Editing Library of Alexandria (section)

===School of Theon and Hypatia===
[[File:Hypatia (Charles Mitchell).jpg|thumb|upright|''Hypatia'' (1885) by [[Charles William Mitchell]], believed to be a depiction of a scene in [[Charles Kingsley]]'s 1853 novel ''[[Hypatia (novel)|Hypatia]]''{{sfn|Booth|2017|pages=21–22}}]]

The ''[[Suda]]'', a tenth-century [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] encyclopedia, calls the mathematician [[Theon of Alexandria]] ({{circa}} AD 335–{{circa}} 405) a "man of the Mouseion".{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=191–192}} According to classical historian Edward J. Watts, however, Theon was probably the head of a school called the "Mouseion", which was named in emulation of the [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] Mouseion that had once included the Library of Alexandria, but which had little other connection to it.{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=191–192}} Theon's school was exclusive, highly prestigious, and doctrinally conservative.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=192}} Theon does not seem to have had any connections to the militant Iamblichean Neoplatonists who taught in the Serapeum.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=191}} Instead, he seems to have rejected the teachings of Iamblichus{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=192}} and may have taken pride in teaching a pure, [[Plotinus|Plotinian]] Neoplatonism.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=192}} In around 400 AD, Theon's daughter [[Hypatia]] (born c. 350–370; died 415 AD) succeeded him as the head of his school.{{sfn|Oakes|2007|page=364}} Like her father, she rejected the teachings of Iamblichus and instead embraced the original Neoplatonism formulated by Plotinus.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=192}}

Theophilus, the bishop involved in the destruction of the Serapeum, tolerated Hypatia's school and even encouraged two of her students to become bishops in territory under his authority.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=196}} Hypatia was extremely popular with the people of Alexandria{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=195–196}} and exerted profound political influence.{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=195–196}} Theophilus respected Alexandria's political structures and raised no objection to the close ties Hypatia established with Roman prefects.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=196}} Hypatia was later implicated in a political feud between [[Orestes (prefect)|Orestes]], the [[List of governors of Roman Egypt|Roman prefect of Alexandria]], and [[Cyril of Alexandria]], Theophilus' successor as bishop.{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Cameron|Long|Sherry|1993|pages=58–61}} Rumors spread accusing her of preventing Orestes from reconciling with Cyril{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Cameron|Long|Sherry|1993|page=59}} and, in March of 415 AD, she was murdered by a mob of Christians, led by a [[Reader (liturgy)|lector]] named Peter.{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Cameron|Long|Sherry|1993|pages=59–61}} She had no successor and her school collapsed after her death.{{sfn|Watts|2017|page=117}}