AIM: HOW DID THE AIM: HOW DID THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD HELLENISTIC PERIOD

PRODUCE A NEW PRODUCE A NEW CULTURE? CULTURE?

Do Now: Quiz, chapter 5, section 4Do Now: Quiz, chapter 5, section 4

HW: HW: Rome, Chapter 6, section 1, focus Rome, Chapter 6, section 1, focus questionsquestions

Questions Questions

• 1. Explain the policy of exporting the 1. Explain the policy of exporting the polis. polis.

2. How did cosmopolitanism conflict 2. How did cosmopolitanism conflict with the concept of the polis? with the concept of the polis?

3. How does the author explain the 3. How does the author explain the rise of philosophies like Stoicism? rise of philosophies like Stoicism?

Alexander the Great

356-323 B.C.E.

Alexander the Great

356-323 B.C.E.

Alexander the Great’s EmpireAlexander the Great’s Empire

• Most Greeks considered Macedonians backward

– Lived in villages, not cities

– Spoke form of Greek unintelligible to other Greeks

• 359 BC, Macedonia’s fortune changed when Philip II took throne

The Rise of Macedonia

• Adopted phalanx system, but gave soldiers longer spears

• Included larger bodies of cavalry and more archers

• Conquered Greece– Faced little opposition

– Quickly crushed armies

– Conquered all but Sparta

Army Reorganization

Alexander the Great

Alexander Becomes King

• Philip assassinated

• Title, plans for conquests fell to son, Alexander the Great

• Alexander only 20, but had been trained to rule almost from birth

• Learned warfare and politics from father, mother, and Aristotle

Alexander’s Conquests

• Alexander faced almost immediately with revolts in Greece

• Set out to reestablish control

• Used harsh measures to show rebellion not tolerated

• Crushed Theban army and sold people into slavery, burned city

• With Greece under control, Alexander decided to build empire

• 334 BC, led army into Asia to take on Persians

• Army relatively small, but well trained, fiercely loyal

• Persian army huge, disorganized

Empire Building

• Within year Alexander’s army had won victory against Persians in Asia Minor

• Moved south to Phoenicia, Egypt; welcomed as liberator, named new pharaoh

• Next destroyed Persian army near Gaugamela, in what is now Iraq; caused Emperor Darius III to flee

Campaigns

Empire Building

Expanding the Empire

With defeat of Darius, Alexander the master of With defeat of Darius, Alexander the master of Persian world Persian world

• Troops marched to Persepolis, a Persian capital, burned Troops marched to Persepolis, a Persian capital, burned it to ground as sign of victory it to ground as sign of victory

• But Alexander not satisfied with size of empireBut Alexander not satisfied with size of empire

– Led army deeper into Asia, winning more victoriesLed army deeper into Asia, winning more victories

– Led army to the Indus, perhaps to conquer IndiaLed army to the Indus, perhaps to conquer India

– Soldiers had had enough, refused to proceed farther from homeSoldiers had had enough, refused to proceed farther from home

– Alexander forced to turn back to westAlexander forced to turn back to west

Alexander the Great in Persia

Alexander the Great in Persia

• Alexander’s empire largest world had ever seen

• Did not rule very long

• 323 BC, Alexander fell ill while in Babylon

• Died a few days later at age 33

• Alexander died without naming heir

Death at Early Age

End of the Empire

• Generals fought each other for power

• In the end, the empire was divided among three most powerful generals

• Called themselves kings– Antigonus became king of Macedonia

and Greece– Seleucus ruled Persian Empire – Ptolemy ruled Egypt

Power Struggle

End of the Empire

By bringing together a number of diverse peoples in his empire, Alexander helped create a new type of culture. It was no longer purely Greek, or Hellenic, but Hellenistic, or Greeklike.

The Hellenistic World

• Alexander made conscious effort to bring people, ideas together

• Married two Persian princesses

• Encouraged soldiers to marry Persians as well

Blending Cultures

• Appointed officials from various cultures to help rule

• Built dozens of new cities, encouraged Greek settlers to move into them

• Most new cities named Alexandria

New Cities

The Hellenistic World

• Alexandria, Egypt

• Located at mouth of Nile, where it met Mediterranean

• Ideal location for trade

• Harbor once busiest in world

Most Famous City

The Hellenistic World

Building Greek Cities in the East

Building Greek Cities in the East

Center of Culture• With trade money, Alexandrians built great palaces,

streets lined with monuments; city was home to centers of culture, learning

• The Museum, temple to spirit of creativity, home to many works of art

Alexandria and Beyond

LIBRARY AT ALEXANDRIALIBRARY AT ALEXANDRIA

Center of Learning• Library of Alexandria contained works on philosophy, literature,

history, sciences

• Alexandria remained center of culture, learning long after Hellenistic period

Library at Alexandria (333 B.C.E.)

Library at Alexandria (333 B.C.E.)

Trading Centers• Alexandria one of largest trading centers, but not only one in

Hellenistic world

• Cities in Egypt, Persia, Central Asia trading centers for Africa, Arabia, India

• Traders brought back goods, new ideas like teachings of Judaism

Alexandria and Beyond

Trade in the Hellenistic World

Trade in the Hellenistic World

• Shift from Hellenic Greece to Hellenistic world brought drastic changes to lives

• Most obvious change, how people were governed

• City-state no longer main political unit, replaced by kingdom

• Traditional Greek democracy gave way to monarchy

Drastic Changes

Life in the Hellenistic World

• Lives of women also changed significantly in Hellenistic Period

• Women had few rights in earlier Greek city-states

• Lives began to improve after Alexander, though women still not equal to men

• Gained rights to receive education, own property

Life for Women

Life in the Hellenistic World

Art and Literature

Art and literature also changed during Art and literature also changed during Hellenistic PeriodHellenistic Period

• Hellenistic artists learned to convey emotion, Hellenistic artists learned to convey emotion, movement in works, especially sculpturemovement in works, especially sculpture

• Women became much more common as subject Women became much more common as subject of art, literatureof art, literature

– Most earlier Greek statues had depicted menMost earlier Greek statues had depicted men– Love stories became popular form for first timeLove stories became popular form for first time– Earlier literature dealt with actions of godsEarlier literature dealt with actions of gods– Hellenistic writings focused on common events in Hellenistic writings focused on common events in

people’s everyday livespeople’s everyday lives

Hellenic vs. Hellenistic Art

Hellenic vs. Hellenistic Art

Hellenistic PhilosophersHellenistic

Philosophers$ Cynics Diogenes ignore social conventions & avoid

luxuries.

citizens of the world.

live a humble, simple life.

$ Epicurians Epicurus avoid pain & seek pleasure.

all excess leads to pain!

politics should be avoided.

Hellenistic PhilosophersHellenistic

Philosophers$ Stoics Zeno nature is the expansion of

divine will.

concept of natural law.

get involved in politics, not for personal gain, but to perform virtuous acts for the good of all.

true happiness is found in great achievements.

• Tremendous advances in science, technology during this period

• Among great Egyptian scholars, Euclid formulated many ideas about geometry we still learn about today

• Egypt also home of Eratosthenes, who calculated size of the world

• Other Hellenistic scientists studied the movement of the stars; the makeup and inner workings of the human body

Science and Technology

• Archimedes, one of world’s greatest inventors, used knowledge of math, physics to create devices

• Developed compound pulley to lift heavy loads; also invented mechanical screw to draw water out of ship’s hold, out of deep well

Inventors

• Other inventors not as ambitious as Archimedes, but clever in own right

• One built tiny steam engine, used to power mechanical toys

• Such devices representative of Hellenistic fascination with mechanics, technology

Mechanics

Hellenism:The Arts & Sciences

Hellenism:The Arts & Sciences$ Scientists /

Mathematicians: Aristarchus heliocentric

theory.

Euclid geometry.

Archimedes pulley.

Ptolemy geocentric theory.

The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

The Incursion of Rome into the

Hellenistic World

The Incursion of Rome into the

Hellenistic World