Faith versus reason in ancient Alexandria
Rowena Loverance tackles a blockbuster
At first sight, Alejandro Amenabar’s Agora, one of the current crop of cinematic ancient world blockbusters, would seem to confirm all the prejudices about Christianity into which Friends are prone to lapse. Irrational and credulous, intolerant and misogynist: the emerging Christians of fourth century Alexandria are an unappealing lot. How different, how very different, from the delightful Hypatia, who commands the lecture halls of the famous Library with her demonstrations of Apollonian geometry and takes on the ranks of male administrators in their own council chamber.
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