• AccountMaker@slrpnk.net
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    2 months ago

    I remember reading “Hypatia: The Life and Legend of an Ancient Philosopher” by Edward J. Watts, and the book makes a really good point on how Hypatia is remembered for her death more than for her life. She’s regarded as a mrtyr for philosophy, as a victim of Christianity, as a feminist icon, but her life and achievements are, unfairly, rarely discussed.

    Really recommend the book, it was a very nice and light read. But working from memory, Hypatia taught a variant of Neoplatonism that was acceptable to both Christians and polytheists, and so her lectures could bind the fractured society of Alexandria, as students from all sorts of backgrounds attended.