You don't question what you believe, or cannot. I must.
- Hypatia
I strongly recommend the film Agora. It's not fully accurate or historical but I thought it was a well made movie and it sheds light on the ancient history of oppression of philosophers and their schools under religious tyranny. It deals, in part, with the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, one of the most important history-changing events ever, which is impossible to under-estimate as it was this, along with the closing of all the philosophical schools in the sixth century by Emperor Justinian, that nailed the grave on ancient philosophy and science and ushered in the totalitarianism and mental slavery of the Christian Era / Dark Ages. If at least for a sense of perspective on the history of humanism, I think everyone should watch Agora.
1 comment:
Thanks for your post on Hypatia! More people should know about her. I agree the movie Agora is a fine piece of entertainment and raises lots of questions. I wrote a three-part "reel vs. real" analysis of its historical accuracy on my blog when it first came out. Good on the big picture, fudged the details. Best of luck with your blog!
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