Alexander

1
Alexander Hellenistic Greece

• SS.A.2.4.4 SS.B.1.4.4 SS.B.2.4.1

2
Macedonia Threatens Greece

• To the Greeks, Macedonia, their northern
  neighbors were uncivilized barbarians loosely
  organized in groups
• By 400 B.C. Macedonia emerges as a powerful
  kingdom
• 359 B.C. Philip II becomes king of Mac.
• Philip loved Greek culture and dreamed of a
  unified, powerful Greece headed by his Macedonian
  kingdom
• Crushing Greece at the battle of Chaeronea (338
  B.C.), Philip wants all Greeks to invade Persia
• Before the invasion, Philip is assassinated

3
Macedonian Growth
4
The Rise of Alexander

• At 20, Philips son Alexander crowned king
• With 37,000 troops (5,000 cavalry) Alexander
  invades Asia Minor in 334 B.C.
• 332 Alexander has conquered large parts of
  Persian Empire including Asia Minor, Egypt,
  Palestine and Syria (builds city of Alexandria as
  Greek capital of Egypt)
• 331 Persian Empire falls to Alexander

5
Alexanders World

• After he conquers the Persian Empire, Alexander
  continues moving east N.E.
• Alexander conquers Pakistan, and moves across the
  Indus River into India
• Alexanders men refuse to fight, Alex returns to
  Babylon
• 323 B.C. Alexander dies from wounds, fever and
  too much alcohol

6
Hellenistic Kingdoms

• Hellenistic Era meaning to imitate Greeks this
  era saw the adoption of Greek culture and ideas
  by non-Greeks
• After Alexs death, the empire was divided into
  four others Syria, Egypt, Macedonia and Pergamum
  (in Asia Minor)
• In Hellenistic kingdoms, Greek was the official
  language
• Greeks encouraged to come to Asia and colonize

7
Alexanders Legacy

• Alexander strived to be like Achilles, from
  Homers Iliad, and slept with a copy of the poem
  and a dagger under his pillow
• Empirelots of landlots of goldgood economy for
  Greece
• Greek language, architecture, literature and art
  spread through SW Asia
• As successors create military kingdoms

8
Hellenistic Culture

• The Hellenistic Era was a period of considerable
  accomplishment in Greek science and philosophy
• Alexandria, Egypt becomes the center of
  Hellenistic thought
• A large library was built in Alexandria
• Pergamum also becomes important cultural center

9
Hellenistic Art Architecture

• Building new citiesneed for architects and
  artists
• Many rich people commissioned artists to create
  works of art
• Artists enlisted to beautify older cities
• Statues even more life-like, moving from
  idealistic forms to more realistic, emotional
  characteristics

10
Hellenistic Literature

• Enormous amounts of literature written
• Writing considered important by kings
• Appolonius writes epic poem Argonautica
• Theocritus writes love and nature poems,
  believing Homer set the standard for epics
• Athens remains center of Greek drama
• Comedies as pure entertainment, not political
  commentary, become more pop.

11
Hellenistic Science

• Much progress in Math and Astronomy
• Aristarchus of Samos Earth revolves around the
  Sun
• Euclid writes Elements, describing principles of
  Plane Geometry still used
• Eratosthenes calculates the circumference of the
  Earth to within 185 miles of its actual
  circumferenceimpressive

12
Archimedes

• Archimedes most famous Hellenistic scientist
• Known for work with spheres cylinders
• Established mathematical constant p (Pi)
• Eureka! discovered specific gravity
• Invented Archimedes Screw used to pump water
  out of mines and lift irrigation

13
Hellenistic Philosophy

• Athenscenter of Hellenistic philosophy
• Schools emerge teaching many ideas
• Epicureanism people do what they want,
  happinesspleasure, free oneself from turmoil of
  public activity. Friendshipmeaning of life
• Stoicism Happinessinner-peace achieved by
  living will of God, and public servicenoble