Alexander the Alexander the Great & Great & Hellenistic Hellenistic CultureCulture

Setting the Scene…Setting the Scene…

•After the Peloponnesian After the Peloponnesian War, many Greek city-states War, many Greek city-states were severely WEAKENEDwere severely WEAKENED

•Rapid decline in military & Rapid decline in military & economic powereconomic power

•What are your predictions What are your predictions for ancient Greece???for ancient Greece???

MacedoniaMacedonia

MacedoniaMacedonia

•Large kingdom Large kingdom north of Greece north of Greece

•Ruled by King Ruled by King Philip II Philip II

•Wanted to take control of Wanted to take control of Greece, as well as PersiaGreece, as well as Persia

MacedoniaMacedonia• In order In order

to take to take control control of Greece Phillip II of Greece Phillip II trained a deadly trained a deadly army army

•Meanwhile in Greece…Meanwhile in Greece…

Macedonian RuleMacedonian Rule•The Greeks realized that Philip The Greeks realized that Philip

was a threat, but could not was a threat, but could not agree on a course of actionagree on a course of action

•By the time an agreement had By the time an agreement had been made, it was too latebeen made, it was too late

•King Philip successfully King Philip successfully defeated Greece!defeated Greece!

Macedonian RuleMacedonian Rule

•Greece was no longer Greece was no longer independent; under independent; under Macedonian control Macedonian control

•When King Philip II died his When King Philip II died his son took control of the son took control of the empireempire

•Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

•Alexander was Alexander was determined to determined to carry out the carry out the second part of second part of his father’s planhis father’s plan

• INVADE INVADE PERSIA…PERSIA…

Macedonian RuleMacedonian Rule

Alexander the Alexander the GreatGreat

•Successfully Successfully conquered conquered PersiaPersia

•Successfully Successfully conquered/liberated Egypt conquered/liberated Egypt from Persian control; founded from Persian control; founded the city of Alexandriathe city of Alexandria

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

FailuresFailures

•Attempted Attempted to conquer to conquer India, but India, but eventually failedeventually failed

•After reaching Babylon, After reaching Babylon, Alexander the Great died at Alexander the Great died at the age of 32the age of 32

•HUGE CULTURAL HUGE CULTURAL IMPACT IMPACT

•Blended many Blended many different cultures different cultures

•Resulted in a NEW cultureResulted in a NEW culture::•Hellenistic CultureHellenistic Culture

Alexander’s LegacyAlexander’s Legacy

Alexander’s LegacyAlexander’s Legacy•Hellenistic CultureHellenistic Culture::•Greek + Persian + Egyptian Greek + Persian + Egyptian

+ Indian influences+ Indian influences

Hellenistic Hellenistic CultureCulture

A New Language?A New Language?•New LanguageNew Language::•Koine (comes from the Greek Koine (comes from the Greek

word for ‘common’)word for ‘common’)•Allowed for a common Allowed for a common

means of communication means of communication throughout the Hellenistic throughout the Hellenistic worldworld

Trade & DiversityTrade & Diversity

•Alexandria, EgyptAlexandria, Egypt::•Located on Located on

the Nile the Nile River River

•The cultural & trading center The cultural & trading center of Hellenistic civilizationof Hellenistic civilization

•Scholars in Scholars in Alexandria Alexandria preserved preserved Greek & Greek & Egyptian Egyptian learning in the learning in the sciencessciences

Science & TechnologyScience & Technology

•Scientific Scientific AchievementsAchievements::

•Sun BIGGER than the earthSun BIGGER than the earth•Earth & other planets Earth & other planets

REVOLVE around sun REVOLVE around sun •The circumference of earthThe circumference of earth

Science & TechnologyScience & Technology

MathematicsMathematics•EuclidEuclid::•GeometryGeometry•ArchimedesArchimedes: : •Value of Pi, law of the leverValue of Pi, law of the lever•PythagorasPythagoras: : •Pythagorean TheoremPythagorean Theorem

SculptureSculpture•Flourished during Flourished during

the Hellenistic the Hellenistic Age Age

•Statues were Statues were made to honor made to honor gods, commemorate gods, commemorate heroes & portray ordinary heroes & portray ordinary people in everyday situationspeople in everyday situations

Decline of Decline of Hellenistic Hellenistic CultureCulture

•By 150 BC By 150 BC Hellenistic Hellenistic civilization civilization was in decline… was in decline…

•A new city called ROME was A new city called ROME was growing & gaining strength growing & gaining strength during this time during this time

The DeclineThe Decline

The DeclineThe Decline

•Through the city of Through the city of Rome, Greek drama, Rome, Greek drama, architecture, sculpture architecture, sculpture & philosophy were & philosophy were preserved preserved

•The CORE of western The CORE of western civilization…civilization…