Chapter 4
The Hellenistic World
Timeline
The Rise of 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
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.)
Alexander’s Ideals
Alexander and Darius at
the Battle of Issus
Alexander’s Legacy
Rise of military monarchies
Spread of Greek culture, art, and language
Greek cities and settlers
Map 4.1: 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
Threat from the Celts
Common Political System
Dominance of Greeks
Warfare and the Hellenistic World
Map: 4.2: 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 Trends
Agriculture
Shift of Manufacturing Centers to the East
Commercial Expansion
Trade
Hellenistic Society
New Opportunities for Upper-Class Women
Upper-class women
Spartan women
Athenian women
Women in politics
The Role of Slavery
Sources of slaves
Effects of slavery
Transformation of Education
Evolution of the gymnasium
Patrons of eductation
New Directions in Literature
Theocritus (c. 315 – 250 B.C.)
Menander (c. 342-291 B.C.)
New comedy
Polybius (c. 203-c. 120 B.C.)
History
Hellenistic Art
Patronage
Sculpture
Emotional and realistic art
Emphasis on the female nude
Laocoön and His Sons
Old Market Woman
A Golden Age of Science
Astronomy
Geometry
Euclid (c. 300 B.C.)
Archimedes of Syracuse (287-212 B.C.)
Medicine
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
Appeal
Religion in the Hellenistic World
Decline of Civic Cults
Mystery Religions
Cult of Isis
The Jews in the Hellenistic World
Judaea
• Judah Maccabaeus (164 B.C.)
Jews outside of Judaea
The Cult of Isis
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