A Tale of Women in Mathematics : The Tragic Fate of Hypatia

The history of science and mathematics is often dominated by the achievements of male figures, largely due to biased social structures that have put women at a disadvantage.

For much of human history, women were excluded from opportunities for education and professional advancement, making it difficult for them to make significant contributions to the sciences. Despite these challenges, there were still a few women who managed to rise above the limitations imposed upon them and made important contributions to the field. Their achievements serve as a reminder of the untapped potential of women in science, and their legacy continues to inspire future generations of female scientists and mathematicians.

One such woman who made a name for herself in the field of mathematics was Hypatia of Alexandria from the 4th century AD. Hypatia was born in Alexandria, Ancient Egypt, during the Eastern Roman Empire. At the time, Alexandria was one of the leading intellectual centers in the entire world, second only to Athens. The city attracted the greatest minds of the day in mathematics, science, philosophy and a host of other disciplines. Notable scholars such as Archimedes, Eratosthenes, Euclid, and Hero lived and worked there. Hypatia’s father, Theon of Alexandria, was a mathematician and astronomer himself. From a young age, Hypatia showed an extraordinary talent for mathematics. She eventually went on to study at the Museum of Alexandria, a renowned center of learning in the ancient world, where she developed her skills in mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy.

Hypatia was a prominent member of the Neoplatonist school of thought. This philosophy was based on the ideas of Plato and was a major intellectual movement in the ancient world. The Neoplatonists believed in the existence of a non-physical, transcendent reality, which they considered to be the source of all existence and the ultimate goal of human existence.

She was known for her extensive knowledge of the works of Plato and Aristotle and her lectures on their teachings. Her reputation as a great teacher and wise counselor was widely known, and she was highly regarded by the elites in Alexandria. She was known to have written a commentary on Diophantus's 13-volume work "Arithmetica", which was a major treatise on algebra. It is believed that parts of her commentary may still survive today, as they were interpolated into Diophantus's original text. Hypatia was also thought to have written a commentary on Apollonius of Perga's work on conic sections, which unfortunately, has not survived to the present day. Historians believe that Hypatia was the top mathematician alive during her time. Hypatia's original works are largely lost, but she is remembered for her exceptional instruction and influence as a teacher.

An artistic interpretation of Hypatia by Maurice Gaspard. Image: Public Domain.

This is what Socrates Scholastikos, an ancient church historian, spoke of her:

“There was a woman at Alexandria named Hypatia, daughter of the philosopher Theon, who made such attainments in literature and science, as to far surpass all the philosophers of her own time. Having succeeded to the school of Plato and Plotinus, she explained the principles of philosophy to her auditors, many of whom came from a distance to receive her instructions. On account of the self-possession and ease of manner, which she had acquired in consequence of the cultivation of her mind, she not unfrequently appeared in public in presence of the magistrates. Neither did she feel abashed in coming to an assembly of men. For all men on account of her extraordinary dignity and virtue admired her the more.”

Her life was, however, not without controversy. She lived during a time when religion greatly influenced the social system and was caught in a politically motivated conflict with the christians of the time, and this led to her death. The exact events surrounding Hypatia's death are not historically clear, but it is believed that a Christian mob dragged her around the streets, took her to a church where they stripped her naked and brutally murdered her using tiles. They then tore her body into pieces and took them outside the city where they burned them. This barbaric tradition was commonly used on criminals during that time. Her death came as a shock to the empire and they made a martyr out of her.

Hypatia faced a similar fate as countless other intellectuals who were persecuted for their work. Giordano Bruno, an Italian philosopher and astronomer of the 17th century, was burned at the stake for holding the view that the sun was not at the center of the universe. He proclaimed that stars were simply distant suns, possibly with planets of their own. This view was in conflict with the beliefs of the Catholic Church, and they accused him of heresy. Galileo, on the other hand, faced opposition from the Church for his support of heliocentrism, an astronomical model where the Earth and the planets revolve around the sun, and was subjected to house arrest for the rest of his life. Other examples include Alan Turing, an English mathematician and computer scientist who cracked the famous ENIGMA code. He was convicted of homosexuality in 1952 and committed suicide two years later, and Sally Ride, America's first woman astronaut, who faced criticism and harassment for her sexual orientation and eventually passed away from pancreatic cancer.

They all stand as symbols of the struggle for intellectual freedom and serve as reminders of our dark history. They paved the way so that future generations can continue to explore and expand our knowledge, and to express their ideas freely without fear of persecution or retribution from those with opposing views. Their unwavering commitment to intellectual freedom serves as a beacon of the importance of standing up for what we believe in and protecting the right to free speech, thought, sexual expression, belief and inquiry for all individuals.