Classical Civilizations: Ancient Classical Civilizations: Ancient GreeceGreece

Chapter 10Chapter 10

By: Brady PelkeyBy: Brady Pelkey

The Hellenistic EmpiresThe Hellenistic Empires

• After the reign of Alexander the Great ended After the reign of Alexander the Great ended with his death, his surviving generals with his death, his surviving generals jockeyed for positions with the hopes of jockeyed for positions with the hopes of gaining control over the empire.gaining control over the empire.

• By 275 B.C.E., the empire was divided into By 275 B.C.E., the empire was divided into three main states: Greece/Macedon (ruled by three main states: Greece/Macedon (ruled by Antigonus), Egypt (ruled by Ptolemy), and Antigonus), Egypt (ruled by Ptolemy), and the former Achmaenid empire (ruled by the former Achmaenid empire (ruled by Seleucid).Seleucid).

• During this period, Greeks culture extended During this period, Greeks culture extended itself throughout more of the ancient world.itself throughout more of the ancient world.

The Antigonid EmpireThe Antigonid Empire

• Though the Antigonid Empire, containing Though the Antigonid Empire, containing Greece and Macedon, was the smallest of Greece and Macedon, was the smallest of the new Hellenistic empires, it benefited the new Hellenistic empires, it benefited greatly from the new order which resulted greatly from the new order which resulted from Alexanders’ death.from Alexanders’ death.

• Larger cities, such as Athens and Corinth, Larger cities, such as Athens and Corinth, flourished under increased trade, and also flourished under increased trade, and also lead to the surplus population which lead to the surplus population which colonized many new cities.colonized many new cities.

• Tension existed, however, between the Tension existed, however, between the individualist Greek cities, which attempted individualist Greek cities, which attempted to resist the empire, and the determined to resist the empire, and the determined rulers.rulers.

Ptolemic EmpirePtolemic Empire

• The Ptolemic Empire was the The Ptolemic Empire was the wealthiest of the Hellenistic territories. wealthiest of the Hellenistic territories.

• Greek overlords interfered minimally Greek overlords interfered minimally with the Egyptian society, instead with the Egyptian society, instead focusing on efficiently organizing focusing on efficiently organizing agriculture and the economy.agriculture and the economy.

• Among the roles the government Among the roles the government played in the economy were the royal played in the economy were the royal monopolies on textiles and beer, monopolies on textiles and beer, maintaining irrigation networks, and maintaining irrigation networks, and the cultivation of crops.the cultivation of crops.

Alexandria: Cultural Capital of Alexandria: Cultural Capital of the Hellenistic Worldthe Hellenistic World

• Alexandria, though the political capital of Alexandria, though the political capital of the Ptolemic Empire, quickly evolved into a the Ptolemic Empire, quickly evolved into a far greater role in Hellenistic society. The far greater role in Hellenistic society. The wealthiest, largest, and most influential port wealthiest, largest, and most influential port in the Mediterranean, it attracted migrants in the Mediterranean, it attracted migrants from both the surrounding Mediterranean from both the surrounding Mediterranean cities and beyond.cities and beyond.

• Alexandria also became the site of the Alexandria also became the site of the famous Alexandrian Museum and famous Alexandrian Museum and Alexandrian library, state-funded havens Alexandrian library, state-funded havens for philosophical, mathematical, and for philosophical, mathematical, and scientific research.scientific research.

The Seleucid Empire The Seleucid Empire

• In the Seleucid Empire, Greek In the Seleucid Empire, Greek influence was the strongest of the influence was the strongest of the Hellenistic domains. Greek and Hellenistic domains. Greek and Macedonian colonists would flock to Macedonian colonists would flock to the quickly growing Persian cities first the quickly growing Persian cities first founded by Alexander, leading founded by Alexander, leading several of these settlements to several of these settlements to become thriving commercial centers.become thriving commercial centers.

• From the Seleucid Empire, Greek From the Seleucid Empire, Greek influence traveled throughout Bactria, influence traveled throughout Bactria, India, and other distant lands.India, and other distant lands.

Bactria:Bactria:

• Despite its distance from central Greece, Despite its distance from central Greece, Bactria had constant communication with Bactria had constant communication with the rest of the Greek world. the rest of the Greek world.

• After circa 250 B.C.E., governors of Bactria After circa 250 B.C.E., governors of Bactria seceded from the Seleucid Empire to seceded from the Seleucid Empire to create their own Greek kingdom.create their own Greek kingdom.

• Excavations show that Bactria’s Excavations show that Bactria’s inhabitants spoke the Greek language, inhabitants spoke the Greek language, constructed Greek-style buildings, read constructed Greek-style buildings, read Greek literature and philosophy, and Greek literature and philosophy, and honored Greek deities (as well as Asian honored Greek deities (as well as Asian and Persian ones, indicating an and Persian ones, indicating an Achmaenid-like acceptance of the local Achmaenid-like acceptance of the local culture by the ruling class).culture by the ruling class).

Bactrian stamp seal

Greek TradeGreek Trade

• Greece, being ideally suited for the Greece, being ideally suited for the growth of olives and grapes, traded the growth of olives and grapes, traded the resulting oils and wines around the resulting oils and wines around the Mediterranean for the abundant amounts Mediterranean for the abundant amounts of grain Greece’s large cities required.of grain Greece’s large cities required.

• By the eight century B.C.E., merchants By the eight century B.C.E., merchants and mariners had linked Greece to Egypt, and mariners had linked Greece to Egypt, Sicily, Russia, Spain, and Anatolia.Sicily, Russia, Spain, and Anatolia.

Economic OrganizationEconomic Organization

• The large volumes of trade promoted The large volumes of trade promoted increased commercial and economic increased commercial and economic organization. Ship owners, organization. Ship owners, merchants, and moneylenders began merchants, and moneylenders began to evolve complex partnerships and to evolve complex partnerships and relationships which held legally relationships which held legally acceptable clauses and terms.acceptable clauses and terms.

• Manufacturers also began to increase Manufacturers also began to increase size, with records showing some size, with records showing some factories with over 120 slaves.factories with over 120 slaves.

Olympic GamesOlympic Games

• According to tradition, in 776 B.C.E. According to tradition, in 776 B.C.E. communities from all over the communities from all over the Mediterranean gathered in an athletic Mediterranean gathered in an athletic competition. Events such as long jump, competition. Events such as long jump, javelin tossing, and boxing were tested. javelin tossing, and boxing were tested.

• Winners of events received olive Winners of events received olive wreaths, becoming celebrated heroes wreaths, becoming celebrated heroes in their home poleis in their home poleis

Family and SocietyFamily and Society

• In Greece, as elsewhere in the ancient (and In Greece, as elsewhere in the ancient (and regrettably, modern) world, society was strongly regrettably, modern) world, society was strongly patriarchal. The male head of the family was given patriarchal. The male head of the family was given all of the power in a household, including the all of the power in a household, including the power of choosing which infants to keep and which power of choosing which infants to keep and which to abandon.to abandon.

• However, women were given some legal rights: However, women were given some legal rights: though not allowed to own land, they could be a though not allowed to own land, they could be a priestess or own small businesses. Women also priestess or own small businesses. Women also had a high degree of literacy, most famously, the had a high degree of literacy, most famously, the Greek poet Sappo.Greek poet Sappo.

• Slavery was common in ancient Greece. Slaves, Slavery was common in ancient Greece. Slaves, considered as private property by Greek law, considered as private property by Greek law, mostly came from captured enemy soldiers and mostly came from captured enemy soldiers and those who Greece traded with.those who Greece traded with.

Rational Thought and Rational Thought and PhilosophyPhilosophy• The main founder of modern philosophy The main founder of modern philosophy

was Socrates, a reflective Athenian who was Socrates, a reflective Athenian who subjected traditional beliefs to skeptical subjected traditional beliefs to skeptical scrutiny through a method of inquiry now scrutiny through a method of inquiry now called a “Socratic dialogue” after him.called a “Socratic dialogue” after him.

• Plato, a student of Socrates, originated the Plato, a student of Socrates, originated the theory of Forms, along with various other theory of Forms, along with various other detailed metaphysical, epistemological, detailed metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical theories.and ethical theories.

• Aristotle, a student of Plato, then went on Aristotle, a student of Plato, then went on to devise rigorous rules of logic and to to devise rigorous rules of logic and to elaborate on the basic principles of elaborate on the basic principles of physics, politics, and biology.physics, politics, and biology.

Popular Religion/Greek Popular Religion/Greek DramaDrama• Though unacquainted with the intellectual works of Though unacquainted with the intellectual works of

Socrates, Plato, and the other Greek Socrates, Plato, and the other Greek philosopher/scientists, the rest of Greek society philosopher/scientists, the rest of Greek society was also interested in the “great questions” of the was also interested in the “great questions” of the universe. They found their answers in the universe. They found their answers in the dramatic, polytheistic religion they had inherited dramatic, polytheistic religion they had inherited from their Indo-European ancestors.from their Indo-European ancestors.

• From the chaotic void, they believed that the Earth From the chaotic void, they believed that the Earth emerged and created all things. emerged and created all things.

• Struggles between these gods and goddesses were Struggles between these gods and goddesses were thought to cause the day-to-day changes that we thought to cause the day-to-day changes that we observe in the world. These feuds were often observe in the world. These feuds were often dramatized and put into the format of a play for dramatized and put into the format of a play for the general public to understand the stories of the the general public to understand the stories of the heavens.heavens.

Hellenistic Philosophy and Hellenistic Philosophy and ReligionReligion• The most popular Hellenistic groups of philosophers The most popular Hellenistic groups of philosophers

were the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Skeptics.were the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Skeptics.• The Epicureans identified a utilitarian variant of The Epicureans identified a utilitarian variant of

ethics, the Stoics thought that one should avoid the ethics, the Stoics thought that one should avoid the conflicts of Hellenistic society by performing only conflicts of Hellenistic society by performing only duties that reason obligated of you, and the Skeptics duties that reason obligated of you, and the Skeptics believed that true knowledge was unattainable, thus believed that true knowledge was unattainable, thus arguing was pointless.arguing was pointless.

• While these philosophical doctrines appealed to the While these philosophical doctrines appealed to the intellectual elite to explain the world, others required intellectual elite to explain the world, others required something more easily understandable. Out of this something more easily understandable. Out of this desire, the Greek religions of salvation were born, desire, the Greek religions of salvation were born, which comforted citizens and addressed the issues which comforted citizens and addressed the issues of the complex world they now dealt with.of the complex world they now dealt with.