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Hellenistic Greece (324 B.C.E - 100 B.C.E.): The Legacy of Alexander. Adapted from PowerPoint presentation by Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley H.S. Chappaqua, NY. Macedonia Under Philip II. Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great’s Empire. Alexander the Great in Persia.
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Hellenistic Greece (324 B.C.E - 100 B.C.E.): The Legacy of Alexander Adapted from PowerPoint presentation by Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley H.S. Chappaqua, NY
The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire Three Macedonian generals of significance: • Ptolemy I – Egypt • Seleucus - Mesopotamia • Antigonus – Macedonia and Asia Minor Appoint themselves governors of these provinces • Begin to quarrel amongst themselves • Alexander’s wife, Roxanne, and their son are seen as threats to governors’ power; both are murdered • Bickering and power-grabbing renders Alexander’s once-great empire open to conquest (Romans)
Alexander’s Legacy One of history’s greatest generals • Never lost a battle • Created a vast empire with a modest army Organizational and diplomatic talents • Brought scholars with him as he conquered new places • Allowed willing peoples to retain self-government • Established 70+ new cities along trade routes • Encouraged trade and prosperity throughout his empire • Spread Hellenistic culture to East and brought elements of Eastern culture to the West
Hellenistic Philosophers Cynics Diogenes • Ignore social conventions & avoid luxuries. • All people are citizens of the world. • Live a humble, simple, crude, “natural” life. Epicureans Epicurus • Avoid pain & seek pleasure. • All excess leads to pain! • Politics should be avoided. • Open to both men and women (controversial!) • Believed in gods but felt they did not act on/react to human behaviors
Hellenistic Philosophers Stoics Zeno • Nature is the expansion of divine will. • Developed the concept of natural law (events are rational) • The universe is governed by fate. • 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. • Moral weakness leads to unhappiness
The Arts & Sciences Scientists / Mathematicians: • Aristarchus heliocentric theory of the universe • Hipparchus geocentric view (Ptolemy accepted the geocentric view… and it will stick until disproved by Copernicus in the 16th century, C.E.) • Euclid geometry • Archimedes mechanics (pulley, lever) • Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth!
The Arts & Sciences Hellenistic Literature: • New focus: history • Mainly preserved by Alexandrian scholars Hellenistic Art: • More realistic; less ideal than Hellenic art. • Showed more realistic emotion, age, human flaws (including wrinkles!)
The Arts & Sciences Hellenistic Architecture: • New cities built in a grid pattern • Money was plentiful and rulers sought to display a polis’ wealth through beautiful buildings, monuments, temples, stoa, etc. built in the Classical style Doric, Ionic, & Corinthian capitals