She is estimated to have lived anywhere bwtween 400B.C.-300 A.D. And is said to be the first non fictitious alchemist in the Western world. She is known as the names Maria the Jewess or Maria Prophetissima or Mary Prophetissa or Miriam the Prophetess. There is no tangible evidence of the exact time and place of her existence. One theory is that she is possibly Miriam, the sister of Moses and the prophet Aaron.
She is mentioned in a few sources including the 4th century alchemy by Zosimos of Panopolis, she is also mentioned by George Syncellus in the eighth century as 'Mary the Prophetess', the Arabs knew her as the 'Daughter of Plato'. In the Alexander book by Nizami, Maria a Syrian princess visits Alexander the Great in Greece and learns from Aristotle (384-322B.C.) including how to make gold.
Although none of her original writings have survived the test of time, she is said to have invented some aparatus that alchemists use as well as having various precepts attributed to her.
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