Hypatia — or New Foes with an Old Face

by Charles Kingsley

"Hypatia — or New Foes with an Old Face" by Charles Kingsley is a historical novel published in 1853. It follows Philammon, a young Egyptian monk who travels to Alexandria and becomes entangled in the violent religious and political conflicts of the fifth century. At the center stands Hypatia, a pagan philosopher caught between warring factions of Christians, Jews, and pagans. The novel explores themes of faith, corruption, and power as Philammon confronts his beliefs amid schemes, conversions, and mounting tensions that threaten to tear the ancient city apart.