Hypatia was a scholar and inventor who lived in Alexandria, Egypt. An influential and highly regarded teacher, astronomer, philosopher, and mathematician, neither Hypatia nor anyone could have guessed the turn her life was about to take.
Often delivering lectures in public around her work and inventions, Hypatia was a beautiful, eloquent woman who drew large crowds. This included powerful men who vied for her attention—and their admiration would lead to her tragic demise.
Orestes, the governor of Alexandria, was particularly in love with Hypatia, and was embroiled in a battle for power with Cyril, the archbishop. When Cyril failed to assassinate Orestes, he found another way to hurt his enemy.
Hypatia was dragged and chopped into pieces in the streets. The sad part? She played absolutely no role in her butchering. Never had she returned any of Orestes’ affection. She was celibate and focused on educating the public in the midst of a power struggle between two greedy politicians.
Her death devastated academia and the science world. Though there are no direct records left of her work, her contributions and the works of her students still inspire scholars, writers, and science to this day.