Set in late fourth-century Alexandria, the film follows Hypatia, a brilliant philosopher and mathematician who teaches astronomy whilst the city around her descends into violent religious conflict between pagans, Christians and Jews. As her devoted students are drawn into the political and sectarian turmoil, Hypatia remains focused on understanding the movements of the heavens, even as her own freedoms are increasingly threatened. The rise of Christian fundamentalism ultimately puts her life in grave danger, bringing her into fatal confrontation with the forces of zealotry she has tried to reason with.