History Essay

John.Quality

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Chapter 4

The Hellenistic World

Learning Objectives (Slide 1 of 2)

Analyze how Alexander was able to amass his empire, and what its potential impact might have been had he lived longer

Identify the main features of the political and military organization of the Hellenistic kingdoms, and how these new political systems differed from those of Greek city-states

Learning Objectives (Slide 2 of 2)

Summarize the main social developments in the Hellenistic world

Describe the achievements in literature, art, science, and philosophy during the Hellenistic period

Discuss the prominent religions during the Hellenistic period and what their popularity suggests about Hellenistic society

Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander (Slide 1 of 2)

Macedonia became the chief power in the Greek world by King Philip II’s reign (359–336 B.C.E.)

Philip instituted military reforms

New phalanx with lighter swords and smaller shields

Infantrymen with longer spears

Strengthened bond between army and leaders

Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander (Slide 2 of 2)

Alexander the Great

Starting at age 20, carried on his father’s dream of invading the Persian Empire

The conquests of Alexander: from western half of Asia Minor, Issus, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, to northwestern India

The legacy: was Alexander great?

His military brilliance and promotion of Greek culture vs. his ruthless, selfish autocratic aspirations

Chronology: Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander

Event	Dates
Reign of Philip II	359–336 B.C.E.
Battle of Chaeronea; Philip II conquers Greece	338 B.C.E.
Reign of Alexander the Great	336–323 B.C.E.
Alexander invades Asia; Battle of Granicus River	334 B.C.E.
Battle of Issus	333 B.C.E.
Battle of Gaugamela	331 B.C.E.
Fall of Persepolis, the Persian capital	330 B.C.E.
Alexander enters India	327 B.C.E.
Battle of Hydaspes River	326 B.C.E.
Death of Alexander	323 B.C.E.

Table description: A table of the major events in the conquest of Alexander.

The World of the Hellenistic Kingdoms (Slide 1 of 3)

Hellenistic monarchies

Antigonid, Ptolemaic, Pergamene, and Seleucid

The threat from the Celts

Sacked Rome 390 B.C.E

Attacked Macedonia early third century B.C.E.

Attacked Asia Minor, but was defeated in 230 B.C.E.

The World of the Hellenistic Kingdoms (Slide 2 of 3)

Political and military institutions

Monarchy while retaining democratic government in cities

Phalanx and cavalry continue with addition of war elephants

Hellenistic cities

Urban centers with primarily Greek culture and political institutions

The World of the Hellenistic Kingdoms (Slide 3 of 3)

Economic trends in the Hellenistic world

Continued agrarian patterns

Expanded commerce

New opportunities for women

Primarily those in the upper-class

Management of slaves, property, and making loans

Education: literature, arts, music, athletics

Culture in the Hellenistic World (Slide 1 of 2)

New directions in literature

Theocritus

Menander

Polybius

Hellenistic art

Moved away from idealism of fifth-century classicism to more emotional and realistic art

Culture in the Hellenistic World (Slide 2 of 2)

A golden age of science

Conscious separation of science from philosophy

Astronomy: heliocentric view

Geometry: Pi

Philosophy: new schools of thought

Epicureanism

Stoicism

Religion in the Hellenistic World

Mystery religions

Noticeable decline in the vitality of the traditional Greek Olympian religion

Receptive to the numerous religious cults of the eastern world

Jews in the Hellenistic world

Syncretism

Lived by their own laws and judicial system

Discussion Questions

Compare and contrast Greek sculpture of the Golden Age with Hellenistic sculpture, considering aesthetics, styles, and subject matter

Were Greek scientific gains greater in the Hellenistic period than in the Classical period? Why or why not?

How did women become more autonomous in the Hellenistic world?