The Hellenistic World

1. Macedoniaa. Philip II

i. Reorganized Macedonian army

1. Adopted the Phalanx system but modified it by using longer spears

2. Also had larger bodies of archers and cavalry

ii. Conquered every major city-state in Greece except Sparta

iii. Assassinated in 336 B.C.; Son Alexander became king

b. Alexander the Greati. 20 years old when

he became kingii. Student of

Aristotleiii. Re-established

control over Greece

iv. Attacked Persia in 334 B.C.1. Alexander’s army was smaller but was loyal

to him and was well2. Defeats Persian army

v. Attacked Egypt3. Welcomed as a liberator4. Named the new pharaoh

vi. Will try to take India but army refused to go on

vii. 323 B.C. Alexander dies in Babylon; he was 33 years old

viii. Had no heir

ix. Empire divided between his top 3 generals1. Antigonus- King of

Macedonia and Greece

2. Seleucus- Persian Empire

3. Ptolemy- Egypt

a. Blending Culturesi. Alexander helped create a new type of

culture called Hellenistic or “Greek-like”

2. Hellenistic World

b. Alexandriai. Built by Alexander, in Egyptii. Location of the Nile River was ideal for tradeiii. Built great palaces and grand monuments

1. The Museuma. Held many works of art

2. The Library of Alexandriaa. Contained many works on philosophy, literature,

history and the sciences

c. Life in the Hellenistic Worldi. Government

1. City-states were replaced with kingdoms2. Democracies became monarchies

ii. Women1. Gained the rights to receive an education and to

own property2. Legally they were not equal to men though

a. Philosophyi. Cynicism

1. Called cynics2. Rejected pleasure, wealth and social

responsibility3. Believed man should live according to nature

3. Hellenistic Achievements

ii. Epicureans1. Believed people should seek out pleasure

a. Pleasure is viewed as goodb. Pain was viewed as evil

2. Believed one should develop close friendships with people who shared similar ideas

iii. Stoicism1. Called Stoics2. Placed emphasis on reason, self-discipline,

emotional control and personal morality3. Believed people should find their role in

society and strive to fulfill it

b. Science and Technologyi. Euclid

1. Formulated many of the ideas of geometry that we still use today

ii. Eratosthenes1. Calculated the size of the globe

iii. Archimedes1. Developed the

compound pulley2. Invented the

mechanical screw

Mechanical ScrewCompound Pulley