Religious Violence in 5th Century Alexandria: The Controversy between Bishop Cyril and Governor Orestes and the Murder of Hypatia

Panagopoulos, Spyridon P.

doi:10.21608/jmih.2023.349950

Religious Violence in 5th Century Alexandria: The Controversy between Bishop Cyril and Governor Orestes and the Murder of Hypatia

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Spyridon P. Panagopoulos

Athens, Greece.

10.21608/jmih.2023.349950

Abstract

This communication will deal with phenomena of religious violence that appears in Egypt during Late Antiquity. As religious violence is considered, always in the context of that time, actions such as murders, torture and persecution of heathens, destruction or confiscation of sacred buildings and religious objects, as well as the prohibition of worship. However, they also include the threat of violence. Violence was exercised both by the state and by individuals and groups of individuals.
Due to the wide scope of the specific research object, we will deal with the religious violence in Egypt at the beginning of the 5th century, which led to the assassination of the Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician of Alexandria Hypatia. A special mention will be made to the relationship of bishop Cyril with the Christian and Jewish population of Alexandria, as well as with the governor of the city Orestes.

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