Title: The Decline of the City-State
1The Decline of the City-State the rise of the
Hellenistic Age
- The Peloponnesian Wars (431404 BCE)
- Alexander the Great (r 336-323 BCE)
2The corruption of the Delian League
3Sparta's response to the Delian League
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6The Final Blow to Athens
- The Spartan admiral, Lysander captured the
Athenian fleet in the Dardanelles cutting of its
food supplies - Athens was required to tear down its walls and
agreed to be ruled by a government appointed by
Sparta
7Effects of the Peloponnesian Wars, 431-404 BCE
- Despite the restoration of democratic government,
Athens never returned to its former power - Constant warfare among other states continued In
371, Sparta lost its first war to Thebes - The loss of manpower on both sides weakened all
of Greece
8Philip II of Macedon r. 359-336 BCE
- An ambitious and resourceful ruler of Macedonia
who built up his army and planned to conquer the
Greeks and the Persians.
9The Philippics
- A series of fiery speeches by Demosthenes
- In 338 BC, Philip defeated Athens and its allies
and created The League of Corinth
10Alexander the Great, r 336-323 BC
- Inherited an empire
- Destruction of Thebes
11Aristotle tutoring Alexander (J. L. Ferris,
1895)
12Alexander III The Legend
- Some say he had a vision to unite the human race
in a Pan-Hellenic culture - one empire where
people could live in peace, understanding and
harmony - He wanted to conquer the known worldjust another
paranoiac-tyrant. - His goal may have been to have a stable empire
with no threats to his vast holdings.
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14Alexander in Egypt
- Welcomed as a liberator from Persian tyranny
- Hailed as Pharoah and given the double crown of
Upper and Lower Egypt - Egypt had always been the object of awe and
source of inspiration to the Greeks - Irony a barbarian chief of a backwater kingdom
in the Balkan mountains had become the ruler of
the oldest continuous civilization on earth.
15Alexanders final campaign
- Alexanders expansionism ended in the mountainous
regions of Bactria (present-day Afghanistan) -
his army experienced its hardest fighting and
never succeeded in getting more than a tenuous
hold on the territory. - Alexanders last battle, Hydaspes, 326 BC, on the
banks of the Indus River, was an empty victory-
his famous horse Bucephalus was killed and his
men, thousands of miles and eight years from
home, refused to go on.
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17Returning to Babylon, Alexander began to
consolidate his empire gt integrated 30,000
Persian youth into his army gt married a
Persian princess gt arranged for 80 of his
officers and 10,000 soldiers to marry
women from the Empire gtpunished soldiers
who did not respect Persian culture
gt Adopted Persian dress for himself gt
Encouraged the ritual of proskynesis
Alexander died in 323 BC
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19Alexanders Legacy
- He pushed the world in a new direction- a fusion
of disparate people an intermingling of
cultures - The Hellenistic Age begins with his death in 323
BCE and ends with the death of Cleopatra in
27BCE.
20Alexanders vast empire merged many peoples into
a new, cosmopolitan culture known as Hellenistic
Civilization.
- Map of Alex empire goes here
21The empire was divided among 4 generals
- Seleucus Ptolemy Lysimachus and Cassander
22Cosmopolitanism
- Hellenistic society is characterized by a
mingling of Greek, Egyptian Persian cultures - In the lands he conquered, Alexander introduced
Greek language, literature and art - established over 70 cities Alexandria
- A world community joined by commerce, trade and
travel replaced the Polis as the center of life - New philosophies- Stoicism and Epicureanism
emerged to help the common man cope with their
new status in a world community instead of the
local polis.
23Zeno (342-270 BC) Stoicism
- Urged individuals to live according
to reason and be indifferent to - pleasure and pain (happiness
- and sorrow)
- Avoid desires and disappointments calmly accept
whatever life brings your way - The commonality of Man all people are morally
equal, including women and slaves, because all
have the power to reason - Advocated high moral standards including
protecting the rights of fellow human beings
24Epicurus, (341-270 BC) -Epicureanism
- Strive for individual happiness in the big,
confusing world by avoiding pain and anxiety - Criticized attempts to gain wealth, power or fame
because it increases anxiety - Enjoy the simple pleasures of life- talking with
friends, enjoying good food or just lying on
soft grass near a running stream. - Later followers stressed the pleasure rather
than the simplicity!
25Circa 200 BCE The Lighthouse of Alexandria,
Egypt, was the world's first
important lighthouse. It guided ships into the
city's harbor for about 1,500 years before being
toppled by an earthquake.
26Hellenistic Science and Math
- Euclid (about 300 BC) Geometry
- Archimedes (287-212 BC) Mathematician and
Scientist discovered principles of the lever,
the pulley and specific gravity. - Aristarchus (310-230 BC) Astronomy-concluded the
earth revolved around the sun - Architecture emphasized size and grandeur
- Sculpture showed realism and individuality
27Ptolemy's great work on geography and mapmaking,
called the Geography, appeared around the year
150 AD. It influenced philosophers and scientists
for 1500 years.
28Architecture emphasized size and grandeur
The alter to Zeus at Pergamon, Asia Minor
29Sculpture showed realism and emotion
30Heaven cannot have two suns, nor earth, two
masters.
31I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a
sheep, I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a
lion.
32Remember upon the conduct of each depends the
fate of all.
33There is nothing impossible to him who will try.
34- I m indebted to my father for living, but to my
teacher for living well.