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Explore the Hellenistic Age from 336-31 BCE, covering the conquests of Alexander the Great, the rise of Hellenistic kingdoms, and the impact on art, philosophy, and society. Discover the influences on Greek and Roman cultures, the spread of Greek deities, and the legacy of Alexandria.
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Hellenistic Civilization 336-31 BCE
The Ancient Greeks • Dark Age: 1200-800 BCE • Archaic Age: 800-500 • Classical Age: 500-350 • Acharnians, 425 BCE • Clouds, 423 BCE • Lysistrata, 411 BCE • Hellenistic Age: 350-200
Timeline for the Hellenistic Age 404 BCE: Athenian Empire collapses 390s-340s: Greece descends into internecine warfare. 350s: Macedon expands power into Thrace and northern Greece 338: Macedon defeats Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea 336-323: Alexander conquers Persian Empire 300: Euclid completes his Elements in Alexandria 300: Epicurus founds the Garden in Athens 240-212: Archimedes active in Syracuse 200: Septuagint completed near Alexandria
Military Might of Athens and Sparta at the Beginning of the War c. 330
By Oliver-Bonjoch - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10341365
Reconstruction (in Istanbul) of Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Sculptures from the classical period tended to depict idealized versions of the male form.
Which powerful monarchy ultimately united the Greeks around 338 BCE? • Rome • Persia • Egypt • Macedon
Aristarchus of Samos • 310-230 BCE • Heliocentric model of universe • Incorrectly measured distance to the sun using mathematics and geometry
The angle of the shadow at Alexandria at Summer solstice was 1/50th of a circle
The Roman poetLucretius(99-55 BCE)Our main source for Epicurean philosophy
Which Greek philosopher do you find most intriguing? • Plato • Aristotle • Zeno – Stoics • Epicurus • Someone else
Discuss the Septuagint & Greek Influence • What were the implications of translating the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek? • What were the implications of the Macedonians and Greeks’ conquest of the Persian empire? • What was the relationship of the Greeks to the Romans in politics and culture?
The Establishment of Empire • Alexander’s commanders partition the empire into several kingdoms, including • Ptolomeic • Seleucid • Parthian • In order to consolidate their authority, they establish elaborate rituals, assume distinctive attire, and gain control over artistic patronage • little or no criticism of the rulers allowed
The Legacy of Alexander • Intensifies urbanization of the eastern Mediterranean • new cities established, such as Alexandria • the architecture & features of the polis established • gymnasia - mental and physical development • theaters - entertainment & dissemination of ideas • councils & assemblies - political discourse and concurrence • literature begins to idealize life in the countryside • The polis functions within the context of royal authority • Greek becomes the common language of the ruling classes and intellectual elite throughout the eastern Mediterranean until the rise of Islam in the seventh century
The Legacy of Alexander • Alexandria • one of the great cities of the ancient world; becomes the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt • initially a center of scientific inquiry, particularly in astronomy, mathematics, and physics • home of the greatest library in the ancient world • eventually at the end of the first century CE, it becomes one of the primary cities to attract the diaspora Jews • also becomes one of the great theological centers of early Christianity from 200-600 BCE • location where the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek: the Septuagint
The Legacy of Alexander • The spread of Greek deities and a widespread occurrence of syncretism • Greek culture intermingles with local practices • Slavery becomes widespread and assumes a form harsher than that of the classical polis • Greek speaking women assume a more prominent role in the administration of the Hellenistic kingdoms • Women also become more conspicuous as the authors of poetry and other forms of literature
The Legacy of Alexander • Spread of Greek philosophy • Stoicism: public duty, destiny, position in the divine order; between 200 BCE and 200 CE Stoicism becomes very popular among the political and administrative elite of Rome; it promoted equal citizenship for women; questioned the notion of free will; Stoics admired those who could control their passions • Epicureanism: emphasis on individual quest for happiness; not hedonism; challenged Greek emphasis on citizenship; gods have little or no influence on human affairs • Cynicism - meaning ‘like a dog’ the term was coined by their opponents; they rejected conventional aspirations, including wealth and comforts of civilized life
Legacy of Alexander • Increased scientific inquiry and technological development • astronomy: heliocentric model of the solar system proposed by Aristarchus; was later discarded for geocentric model • anatomy and the dissection of cadavers • Greeks learn the ancient medical practices of the Near East, including taking pulse to ascertain health • water pump, water clock, light houses • military technology: catapults, siege towers
Summary • The conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great provided a political and cultural structure that would survive the Roman imperial conquests of the first century BCE • Greek speaking elite • Greek institutions and traditions, including assemblies, athletic contests, and dramatic presentations, under the control of local kings • highly developed network of cities • use of coinage and establishment of long distance trade • The conquests spread Greek culture throughout the eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia
How could Aristophanes have been responsible for Socrates’ death? • Because his reputation was injured by the Clouds • Because Aristophanes testified aginst him • Because Aristophanes brother was his judge • Because, just because
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In your opinion, what is the condition of democracy in the United States? • It is very healthy, working as it should be • It is significantly flawed, but certainly nothing to be overly concerned about • I am worried that it is incurably dysfunctional • I have no opinion, or I have not really thought about it.
