Agora, 아고라

Facing People with Different Stance

A Reflection Paper on the Film “Agora”

The film Agora describes the historical event, the brutal murder of philosopher Hypatia by Christians at Alexandria about 400 C.E. In cinematic point of view, this event may be very charming material to cinematize; the event can be presented with the symbolic meaning, which Hypatia, who were the symbol of reason and the last bastion of Greek philosophy at that time, was murdered by 'religious' people, and with the emotional aspect, which Hypatia, smart and beautiful woman who had authority when women hardly had power in the society, was brutally killed by religious fanatics.

However, the film itself is the result of dramatization of the fact; therefore, it contains the fictional aspects as well as historical facts. Then, which are historical facts and which are fictional additions?

Historically, Hypatia is real, although there are few historical materials that talks about her. She was born in about 355 C.E., as the daughter of Theon; Theon is also outstanding mathematician as well as the director of the Museum, where all intellects were gathering. Hypatia, being good at various subjects, such as math, astronomy, and philosophy just like her father, teaches what she knows at her 'agora'; her pupils are mostly from the elites, including Synesius, who later becomes the bishop of Cyrene, and Orestes, who later becomes the prefect of Alexandria.

In Hypatia's 'agora,' people from different religions study, debate, and seek for the truth together. There are Christians and non-Christians, including Jews and those who believe in other religions or none at all. Hypatia herself is also a 'pagan' in point of view of 'Christianity'; she believes in philosophy, or the truth that governs the world whatever it might be.

However, this peace does not last for long. Christianity starts to spread further and the conflict between Christians, Jews, and non-Christians becomes more visible. The transition from the era of 'pagans' into the era of 'Christians' starts to take place. Instability and violence are rampant in the society due to frequent fighting and quarrels between people with different ideas, specifically, religions. takes many valuable things away; wealth is lost, sculptures and statues are destroyed, the books and knowledge are lost, and talented men are lost. However, we cannot just simply say that the certain party, or a single person, is bad and the other one is good.

Periods of major historical transition are often marked with great intellectual, political and social instability. Context must be carefully understood to avoid making hasty generalizations about historical groups and individuals.

The instability starts with non-Christians in Serapeum, including students of Hypatia, attacking unarmed Christians. However, those people from Serapeum are outnumbered by Christians, so they lock themselves in the Serapeum for safety. While non-Christians are locked in Serapeum, continuing teaching and learning, Christianity spreads further especially among the poor and the weak.

As the emperor Flavius Theodosius assigns Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire and orders 'pagans' to move out of Serapeum and to destroy all the pagan remains, and As Theophilus becomes the bishop of Alexandria, everything changes.

All the knowledge, books, is destroyed because it is considered as pagan. All the statues and sculptures are destroyed because they are considered as pagan. Christians do not hesitate at all in destroying and firing all those products of knowledge accumulated for a long time.

Moreover, the social system, which was kept for more than hundred years, breaks down. During the chaos, some slaves free themselves and some of them even attack their own master, just like how Theon is injured. The rules that governed Alexandria for many years are challenged and changed in the favor of Christians. Political conflicts between the representatives of three different parties also occur. However, the power of the church and the power of those church people, like bishop, become stronger day by day as more people convert into Christianity.

After all those chaos and transition, it seems like the peace came back again. However, it is not if we look carefully. The conflict between Jews and Christians, especially Parabolanos, is not over yet. Cyril, the leader of the Christians at that time, orders his people, Christians, to attack Jews and Jews attack back again. As a consequence, Cyril gets angry and stirs up Christians to drive Jews out of the city. This conflict between Jews and Christians causes the conflict among politicians, like Orestes, who is now a prefect of Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Hypatia remains neutral by showing kindness to all parties, not joining religious disputes, and not worshipping any Gods. Thus, her study is not disturbed or interrupted by church. She gives advices to her old pupils, such as Orestes, and maintains good relationship with her pupils, such as Synesius. Moreover, after moving out from the museum, Hypatia continues studying, discussing, and even experimenting.

However, as the church gets bigger and as Cyril, the leader of the Christians, is elected as the successor of Theophilus, Hypatia begins to be involved in the religious conflicts. Christians, especially Cyril, insist that Hypatia is a witch based on the Holy Bible, which is the word of God. Those, who are poor, thus ignorant, and do not know about Hypatia well, support that rumor. However, actually Cyril attempts to somehow murder Hypatia because of political reasons; Orestes, who is in confrontation with him, is supported by Hypatia and Hypatia is trusted and beloved by her students who are in high rank in both the empire and the church. Meaning, Hypatia is an obstacle in Cyril's political life.

Finally, at the end of the film, or historically, Christians murder Hypatia brutally.

Overall, the film Agora can be seen as encouraging to have ill feelings towards certain religion; however, if carefully investigated, it shows duplicity of all religions.

For Christianity, Christian characters, Ammonius, Theophilus, and Cyril, are at the center of the confrontation and violence between the parties. Ammonius flames the conflict and stimulates other religions by challenging them to walk through the fire and burning one of them. Theophilus orders to take over Serapeum and causes knowledge to be destroyed. Cyril stirs up Christians to drive Jews out of the city and spreads rumor about Hypatia and eventually causes her death.

However, Christians also do good things at the same time. One of the church organizations, Parabolan, which the Davus, the slave of Hypatia, joined, heals and offers food and shelter to sickly people, homeless people, and handicapped people, who are oppressed in the Roman society.

For non-Christians, we have to take note that before Theophilus orders to attack Serapeum, non-Christians is the first one to attack the unarmed Christians. Moreover, even before attacking, when Christianity was weak and minor, they oppressed, ignored, and maltreated 'pagans' in their point of view. Same with Jews as well.

Thus, as mentioned above, we should prevent ourselves from making hasty generalizations about historical groups and individuals, especially if the groups or individuals are from the era of confusion and chaos, such as religious transition or warfare. Historical figures, groups and individuals all have their own circumstances and different environments which will perfectly justify violence-or justice in their own point of view-of each, and, honestly, we can never know what actually happened because we study them by only using what they had left. Every groups appearing in the film Agora cannot be, should not be, judged easily.

However, we also need to be aware that justification only based on one's own ethnocentric view or point of one's own view is also wrong.

This could be applied in our everyday life as well. Whenever we face people or groups with different assertion, we better avoid making quick judgment or hasty generalizations about him or them.

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