Hellenistic World
I. Rise of Macedonia
A. Philip appeals to Greek hopes for
unity and greatness
B. Demise of classical Greece
II. Alexander's conquest of Persia
A. How he did it
1. The Greek way of war
vs. the Persian
B. Greeks now the greatest power
C. Delusions of grandeur
III. Hellenistic World
A. Greek colonization and domination
1. Blending Greek and non-Greek
2. Dominance of Greek language
and culture
3. Cities and commerce
B. New social and political order
1. Monarchy and aristocracy
instead
of democracy
2. Family and Greekness become
defining
social characteristics
3. Higher status for
aristocratic
Greek women
a.
Example
of Queens Arsinoe and Cleopatra
IV. Hellenistic Art and Literature
A. Patronage of kings
1. Pergamum
B. Hellenistic "realism" vs. classical "idealism"
1. comparing Laocoön
with Doryphorous
2. classical and Hellenistic
women (Venus de Milo)
C. Comedies and Novels
D. Relation of new art to Hellenistic
society
V. Philosophy and Religion
A. Cynics--withdrawal from madness of world
B. Epicurians--happiness in simple pleasures
C. Stoics--happiness in duty
D. Mystery Religions--escape to the divine
VI. New Achievements in Math and Science
A. Euclidian Geometry
B. Archimedes discovers Pi
C. Calculation of the size of
earth, distance of sun and moon
D. Ptolemy's geography and astronomy
(Roman era)