70 Cities Named After Alexander; 50 Named Alexandria

Section 5The Spread of Hellenistic Culture

Conquered cities adopted Greek customs

Hellenistic Culture in Alexandria

Greek = Hellenic Blending of cultures became known as

Hellenistic culture Koine (koy NAY) meaning common, a Greek

dialect, became the language spoken

Trade and Cultural Diversity

Alexandria became the center of commerce and Hellenistic civilization

Alexandria’s Attractions Everyone admired its

beauty Most well known for its

museum and library

Astronomy Aristarchus made two

conclusions1. Sun at least 300

x’s bigger than the Earth

It was thought the sun was smaller than Greece

2. Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun

This wasn’t accepted because Ptolemy put the earth at the center of the solar system

Astronomy Cont.d’

Eratosthenes estimated the Earth’s true size

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Eratosthenes Measurement of the Size

of the Earth

Mathematics and Physics Euclid: mathematician

who wrote Elements Basis for geometry

Mathematics and Physics Cont.d’

Archimedes Studied value of pi Ratio of the

circumference of a circle to its diameter

Invented the Archimedes screw

Philosophy and Art• Philosophers became concerned with

how people should live their lives.• Stoicism and Epicureanism develop

Stoicism Founder Zeno Believed people should

live virtuous lives in harmony with the will of God or the natural laws that God established to run the universe

Human desires, power and wealth were dangerous distractions that should be checked.

Promoted social unity and encouraged followers to focus on what they could control

Epicureanism Founder Epicurus God had no interest in

humans. Humans ruled the universe

Only real objects were those that the five senses perceived

Greatest good and highest pleasure came from virtuous conduct and the absence of pain

Main goal: harmony of body and mind

Today it means a person devoted to pursuing human pleasures, especially the enjoyment of good food

Realism in Sculpture Largest sculpture

created on the island of Rhodes

Colossus of Rhodes

Realism in Sculpture Continued

Nike of Samothrace Hellenistic sculptor,

more realistic 150 B.C. Hellenistic

world declining Rome was growing