Alexander And the Hellenistic Period

1. Alexander And the Hellenistic Period

2. Macedonia Under Philip II

3. Threat of Macedonia • Phillip II – 359 B.C. • Unites all of Greece under Macedonia • Created a true monarchy • Brilliant military strategist • Battle of Chaeronea • Macedonia defeats the Greeks • Uses phalanx formations & then cavalry to crush opponents • Alexander leads a cavalry charge at 18 • Plan was to unite Greeks to go against Persians • Phillip II was assassinated • At his daughters wedding in 336 B.C. • Son, Alexander take the throne

4. Death of Phillip II of Macedonia

5. Alexander the Great • 20 years old when he took the throne • Motivated by a desire & empire • Tutored by Aristotle • Desire to avenge Persian burning of Athens • Alexander’s Conquests • 334 B.C. defeated the Persian Army •  30,000 infantry – 5,000 cavalry •  hit Persians quickly and used phalanx formation •  freed Greek city-states in Asia Minor • 332 B.C. defeated Syria, Palestine, and Egypt •  Alexandria became the Greek capital of Egypt • Turned toward Pakistan and India •  soldiers refused and went home • 323 B.C. returned to Babylon •  died at age 32 from wounds, fever and alcohol

6. Alexander the Great

7. Alexander the Great in Persia

8. Legacy of Alexander • Great Military leader • Motivated by desire •  Created largest empire ancient world had known •  willing to risk his own life • Sought to imitate Achilles •  kept a copy of the Illiad under his pillow • Extended Greek rule over a vast area •  brought much wealth to Greece & Macedonia • New culture emerges from blend of Greek and Eastern customs •  Alexander adopted Persian dress and married a Persian woman

9. Alexander the Great’s Empire

10. The Spread of Hellenistic Culture 324 B.C. - 100 B.C.

11. The Hellenistic Kingdoms • Hellenistic Culture • Blend of Greek culture w/ Egyptian, Persian and Indian influence • Rulers encouraged massive spread of Greek colonies • Southwest Asia •  modern Afghanistan and India • Architecture and Sculpture • Built throughout the empire •  moved away from earlier classicism to realistic art

12. The Hellenization of Asia

13. Pergamum: A Hellenistic City

14. Greatest Accomplishment of the Hellenistic Age • Alexander the Great saved Greek Culture and spread their ideas to every new place he conquered. • The new culture that emerged was called “Hellenistic” culture, which means “Greek-like”. • All of the following are the legacies of this Hellenistic age….

15. Science & Technology • Alexander preserved Greek and Egyptian learning • Observatory: study planets and stars • Ptolemy • Friend to Alexander – satrap of Egypt • Last renowned astronomer •  said Earth was center of universe

17. Eratosthenes • Said Earth was round – 28,000-29,000 miles (within 185 m.) •  was an astronomer as well as poet

18. Mathematics & Physics • Euclid • Mathematician taught in Alexandria •  Elements: best known book •  still used as basis for geometry • Archimedes • Most famous scientist •  geometry of spheres and cylinders •  mathematical constant pi •  created device that raised water • from the ground •  created pulley to lift heavy object

20. Archimedes Moving the World

21. The Economy of the Hellenistic World

22. Hellenistic Philosophers • Athens chief center of philosophy • New system of Epicureanism and Stoicism • Epicureanism: self interest • avoid pain & seek pleasure. • Gods had no interest in humans • politics should be avoided. • soul dies with body, should not fear death

23. Epicurus“Pleasure is our first and kindred good. It is the starting-point of every choice …”

24. Zeno - Stoicism

25. Realism in Sculpture • Hellenistic Art • More realistic; less ideal than Greek art • Showed individual emotions, wrinkles, and age! • Moved away from appreciation of human body • Female nudes become popular • Colossus of Rhodes • 100 ft. high – one of 7 wonders of the Ancient World

26. Hellenistic Art

27. The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

28. 7 Wonders of the World Tourist attractions of the Hellenistic World 1. Pyramids of Khufu 26th century BC 2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon 6th century BC 3. Temple of Artemis 6th century BC 4. Statue of  Zeus 5th century BC 5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus 4th century BC 6. Colossus of Rhodes 3rd century BC 7. Lighthouse of Alexandria 3rd century BC

29. The Temple of Artemis • City of Ephesus - Western Turkey • First shrine to Goddess Artemis built around 800 B.C. • Goddess of fertility • First temple burnt in 356 BC - Herostratus • New temple - 425 ft long & 225 ft wide - 127 columns • Parthenon 230 ft long, 100 ft wide & 58 columns • Major tourist attraction • Souvenirs & religious items including miniature statues of Artemis • Destroyed by Goths in 262 A.D • Few remains today • Marble salvaged for local building needs

30. Hanging Gardens Of Babylon - Iraq • Garden built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years starting in 605 BC • Strabo described them as groups of vaulted terraces raised one above another • Built to cheer up Nebuchadnezzar's homesick wife, Amyitis from Medes • Land she came from was green, rugged and mountainous, and she found the flat, sun-baked terrain of Mesopotamia depressing.

31. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Western Turkey Mausolus, with his queen Artemisia (also sister), ruled over Halicarnassus & the surrounding territory for 24 years In 353 B.C. Mausolus died Artemisia, heartbroken, decided to build the world’s most splendid tomb Stood above the city ruins for some 17 centuries until destroyed by an earthquake in 1404 AD

32. The Great Pharos Lighthouse Alexandria, Egypt founded by Alexander in 332 BC Under Ptolemys the city became rich and prosperous City needed both a symbol & a mechanism to guide the many trade ships into the busy harbor Built on the island of Pharos Building of the Pharos started in 290 B.C Took 20 years to complete Became tallest building in existence, with the exception of the Great Pyramid Became big tourist attraction Damaged by earthquakes Finally collapsed in 1306 AD

33. The Great Pyramids of Giza Pharaoh Khufu 2400 BC • Only remaining wonder • 756 feet long & 450 high • Tallest man-made structure for over 4400 years until 1889 - Eiffel Tower • Composed of 2,300,000 blocks of stone • Originally covered by a beautiful smooth limestone surfacing • Khufu’s tomb and treasure has never been found

34. The Colossus of Rhodes • Island of Rhodes was an important economic center • Southwestern tip of Asia Minor • Held off a siege of city for over a year • Celebrated the victory by building huge statue • Melted metal from war machines left behind • Construction took 12 years • 110 ft high and stood upon a 50 foot pedestal near the harbor • Destroyed by earthquake after 56 years

35. Statue of Zeus • Temple of Zeus at Olympia – constructed 470 to 460 B.C. • Similar to Parthenon in design • Needed a magnificent statue of Zeus • 50 feet high • Phidias – sculptor • Statue of Athena in the Parthenon