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Hypatia of Alexandria was one of the most brilliant women who lived in the ancient world. Born in Alexandria, Egypt in the fourth century CE, Hypatia lived in a time when few girls learned to read or write. Women were expected to marry, to run a household, and to raise children. Hypatia's father, Theon, however, educated her as if she were his son, not his daughter. Theon raised Hypatia in a stimulating environment of science, learning, and exploration.
A curious and dedicated student, Hypatia became a gifted mathematician, a talented astronomer, and a brilliant philosopher. She also was an inspirational orator and teacher, and her students traveled from distant lands to hear her speak. Known for both her beauty and her intellect, Hypatia was an independent spirit who challenged the prevailing ideas of her time regarding what it was to be female.
Alexandria, however, was a city that was increasingly being enveloped in a web of political and religious struggles. Hypatia eventually was caught in this web, and her life ended tragically, but she has become a symbol of courage, learning, and intellectual freedom.
About the author
Billie Holladay Skelley, a Pushcart Prize nominee and a Best of the Net nominee, received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Now retired from working as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgery clinical nurse specialist and nursing educator, she enjoys focusing on her writing. Billie has written several health-related articles for both professional and lay journals, but her writing crosses several different genres and has appeared in various journals, magazines, and anthologies in print and online--ranging from the American Journal of Nursing to Chicken Soup for the Soul. An award-winning author, she has written twelve books for children and teens. Her book, Ruth Law: The Queen of the Air, was selected to receive the 2021 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Children's Literature Award.
