Chapter 7: Part 2 Hellenistic Age

1. Terminology What does “Hellenistic” mean? Hellade= Greece “Hellenistic” refers to a culture predominantly but not totally Greek. The term refers to the expansion of Greek civilization to the East and to the resulting mixture of Greek culture with other influences.

2. Historical Overview Aegean Civilizations (ancestors of the Greeks) Minoan 3000-1100 BCE Mycenaean 1900-1100 BCE Stages of Greek Civilization: Archaic Period 6th century Classical Period 5th-4th century Hellenistic Period late 4th c. - 2nd c. (323 BCE-146 BCE)

2. Terminology

2. Historical Overview The Hellenistic period is the time between the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE) and the Roman conquest of Greece (146 BCE)

3. Alexander the Great Who was Alexander the Great? a) an Athenian general b) a Macedonian king c) a Persian monarch What are his achievements?

3. Alexander the Great Son and heir to Phillip II of Macedonia Phillip II had subjected the cities of Greece to Macedonian rule.

Battle of Issus against the Persian King Darius, 333 BCE 3. Alexander the Great Alexander started a campaign against the Persians. Battle of Issus against the Persian King Darius, 333 BCE

3. Alexander the Great He traveled as far as the Indus Valley conquering cities and founding new ones

3. Alexander the Great

3. Alexander the Great

4. Alexander’s empire When Alexander died his empire was divided between his lieutenants (Macedonian noblemen): Antigonus: Macedonia/Greece Seleucus: Asia Minor/ Persia Ptolemy: Egypt

4. Alexander’s empire

5. Hellenistic society Nationalistic or cosmopolitan? Urban or rural? Based on trade or agriculture? Democracies or a monarchies? What language(s) did they speak?

5. Hellenistic society Cosmopolitan and eclectic: A mixture of different cultures (Greeks, Macedonians, Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Arabs…) linked by trade. Not a national culture. Cult to the ruler unifies a population of different ethnic background.

5. Classical Greek vs. Hellenistic society During the Classical period… were Athens or Sparta cosmopolitan? how were foreigners treated in Athens or Sparta? who was the most important deity of Athens? was Athens ever as large as Alexandria? what was characteristic of the Athenian government?

5. Hellenistic society Urban: Large metropolitan centers: Alexandria and Pergamum

5. Hellenistic society Government: Ruled by (divinized) monarchs. No democracy.

5. Hellenistic society Language: A form of colloquial Greek called Koine was spoken throughout the Hellenistic world.

6. Alexandria Founded by Alexander the Great. Population of about 1,000,000 Ruled by the Ptolemies Cultural center

6. Alexandria Library Museum (university) Theater Lighthouse Public gardens Tomb of Alexander

7. Pergamum

Altar of Zeus at Pergamum, 170 BCE.

9. Sculpture Motifs and purpose in Classical Greece? Realism or idealism? Way to represent the gods? Emotions? Individualism? Social types?

9. Sculpture In Classical Greece: Study of the perfect representation of the human body Subjects: gods (religious), idealized humans. No individual traits, no emotion.

9. Classical vs. 4th century sculpture

9. Classical vs. 4th century sculpture

9. 4th century sculpture Praxiteles (370-330 BCE) Praxitelian curve First female nude: Aphrodite of Cnidus Sensuality

9. 4th century sculpture Lysippus (4th cent) Sculptor of Alexander Psychological portrayal: emotion Theatrical effects: light and shade

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Laocoon Group, 150 BCE Gaul and wife, 220 BCE

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Emotion (pathos) Agitated movement

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Dying Gaul, 220 BCE Boxer, 225 BCE

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Sympathy (human compassion) Different ethnic and social groups

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Jockey, 2nd c. BCE Old market woman ,2nd c BCE

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Different age groups Realism Special interest in children

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Aphrodite, Eros and Pan, 100 BCE Barberini Faun, 200 BCE

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Eroticism Irreverent representation of the gods

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Nike of Samothrace, 190 BCE

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Theatrical effects

10. Hellenistic Sculpture Emotion (pathos) Agitated movement Sympathy (human compassion) Different ethnic and social groups Different age groups (Special interest in children) Realism Eroticism Irreverent representation of the gods Theatrical effects

10. Classical period vs. Hellenistic period Parthenon in Athens Altar of Pergamum

10. Religion Mystery cults: Dionysus Orpheus Isis Serapis Mithras Cybele

10. Religion Greek religion in the Archaic/ Classical Period: Features of the gods? Are the gods dreadful? Are there national/ civic deities? Individual/ collective cults? Dogmatic or ritualistic? Are the religious practices for everybody? Afterlife?

10. Religion In the Classical period: Gods behave like humans (immoral) Fear of the gods: need of prosperity Religion of the poleis, collective. Myths of foundation: ancestors Civic rituals bringing the citizens together

10. Religion Mystery cults: “Mystery”: secrets revealed only to the initiates. Initiation was mandatory (requiring a ritual). A dogma to be believed and directions to be followed. Belief in the immortality of the human soul. Purity/ immortality of the soul contrasts with sin/degradation of the mortal body. Sense of virtue and sin and reward and punishment in an afterlife. Various concepts of immortality: transmigration of souls, rebirth, reincarnation, resurrection, and redemption.

Review: the Hellenistic world Nationalistic or cosmopolitan? Urban or rural? Based on trade or agriculture? Government? Language? Urbanism? Sculpture?

Review: the Hellenistic world Religion: Mystery cults Are they civic deities? Individual (sectarian) or collective (public) cults? Dogmatic or ritualistic? Afterlife? Beliefs about soul?