Editing Cyril of Alexandria (section)

=== Murder of Hypatia ===
{{Main|Hypatia}}
The Prefect [[Orestes (prefect)|Orestes]] enjoyed the political backing of [[Hypatia]], an astronomer, philosopher and mathematician who had considerable [[moral authority]] in the city of Alexandria, and who had extensive influence. Indeed, many students from wealthy and influential families came to Alexandria purposely to study privately with [[Hypatia]], and many of these later attained high posts in government and the Church. Several Christians thought that Hypatia's influence had caused Orestes to reject all conciliatory offerings by Cyril. Modern historians think that Orestes had cultivated his relationship with Hypatia to strengthen a bond with the pagan community of Alexandria, as he had done with the Jewish one, in order to better manage the tumultuous political life of the Egyptian capital.<ref>Christopher Haas, ''Alexandria in Late Antiquity: Topography and Social Conflict'', JHU Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-8018-8541-8}}, p. 312.</ref>

According to [[Socrates Scholasticus]] during the Christian season of [[Lent]] in March 415, a mob of Christians under the leadership of a [[Reader (liturgy)|lector]] named Peter, raided Hypatia's carriage as she was travelling home.{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Watts|2017|pages=114–115}}{{sfn|Haas|1997|page=313}} They dragged her into a building known as the ''[[Caesareum of Alexandria|Kaisarion]]'', a former pagan temple and center of the [[Imperial cult of ancient Rome|Roman imperial cult]] in Alexandria that had been converted into a Christian church.{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=198}}{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Haas|1997|page=313}} There, the mob stripped Hypatia naked and murdered her using ''[[Ostracon|ostraka]]'',{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Dzielska|1995|page=93}}{{sfn|Watts|2017|pages=115–116}}{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=198–199}} which can either be translated as "[[roof tiles]]" or "[[Oyster|oyster shells]]".{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}<ref name="ss7_15">Socrate Scolastico, vii.15.</ref> Later historian [[John of Nikiû]] also tells a similar story.<ref>Giovanni di Nikiu, 84.88-100.</ref> Even later historian [[Byzantinist]] Fr. [[Adrian Fortescue]], says that the mob of Christian [[Parabalani]]es and Peter, cruelly tore her to pieces on the ''steps'' of a church. Damascius adds that they also cut out her eyeballs.{{sfn|Watts|2017|page=116}} They tore her body into pieces and dragged her limbs through the town to a place called Cinarion, where they set them on fire.{{sfn|Novak|2010|page=240}}{{sfn|Watts|2017|page=116}}{{sfn|Watts|2008|pages=198–199}} According to Watts, this was in line with the traditional manner in which Alexandrians carried the bodies of the "vilest criminals" outside the city limits to cremate them as a way of symbolically purifying the city.{{sfn|Watts|2017|page=116}}{{sfn|Watts|2008|page=199}}