Hypatia of Alexandria was a Hellenistic Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician. She was the head of the Platonist school in Alexandria and was renowned for her brilliant teaching on philosophy and science. She edited and wrote commentaries on major works of mathematics, including Diophantus's 'Arithmetica' and Apollonius's 'Conics.' Hypatia lived during a time of intense religious conflict between the established pagan traditions and the rising Christian church. She was caught in a political feud and was tragically murdered by a mob of Christian zealots. Her death is often cited by historians as a symbol of the end of classical antiquity and the decline of Alexandria as a center of scientific inquiry. She remains an icon for women in science and a martyr for the freedom of thought.