Selene of Alexandria (54 page)

There is no proof that Cyril ordered the death of Hypatia. Contemporary sources both condemn him on the basis of jealousy and exonerate him on the basis of mob violence. I chose the interpretation that he wished to discredit Hypatia, but, in his youth and inexperience, underestimated the extent of his power. However, given the bloody times and lack of repercussions for Hypatia's death; he probably was pleased with the outcome.

Little is known of Orestes other than the dates of his administration, his admiration for Hypatia, and the attack by the Nitrian monks. There is some controversy over whether he survived the attack, but Dzielska believed he did and was either recalled or resigned after Hypatia's death. I created a background and early history for Orestes that enhanced my story.

I included in the story a number of places from recent archeological digs such as the glassmakers' shop, theater, classrooms, tombs, monasteries and cisterns. Most of the cisterns were filled in at some time, but when is unknown. I chose to have them available for Selene's escape. Other minor events such as the couple divorcing because of demonic influence and the fire-walking priest are taken from actual incidents, but not necessarily during this three-year time period.

There seems to be a great deal of confusion over the nature and extent of the Great Library of Alexandria and when it was destroyed. Some claim it burned during a Roman attack in 48 B.C., others that Theophilus burned it with the Serapeum in A.D. 391, and still others that Islamic invaders burned the remnants when they took Alexandria in A.D. 641. There is considerable evidence that large cities such as Alexandria had several public libraries available to scholars, students, and private citizens. I chose to go with the researchers who claim the Roman and Christian attacks destroyed "sister" libraries and by the time the Islamic burning, the Great Library had dwindled due to neglect (bugs, theft, deterioration) to a much smaller collection of mostly Christian texts.

The Museum, of which Hypatia was a member, was one of the great learning centers of antiquity and attracted scholars from all over the world to study philosophy, mathematics, science, nature, literature, and medicine. The original buildings were part of a magnificent palace complex, which took up nearly one-third of the land inside the walls of Alexandria and contained The Great Library, scholars' living quarters, classrooms, a zoo and gardens with exotic plants. This complex was destroyed during Diocletian's reign; however, there is substantial evidence that the Museum and its library continued in other buildings, possibly in the vicinity of the Caesarion, originally a pagan temple complex in the harbor area, but later converted to a Christian church.

For a complete bibliography, essays, and information on my other writing, please visit my website at
www.faithljustice.com
. Thank you for reading this book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have comments or questions, contact me through my website.

About the Author

Faith L. Justice is a science geek and history junkie who has worked as a lifeguard, paralegal, computer systems analyst, human resources executive, and college professor. She writes in her historic land marked home “The Suffragette House” in Brooklyn, New York where she lives with her husband, daughter and the required gaggle of cats. For fun, she likes to dig in the dirt – her garden and various archaeological sites.

Ms. Justice's award-winning short stories and poems have appeared in such publications as
Circles in the Hair, Alternate Realities, Pirate Writings Magazine,
and
Beyond Science Fiction and Fantasy
. She’s published over fifty articles in such venues as
Salon.com, Writer's Digest, The Copperfield Review
, and
A Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism
. Ms. Justice is a frequent contributor to
Strange Horizons
, Associate Editor for
Space and Time Magazine
, and a co-founder of a writer’s workshop which celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010.

Contact Faith Online:

Website:
www.faithljustice.com

Blog:
Historian's Notebook

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