What is it about?
This paper gives the first rational solution to the murder of Hypatia of Alexandria, famous female mathematician and astronomer. Though the murderers are known to us, the reason for the murder remained unknown for 1,600 years. I suggested the reason was a calendar conflict between Rome and Alexandria over the dating of Easter, more specifically, Easter 417. The fact that Rome celebrated that Easter in March while Alexandria in April is well documented.
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Why is it important?
Hypatia is a unique historical character - the first female astronomer and mathematician. No female scientist matches her 1,000 years before or after.
Perspectives
Though the calendar (Easter) paradigm introduced in this paper seems indisputable, some questions remained open, such as the quality of public clocks in Alexandria and the relations between Rome and Alexandria in the beginning of the 5th century. They had to be resolved somewhere either in affirmative, or another version of events (the year, participants, astronomical tools) must be offered. As it turned out, the latter option held its sway. For that you have to read my second paper of 2016.
Dr Ari Belenkiy
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This page is a summary of: An astronomical murder?, Astronomy & Geophysics, March 2010, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-4004.2010.51209.x.
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