History of Civilization: Chapter 4

What happened to the Jews not living in Judea during the Hellenistic Age?

A large Jewish population lived in Egypt, particularly in Alexandria. Jews generally set up a synagogue and formed a private association for worship as other foreigners did. But some city authorities also allowed the Jews to form a political corporation that gave them greater rights than other resident aliens. Most importantly, they gained the privilege to live by their own laws and their own judicial system.

What was Alexander's next move after the battle of Issus?

After Issus Alexander turned south, and by the winter of 332 B.C. Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were under his control. Alexander took the role of Pharaoh of Egypt and he founded the first of a series of cities named after him. Alexandria became the Greek administrative capital of Egypt. It became and remains today one of Egypt's and the Mediterranean world's most important cities.

What did the Celts do after the death of Alexander?

After the death of Alexander groups continued to threaten the Hellenistic world. The Celts attacked Macedonia early third century B.C. under Brennus Brennus led a group of thirty thousand into Greece itself and caused considerable damage until he was defeated in 278 B.C.

What did Alexander do after Darius had been assassinated?

Alexander took the tile the Great King of the Persians, but he was not content with this victory. During the next 3 years he moved east and northeast, as far as modern Pakistan.

What were Alexander's plans with the Persians?

Alexander would be taking a risk by attacking the Persian Empire. His fleet was inferior and his finances low. In 334 B.C. Alexander entered Asia Minor with an army of some 37,000 men, about half were Macedonians, the rest Greeks and other allies.

What was Alexander's first encounter with the Persians?

Alexander's first confrontation with the Persians was at the Granicus River in 334 B.C. It nearly cost him his life but it resulted in a major victory.

What did Antiochus try to do to the Jews during the Hellenistic Age?

Antiochus tried to impose more cultural and religious unity throughout his kingdom. When he sent troops to Jerusalem and seized the Temple, he spared a Jewish uprising led by Judas Maccabeus recapturing the Temple in 164 B.C. a joyous event that has been celebrated every year since in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The conflict continued but the Seleucids ultimately allowed the Jews considerable freedom.

When did Alexander become king, and what were his plans?

At the age of 20 Alexander became the king of Macedonia. He decided to continue his fathers dream of invading the Persian Empire.

What did Alexander do by 327 B.C.?

By 327 B.C. Alexander had entered India, which at that time was divided into a number of warring states.

What land did Alexander have in 333 B.C.?

By 333 B.C. the entire western half of Asia Minor was in Alexander's hands, and the Ionian Greek cities of western Asia Minor had been liberated from the Persian oppressor.

Describe the Pergamum Kingdom.

Came into being by separating itself from the Seleucids. This kingdom was in western Asia Minor under the Attalid dynasty. In 133 B.C. the last member of the Attalid dynasty bequeathed his kingdom to Rome in his will.

Where was Alexander prophesied in the Bible?

Daniel's prophesied of Alexander in Daniel 8:21-22; 11:4

Describe the Battle of Issus.

Darius III mobilized his forces to stop Alexander. The Persian greatly outnumbered Alexander's. The Battle of Issus was fought on a narrow field canceled the advantage of superior numbers and resulted in another Macedonian success.Darius made a spectacular exit from the battlefield before it was even clear who would win.

What led to war between Philip of Macedonia and Athens? What was the outcome?

Demosthenes repeated calls for action and Philips rapid expansion led to a war at the Battle of Chaeronea near Thebes in 338 B.C. The Macedonians crushed Athens and Philip was free to control the Greek peninsula.

Describe the Seleucid Kingdom.

Dynasty of Syria. This was the largest of the Hellenistic kingdoms and controlled much of the old Persian Empire from Turkey in the west to India in the East. The Seleucids found it hard to keep control over their empire. In India a new Indian state the Mauryan Empire drove the Seleucids out. They maintained a friendly trading relationship though.

What was Stoicism?

Happiness is found only in virtue.

How did Hellenistic monarchs feel about different religions?

Hellenistic monarchs were generally tolerant of all religions but problems with Tome prompted Antiochus to take action.

What did Alexander do in 326 B.C.?

In 326 Alexander and his armies arrived in the plains of northwestern India. At the Battle of the Hyades River, Alexander won a brutally fought battle.

What happened in 331 B.C. when Alexander marched into Mesopotamia?

In 331 B.C. Alexander marched into Mesopotamia and fights a decisive battle with the Persians not far from Babylon. Alexander was again outnumbered and the Persians had picked a wide field where their chariots could easily move. Alexander broke down the middle of the force with his cavalry, followed by the infantry. The battle turned into a rout, although Darius escaped. Alexander then entered Babylon and proceeded to the Persian capitals at Susa and Persepolis, where he acquired the Persian treasuries and took possession of vast quantities of gold and silver.

How did Alexander die?

In June 323 B.C. weakened from wounds, fever, and probably excessive alcohol, he died at the age of thirty-two with no plans for a successor.

Macedonia became the chief power in the Greek world by _________________________ reign (359-336 B.C.)

King Philip II

Who was Menander?

Menander was an Athenian playwright. He was perhaps the best representative of New Comedy. Plots were simple typically a hero falls in love with a not really so bad prostitute who turns out eventually to be the long lost daughter of a rich neighbor. The hero marries her, and they live happily ever after.

Was Alexander's goal to merge the cultures successful?

No, Alexander had hope to fuse the Greeks and the Easterners by intermarrying them, but the Hellenistic monarchies relied mostly on Greeks and Macedonians. Those who did advance to important administrative posts had learned Greek and had become Hellenized in a cultural sense. The exclusion was not because of incompetent natives but because of the determination of the Greek ruling class to maintain its privileged position. It was the Greco Macedonian ruling class that provided the only unity in the Hellenistic world.

What did the Celts do in Asia Minor?

Other groups attacked Asia Minor but were defeated in 230 B.C. but were defeated by Attalus. After his victory Attalus gained control of much of Asia Minor and declared himself king of Pergamum.

What were the military reforms of Philip II?

Philip instituted military reforms that transformed Macedonia into a major military power. He created a new phalanx of infantrymen who were more lightly armed than Greek hoplites. Each carried a smaller shield and a shorter sword. The infantryman's chief weapon was a long thrusting spear eighteen feet in length, or twice as long as the Greek hoplite's spear. Calvary contingents served to break the opposing line of battle and created disorder in the enemy's ranks. Philip strengthened the bonds between the army and its leaders. Even the king joined in the battles.

Who was Polybius?

Polybius was the chief historian of the Hellenistic Age. He was a Greek who lived for some years in Rome. He is regarded as second only to Thucydides among Greek historians. His major work consisted of forty books narrating the history of the inhabited Mediterranean world from 221 to 146 B.C. Only the first five books are extant although long extracts from the other books survive. His work focusses on the growth of Rome from a city state to a vast empire.

Some saw Alexander as brave and _______________. Alexander wanted to imitate?

Reckless; Achilles

Describe the Antigonid Kingdom.

Rulers of Macedonian started by Antigonus Gonatus the grandson of Alexander. The Antigonids viewed control of Greece as essential to their power but did not see outright conquest as necessary.

What were there 4 Hellenistic monarchies?

Seleucid; Pergamum; Ptolemaic; Antigonid

Alexander left a mixed legacy. What did the people who thought of him as a ruthless Machiavellian think?

Some say he was a ruthless Machiavellian. These critics ask whether a man who slaughtered indigenous peoples, who risked the lives of his soldiers for his selfish reasons, who fierce temper led him to kill his friends, and who's neglect of administrative duties weakened his kingdom can really be called great.

Alexander left a mixed legacy. What did the people who thought of him as an idealist visionary think?

Some say he was an idealistic visionary. They think his military ability, extensive conquest, and creation of a new empire alone justify calling him Alexander the Great. Other historians also praise Alexander's love of Greek culture and his intellectual brilliance, especially in matters of warfare. Alexander attempted to fuse the Macedonians, Greeks, and Persians into a new ruling class. Did he do this because he was an idealistic visionary who believed in a concept of universal humanity, as some suggest, or was he merely trying to bolster his power and create an autocratic monarchy?

What did the Celts do in 390 B.C.?

The Celts migrated(maybe because of overpopulation). A group of the sacked Rome in 390 B.C.

Who were the Celts?

The Celts, also known as the Gauls, were a people who had occupied large areas of Europe north of the Alps during the early Iron Age.

After the defeat of the Greeks by Macedonia what happened to the Greek polis?

The Greek polis came to an end and Philip formed the Corinthian League. (It met at Corinth). All the members of the league took oaths not to break agreements with Philip and not to go to war with others who abided under the league.

How did the Greeks react to Philip of Macedonia?

The Greeks had mixed reactions to Philip's growing power. Some like Demosthenes had a strong distrust of his intentions. Others like Isocrates though he would save the Greeks from themselves by uniting them.

How did the Jews religion affect them in the Hellenistic Age?

The Jews religion was monotheistic and did not allow them to fuse other religions into theirs.

How did the Jews feel about citizenship in the Hellenistic Age?

The Jews were not really interested in citizenship in the cities in which they resided because full citizenship required worship of the city's gods, which was anathema to Jews, who believed only in Yahweh.

What was Syncretism?

The combining of different forms or belief or practice, as, for example, when two gods are regarded as different forms for the same underlying divine force and are fused together.

What was Epicureanism?

The pursuit of pleasure is the only true good.

Who was Theocritus?

Theocritus was originally a native of the island of Sicily. He wrote "little poems" or idylls dealing with erotic subjects, lovers complaints, and pastoral themes expressing his love of nature and beauty.

Who were the main three authors of the Hellenistic Age?

Theocritus, Menander, Polybius

Where was the tension in the new Greek Empire?

There was constant tension between the new Greco Macedonian ruling class and the native populations. The kings refused to accept the new status quo and periodically engaged in wars to alter it.

How was the new Greek Empire ruled?

There was monarchy while retaining a democratic government in cities.

What did the attacks of the Celts lead to?

These attacks led Celts to be feared all around the Hellenistic world.

How did the military in the New Greek Empire continue?

They continued the use of phalanx and cavalry along with the addition of war elephants

Describe the Ptolemaic Kingdom

This monarchy was in Egypt. It came under the control of Ptolemy another Macedonian general. He was named the governor of Egypt after Alexander's death. Ptolemy established himself as king by 305 B.C. founding the Ptolemaic dynasty of pharaohs. This lasted longer than all the other Hellenistic monarchies. It was not until the reign of Cleopatra VII who allied herself with the wrong side in the Roman civil wars, that Egypt fell to the Romans in 30 B.C.

What happened after Alexander told his troops he intended to continue marching through India?

When Alexander told his soldiers of his intentions to continue marching east his soldiers mutinied and refused to go further. Alexander accede to their demands and agreed to return leading his troops through southern Persia across the Gedrosian Desert. Where they suffered heavy losses from appalling desert conditions. Alexander and the remnants of his army went to Susa and then Babylon, where he planned sill more campaigns.