Alexander the Great and Hellenistic Culture

Hellenism• When the Peloponnesian War ended, Sparta attempted to

create a Greek empire. The Spartan effort failed, leaving the Greek states in disarray.

• Philip II (359-336 BC), king of Macedonia, took advantage of this situation. He conquered Greece and united the Greek states with Macedonia

• His son Alexander (r. 336-323 BC) would go on to conquer the Persian Empire and carried his army as far as India

• His early death in 323 BC created political chaos, out of which several smaller empires emerged.

• His victories made possible the dissemination of Hellenism throughout the East. Hellenism is the spread of Greek culture as modified by influences from southwest Asia

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Alexander's Empire, ca. 323 B.C.E.

From Polis to Monarchy

• Politically, the Hellenistic period is marked by the resurgence of monarchy

• The Hellenistic kings succeeded in creating economic and social opportunities for both men and women. They established cities in order to attract the Greeks they needed to run their kingdoms

• Greek became the language of government and learning.

Hellenistic Philosophy and Science• Philosophy

-Epicureanism encouraged focus on material things and political passivity.

-Stoicism demanded that individuals accept their lot in life and resign themselves to their duty

• Science– Aristarchus of Samos propounded the heliocentric theory.– Euclid created a system of geometry still in use today.– Archimedes was the greatest scientist of his day– Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth

with amazing accuracy.– Medicine was one of the few areas in which Greek science

was applied to practical problems