Hellenistic

Elle, Osei, and Michael S.toc The Hellenistic Period (338-146) BCE

Origin
Began with Philip II of Macedon conquering Greece
 * Creates League of Corinth which places him as hegemon
 * Greeks govern themselves in all respects except Military and Foreign Policy
 * Philip is assassinated by a traitor in the court before he can conquer Persia
 * Philip's son Alexander takes over
 * Alexander handles the early Theban revolt, demolishing the city of Thebes and disuades others from revolting
 * Alexander immediately attacks Persia in 334
 * Alexander conquers Egypt, Persia, and all the land to India using the tactics of constant movement, dominant phalanxes and apathy among Persian conscripts
 * On way back from India he dies in Babylon, naming "The strongest" as his successor
 * leaves a power vacuum and civil war

New Kingdoms
-Kingdoms formed as each rulers share for ending the impossible to win war -All kingdoms named after founder (Antigonus, Seleusus, and Ptolemy)

Antigonid
(Greece and Macedonia)
 * Homeland Kingdom
 * Continued as Greek Hegemon

Seleucid
(Asia Minor, Persia, and some Middle East)
 * Lost easternmost Persian territories
 * Largest Empire, but gradually lost territory
 * Constant power struggle with the Ptolemaic kingdom for Palestine

Ptolemaic
(Egypt)
 * Longest lasting kingdom
 * Dynasty of Pharaohs
 * Sibling marriage
 * all had the names of Ptolemy, Arsinoe, or Cleopatra

Attalid
(Pergamum)
 * Split of from Seleucid
 * Willed to Rome by last king of Pergamum

Government

 * All Monarchies
 * replaced Democracies
 * Ruling class of Greeks and Macedonians in all kingdoms
 * The "educated and civilized" Greeks and Macedonians were better fit to rule
 * Maintained power through force

Military

 * larger standing armies
 * lots of mercenaries
 * war elephants
 * improved siege tactics
 * new catapults and ballistae

Culture

 * Extreme blending of cultures
 * Greek and the local culture
 * Rosetta stone and mixed marriage (begun by Alexander)
 * Koine Greek was the predominant language
 * simplified Greek
 * Cities are dependent on kings for protection
 * Cosmopolitanism-idea that people are citizens of the universe
 * Very popular philosophy
 * led to more travel
 * people lost pride in one city
 * Art
 * Venus de Milo
 * Laocoon and Sons
 * Old Market Woman
 * Winged Nike of Samothrace
 * All are Realistic and Dynamic
 * Look real and look like they are in motion
 * Also shows emotion and Individualism
 * Drapery is very popular



Science and Learning

 * Separation of science from philosophy[[image:http://www.touregypt.net/images/touregypt/pharos2.jpg width="182" height="219" align="right" caption="Pharos or Lighthouse of Alexandria"]]
 * Alexandria- Science
 * Athens- Philosophy
 * New city of Alexandria, Egypt will become center of scientific learning
 * library of Alexandria built by Ptolemies: 400,000 scrolls
 * Pharos (Lighthouse of Alexandria)
 * Ctesibius of Alexandria builds Piston driven water-pump
 * Hero: steam-engine
 * Aristarchus
 * heliocentric view of universe (sun is center of universe)
 * Earth rotates on it own axis
 * Ideas were rejected by most scholars
 * Eratosthenes
 * Measures circumference of Earth
 * Archimedes
 * Geometry
 * formula for spheres and cylinders
 * Value of pi
 * Inventions
 * Archimedean screw: water-pump to move water uphill
 * Compound Pulley
 * New siege engines & Defensive measures(used against the Romans)