Western CivilizationUniversity High School
2011-2012
Commerce Wealth created new cities, harbors, roads
More geographical knowledge of East Greeks spread Hellenic law and business
practices - standardization Development of long overland trade routes
Caravans with camels Luxury goods from East, manufactured goods
from WestIdeas and knowledgeSlave tradeThe Silk Road
Industry & Agriculture Little development manpower over
machinery More elaborate pottery made locally Agriculture still mainstay of economy &
production
Western CivilizationUniversity High School
2011-2012
Spread of Greek Religion Familiar Greek religious cults spread
throughout Near East & EgyptMeans of spreading Greek culture
Focus on rituals, festivalsDid not satisfy spiritual yearnings
Tyche Fate, doom, chance Some turned to philosophy, superstition,
magic
Mystery Religions Ritual & practice secret to initiates Incorporated aspects of Greek &
Eastern religionsAppealed to those looking for immortality
Main concept: initiates become united with male god Raised from the deadSacrifice and resurrection of god saved
devotee from eternal death
Cult of Serapis Serapis
combination of Osiris and ZeusCreated by King
PtolemyJudge of souls
rewarded people with immortality
Cult of Isis Wider appeal than
Serapis Most important
goddess of Hellenistic worldMarriage, conception,
childbirth
Western CivilizationUniversity High School
2011-12
Ancient Greek Philosophers “seekers of wisdom” who tried to study the world in a systematic waybelieved people could understand the world through
reason & logicvs. religious myths, authority of others
Ancient Greek Philosophers
earliest philosophical questions: What is the world made of? What holds the world up?
The Pythagoreans school of thinkers
founded by Pythagoras (570 – 497 BCE)
tried to unite philosophy & mathematics
believed that universe has order to it, which can be expressed through math
Ancient Greek Philosophers one of the earliest groups = sophists
(“men of wisdom”)Sophists’ main concerns = political & social
successmany were teachers for children of the
wealthy
Socrates 470 – 399 BCE
born & lived in Athens believed what we need to
know is how to conduct ourselves
Important Questions:What is good?What is right?What is just?
Socrates apply terms like “just” to
people, laws, situations, etc. “justice” emerges as common trendcan discover justice through
rigorous discussion, careful questioning & examination of beliefs
Socrates developed the Socratic Method:
a question & answer technique of studying issuesdesigned to make people examine
their beliefs BOTTOM LINE: No one
knowingly does wrong. If we know the answer to “What is Justice?”, we will be obliged to act in just ways.tried to involve & teach others
Plato 424 – 348 BCE a student of Socrates first written philosophy:
The Dialoguesearly dialogues: records
of Socrates’ teachingslater dialogues included
Plato’s own ideas
Plato one of his most famous
dialogues: The Republicoutlined his ideal societybelieved no one would have
wealth/luxury, everyone do what they are best suited to do
included the Theory of Forms
Plato’s Theory of Forms all things in the world are versions of their original
Forms (archetypes) the Forms are ideal; highest & most fundamental
version of realitystudying the Forms is the only path to “true” knowledgee.g. human body = glimpse of true human Form (soul)
basis of the Allegory of the Cave
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave prisoners chained to chairs; shadows projected on wallreality for prisoners = shadows
Plato: philosophers’ job = “free” the prisoners to see the Forms“rehearsing to be dead”
Aristotle 384 – 322 BCE a student of Plato’s
Academy in Athenslater established his own
school (the Lyceum: the world’s first scientific institute)
Aristotle considered one of the great
thinkers of modern worldwrote about: physics,
metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, zoology, economics, optics, and more…
Dante: “the teacher of those who know”
Aristotle: The Nature of Being all things have 2 aspects:
1. Matter: constituent materials; the stuff out of which things are made
2. Form: the way that matter is organized
things are different from each other because they have different Formsno “turtle stuff” instead,
matter (stuff) arranged into turtle Form
Human beings = body (matter) + soul (form)
Aristotle: The Nature of Being believed that reason was
the highest goodpraised the virtues of self-
reliance and self-control allowed insight into “true”
human nature (form! soul!)
Hellenistic Philosophy Philosophy attractive to more people
Less elitistAbsence of politics/religion believe in
philosophy New schools of philosophical thought
Agreed on necessity of making people self-sufficient
Epicureanism Practical philosophy of serenity Epicurus (340-270 BCE)
Based on scientific theoriesNaturalistic view of universe gods had no real
effect on human lifePrinciple good is pleasure absence of painIgnore politics
People could attain peace & serenity by ignoring outside world focus on their own feelings & reactions
Stoicism Zeno from Cyprus (335-262 BCE)
Nature an expression of divine willPeople happy when they live in accordance
with natureUnity of man & the universe
Most popular Hellenistic philosophy People should participate in politics Key Question: Achievements don’t
matter, did you live a virtuous life?
Stoicism Evolved the concept of world order People should do their duty to the state
in which they find themselves Natural Law a natural order of life,
right and wrong, governed everyone Valuable concept for the Romans!
Western CivilizationUniversity High School
2011-12
Hellenistic Science: Astronomy Aristarchus
310 – 230 BCEeducated in the Lyceum
(Aristotle’s school)
Aristarchus promoted heliocentric theory: Earth
and planets revolve around the sunwent against Aristotle’s geocentric theory
(everything revolves around Earth)no telescopes!
heliocentric theory pushed aside until Copernicus (16th century CE)
Hellenistic Science: Astronomy Eratosthenes
used math to calculate circumference of the Earth○ his guess = 24,675 miles○ actually = 24,860 miles
also studied geography using math○ argued that you could reach India from Spain
by sailing south (around Africa) or west
Hellenistic Science: Geometry Euclid
mathematician from Alexandria
wrote “The Elements of Geometry”
Archimedes 287 – 212 BCE
from Syracuse interested in math and
mechanicsvery accurate
approximation of piprinciple of a leverwater displacement
Archimedes’ Screw
Archimedes’ Weapons of War (real??)
The Claw of Archimedesweapon that supposedly
protected Syracusemetal grappling hook on
long arm over water○ lift ship out of water, drop it
back down
Archimedes’ Death Ray series of mirrors set up to reflect sunlight to a
single pointset ships on fire?
The Results of All This Science…
major effect on military, warfaretheories of mechanics
“siege machines” in war○ catapults (rocks, burning
bundles)○ siege towers
Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great
The Results of All This Science… War was no longer between soldiers on
battlefieldNow, between populations…civilian casualties (murder, rape, slavery)
Sense of unease among Greek people cities falling to new machines/weapons
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