Hypatia of Alexandria: mathematician, martyr and feminist icon
3/6/202655 min
Greg Jenner is joined in late antique Egypt by Professor Edith Hall and comedian Olga Koch to learn about the life of mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria. An important mathematical and astronomical thinker, Hypatia is best known today for her brutal death at the hands of Christian fundamentalists. Born to a well-respected mathematician named Theon in fourth-century Alexandria, Hypatia received an unusually advanced education for a woman, and eventually took over her father’s school. But with the city in which she lived riven by religious and political conflicts during the declining days of the Roman empire, she came to th...
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First 90 secondsGreg Jenner· Host0:00
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Greg Jenner· Host0:35
[gentle music] Hello, and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously. My name's Greg Jenner. I'm a public historian, author, and broadcaster. And today we are grabbing our maths textbooks and frolicking back to the fourth century to Egypt to learn all about mathematician and philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria. And to help us, we have one terrific teacher and one sublime student. In History Corner, she's professor of classics at Durham University. You might have heard her on Natalie Haynes' Stand Up for the Classics or Great Lives on BBC Radio 4. Maybe you've read one of her many books, including Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life and Facing Down the Furies. And you'll know her from our episodes on Pythagoras, the triangle guy, and Aristotle. It's Professor Edith Hall. Welcome back, Edith.
Edith Hall· Guest1:20
Hello, I'm thrilled to be here.
Greg Jenner· Host1:22
Delighted to have you back. And in Comedy Corner, she's a comedian, writer, and actor. You'll have seen her on Mock the Week, QI, Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Late Night