The Hellenistic The Hellenistic AgeAge

Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

Hellenistic Intellectual Hellenistic Intellectual AdvancesAdvances

Decline of the City-StatesDecline of the City-States Sparta and their allies felt threatened by Sparta and their allies felt threatened by

Athenian imperialismAthenian imperialism They go to warThey go to war Athens is struck by a plague in 430 which Athens is struck by a plague in 430 which

killed about 1/3 of their population including killed about 1/3 of their population including PericlesPericles

Also at that time, Athens was involved with a Also at that time, Athens was involved with a bitter battle with Sicilybitter battle with Sicily

Athens was the only city that might have Athens was the only city that might have unified the Greek world but it lost its chanceunified the Greek world but it lost its chance

Culturally stagnated Sparta had taken Culturally stagnated Sparta had taken controlcontrol Their rule was short-lived and city-states gained Their rule was short-lived and city-states gained

independenceindependence

The MacedoniansThe Macedonians As the Greeks battled each other groups As the Greeks battled each other groups

of Greek-dialect speaking mountain of Greek-dialect speaking mountain people were growing strong in the northpeople were growing strong in the north

At the age of 23 Philip II became king of At the age of 23 Philip II became king of MacedoniaMacedonia

He converted them into a world-class He converted them into a world-class military power and made Greece his military power and made Greece his targettarget

In 338 he defeated the Greeks and the In 338 he defeated the Greeks and the city-states lost their independencecity-states lost their independence

Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

Alexander was the son of Phillip of Alexander was the son of Phillip of MacedonMacedon

Phillip organized the Greek states into a Phillip organized the Greek states into a powerful league under his commandpowerful league under his command

He planned to launch an attack on the He planned to launch an attack on the PersiansPersians

Alexander carried out his father’s planAlexander carried out his father’s plan The attack on Persia was revenge for the The attack on Persia was revenge for the

Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC.Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC.

Alexander’s EmpireAlexander’s Empire Won some major battles in Asia minor and made Won some major battles in Asia minor and made

his way into Egypthis way into Egypt Seized the land, honored the priestly class and was Seized the land, honored the priestly class and was

declared pharaohdeclared pharaoh He marched into western Asia and defeated the He marched into western Asia and defeated the

PersiansPersians As an act of retribution he burned all the buildings of As an act of retribution he burned all the buildings of

XerxesXerxes He continued on his war path and pursued the Persian He continued on his war path and pursued the Persian

king to his deathking to his death He set out to conquer the rest of Asia and made it He set out to conquer the rest of Asia and made it

as far as India when his men refused to go any as far as India when his men refused to go any furtherfurther He headed south to the Arabian Sea waging bloody, He headed south to the Arabian Sea waging bloody,

unnecessary warunnecessary war

Alexander’s War PathAlexander’s War Path

The Political LegacyThe Political Legacy Alex died at the age of 32 in 323 BC while he Alex died at the age of 32 in 323 BC while he

awaited replacement troops because his army awaited replacement troops because his army refused to marchrefused to march Causes of death?Causes of death?

Drinking bingeDrinking binge SyphilisSyphilis Typhoid FeverTyphoid Fever PoisonPoison

Named his lover Hephaestion the heirNamed his lover Hephaestion the heir He was killed tooHe was killed too

Had an infant son that was murderedHad an infant son that was murdered His most powerful generals then fought for control His most powerful generals then fought for control

but the empire was divided into large monarchiesbut the empire was divided into large monarchies

Hellenistic Intellectual Hellenistic Intellectual AdvancesAdvances

Widespread conquest brought not Widespread conquest brought not only a spread of Hellenism but only a spread of Hellenism but Hellenistic exposure to foreign ideasHellenistic exposure to foreign ideas

This cultural and intellectual This cultural and intellectual dispersion went on to influence the dispersion went on to influence the Roman, Jews and Christians Roman, Jews and Christians

Religion in the Religion in the Hellenistic WorldHellenistic World

When kings founded cities they built When kings founded cities they built temples and priesthoods that honored temples and priesthoods that honored the traditional Olympic gods- the traditional Olympic gods- see Paestumsee Paestum

These new cults received public money These new cults received public money and were attractive because of their and were attractive because of their rituals and festivitiesrituals and festivities Literary, musical and athletic competitionsLiterary, musical and athletic competitions

The civic cults never addressed sin and The civic cults never addressed sin and redemption which was becoming a redemption which was becoming a concern after exposure to other culturesconcern after exposure to other cultures ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism

Mystery ReligionsMystery Religions Emerged to fill the voidEmerged to fill the void Attracted both Greeks and easterners Attracted both Greeks and easterners

with a promise of immortalitywith a promise of immortality Required initiation processesRequired initiation processes

Devotees become one with god, who had Devotees become one with god, who had himself died and risen from the deadhimself died and risen from the dead

The sacrifice of the god and his triumph The sacrifice of the god and his triumph over death saved the devotee from the over death saved the devotee from the power of eternal deathpower of eternal death

Initiation represented birth into a new lifeInitiation represented birth into a new life The cult of Isis, the wife of Osiris who The cult of Isis, the wife of Osiris who

conquered Tyche conquered Tyche

Epicureanism Epicureanism Epicurus Epicurus based his philosophy on scientific based his philosophy on scientific

theories and taught that the gods had no theories and taught that the gods had no impact on the lives of humansimpact on the lives of humans

The principal good of human life is pleasureThe principal good of human life is pleasure The absence of painThe absence of pain

Three kinds of desires: natural and necessary desires, Three kinds of desires: natural and necessary desires, natural but non-necessary desires, and "vain and empty" natural but non-necessary desires, and "vain and empty" desires desires

Static vs. moving pleasuresStatic vs. moving pleasures

Violent emotions are undesirable Violent emotions are undesirable Mild self-discipline is necessaryMild self-discipline is necessary Epicureans basically ignored the political arenaEpicureans basically ignored the political arena

It was disturbing to the soulIt was disturbing to the soul Modern Modern HedonismHedonism

StoicismStoicism The philosophy of The philosophy of ZenoZeno Based on moral obligationBased on moral obligation Saw nature as an expression of Saw nature as an expression of

divine willdivine will Happiness would result from living Happiness would result from living

life in accord with naturelife in accord with nature Created the concept of natural lawCreated the concept of natural law Lived like actors in play, not Lived like actors in play, not

changing the scriptchanging the script Men are brothers and are obliged to Men are brothers and are obliged to

help one anotherhelp one another

ScienceScience Aristarchus- astronomer who argued Aristarchus- astronomer who argued

against Aristotle's heliocentric theoryagainst Aristotle's heliocentric theory Euclid- Euclid- The Elements of GeometryThe Elements of Geometry Archimedes- catapults, grappling devices, Archimedes- catapults, grappling devices,

compound pulleys, the Archimedean screwcompound pulleys, the Archimedean screw Founded hydrostaticsFounded hydrostatics

Eratosthenes- declared that a ship could Eratosthenes- declared that a ship could sail westward to Indiasail westward to India

Dogmatic school of medicine- speculation Dogmatic school of medicine- speculation and anatomyand anatomy

Empiric school of medicine- observation Empiric school of medicine- observation and the curing of illness with drugs and the curing of illness with drugs

The Archimedean ScrewThe Archimedean Screw