Chapter 4
The Hellenistic World
Macedonia and the Conquests of
Alexander
Macedonia
Philip II (359 – 336 B.C.)
Athenian Reaction to Philip
Battle of Chaeronea (338 B.C.)
Corinthian League
Alexander the Great (336 – 323 B.C.)
The Conquests of
Alexander
Battle of Granicus River
(334 B.C.)
Battle of Issus (333 B.C.)
Syria, Palestine and Egypt
(332 B.C.)
Battle of Gaugamela (331
B.C.)
Persepolis (330 B.C.)
India (327 B.C.)
Hydaspes River (326 B.C.)
Death of Alexander (323
B.C.)
The Legacy of
Alexander
Military Leader
Hellenistic Age
Cultural Legacy
• Cities
• Settlers
©2003 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.
The Conquests of Alexander the
Great
The World of the Hellenistic
Kingdoms
Disintegration of the Empire
Four Successor Kingdoms
Macedonia – Antigonids
Syria – Seleucids
Pergamum – Attalids
Egypt – Ptolemies
Celts
Common Political System
Dominance by Greeks
©2003 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.
The World of the Hellenistic
Kingdoms
The Great Altar of Zeus – Pergamum
Hellenistic Cities
Settlement of Greeks
Greek Culture
Polis
Exclusion of Local Population
Spread of Hellenistic Culture in Near East
Economic and Social Trends in
the Hellenistic World
Agriculture
Shift of Manufacturing Centers to the East
Commercial Expansion
New Opportunities for Women
Upper Class Women
Spartan Women
Athenian Women
Education
Queens
Culture of the Hellenistic World
New Directions in Literature and Art
Theocritus (c. 315 – 250 B.C.)
Menander (c. 342-291 B.C.)
• New Comedy
Polybius (c. 203-c. 120 B.C.)
• History
Architects and Sculptors
A Golden Age of Science
Astronomy
Geometry
Euclid (c. 300 B.C.)
Archimedes of Syracuse (287-212 B.C.)
The Temple to Asclepius – Aegean island of Kos
Philosophy: New Schools of
Thought
Epicurus (341 – 270 B.C.)
Doctrine of Pleasure
Stoicism
Zeno (335 – 263 B.C.)
Public Service – Politics
Happiness
Religion in the Hellenistic World
Civic Cults
Mystery Cults
Cult of Isis
The Jews in the Hellenistic World
Judaea
• Judah Maccabaeus (164 B.C.)
Jews outside Judaea
Discussion Questions
Why was Alexander so successful in building his empire?
What do you think Alexander would have done had he
lived longer?
What impact, if any, did Hellenistic culture have outside of
Europe?
How did women fare in the Hellenistic world? Why?
What were the main goals of Greek philosophy in the third
and second century B.C.? How did these goals differ from
philosophy during the classical period?
What do mystery cults tell us about Greek tolerance
toward other cultures?
Web Links
Ancient Greek Sites on the World Wide Web
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Greece
Cultural Map of Hellas
Alexander the Great of Macedon
Diotima: Women in the Ancient World
The Archimedes Homepage
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Greek
Philosophy