Hypatia (with Bettany Hughes), try this...
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ne bis in idem | "a person may not be punished twice for the same thing." |
| scientia ipsa potentia est "Knowledge itself is power." |
I'll leave it to you, Dear Reader. Until next week....
