Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) was the Coptic pope of Alexandria from 412 to 444, succeeding Coptic Pope Theophilus I and preceding Coptic Pope Dioscorus. His reign began with riots against his accession to the papacy, and riots would continue under his rule, especially after he banned public shows, expelled the Jews (and encouraged attacks against them), and had a Greek philosopher murdered.
Biography[]
Cyril was born in 376 CE in Theodosios, Aegyptus, Roman Empire (present-day Mahalla al-Kubra, Egypt) to a Christian family. His maternal uncle was Coptic Pope Theophilus I, and in 403 he attended a synod in Constantinople with his uncle. On 18 October 412, he became the new Coptic pope after the death of his uncle (and some rioting by supporters of a rival priest), and in 415 he banned mime shows and dancing exhibitions in Alexandria, as they led to large crowds forming; he believed that large crowds could lead to riots. Christians and Jews were opposed to this edict, and Cyril had the Jews banished from Alexandria when they rioted against the Christians, allowing for people to plunder Jewish possessions. He also had the female Greek mathematician Hypatia murdered, and Cyril was known for his wrathful personality during his tenure as pope. He died in 444 CE.