NHellenesticIndex

The Empire of Alexander the Great

Alexander's father, King Philip of Macedon, wanted to take over Greece and Persia..........but unfortunately, he was assassinated when he was on his way to celebrate his daughters wedding.
Becuase of his son (Alexander) Philip's plan for an empire did not end with his death.

The assault on the Persian Empire began in 334 B.C. Under the brilliant generalship of the young twenty year old Macedonian king, Greek armies swept through Asia Minor, Palestine, Egypt, and Persia. In three years, the Persian Empire recognized Alexander as its new leader. Alexander pressed his armies eastward from the Persian capital farther into Asia—as far as the modern states of Afghanistan and Pakistan. When his armies at last refused to continue because they were becoming very ill and weary of fighting, Alexander reluctantly returned to Persia in 324 B.C.

Binding Together an Empire
As a child, Alexander was taught by Greek scholars and by 323 B.C he had conquered most of the known world. Alexander tried to spread Greek culture throughout his empire by setting up specific cities to serve as its center of culture. These cities were named after Alexander. One of them is up at the top of the Nile.......remember?..............."Alexandria"
It had been Alexander's goal to merge Greek culture with the more centralized political tradition of the East. Alexander fostered the construction of cities on the Greek model, but he carefully protected indigenous customs and social organization. Despite the success of Alexander's program of cultural amalgamation (mixing together), his empire was in many ways a personal one. As Alexander was making his way home from India, he stopped in Babylon for a victory party where he became very ill. Alexander suffered with a burning fever for ten days before dying. After Alexander's death, the empire fragmented into smaller political units.

The Hellenistic World (97-106 B.C.)
Urban Life and Culture
As Alexander had proceeded on his path of conquest, he had constructed cities. Hellenistic cities were Greek in culture, architectural form, and constitution. There were, however, differences. Hellenistic cities were larger, were not independent poleis but subject to absolute monarchs, and were open to all residents regardless of their geographical origins. Women achieved higher status in Hellenistic society than in classical Greece. They were able to control their own property and in some areas of the Hellenistic world, particularly Egypt, were able to hold public office. The Ptolemy dynasty had a tradition of female monarchs. Hellenistic art and literature benefited from extensive patronage.

Alexandria

Alexandria in Egypt emerged as the greatest center of scholarship in the ancient world under the Ptolemies. The focal point of Alexandrian culture was the great library that served as a repository for the greatest works of literature and philosophy in the Hellenistic world.

*Now that you know a little bit more about Alexander and why he was so great, complete the political cartoon depicting Alexander talking to one of his soldiers.

Art and Architecture
With the development of larger Hellenistic cities, architectural forms became more flamboyant and monumental. Art tended toward the romantic and individual rather than the ideal.

• Phidias of Athens

c. 493-430 B.C.
High Classical Period
Son of Charmides. Phidias (Pheidias) was known for his nearly 40 foot tall statue of Athena (“chryselephantine” -- plates of ivory upon a core of wood or stone for the flesh; solid gold drapery and ornaments) in the Parthenon and his Zeus (ivory and gold) at Olympia. Pericles commissioned Phidias to direct construction of the Parthenon.

• Myron of Eleutherae
5th C.
Early Classical Period
An older contemporary of Phidias and Polyclitus, and, like them, also a pupil of Ageladas, Myron worked chiefly in bronze. Myron is known for his Discobolus (discus-thrower) which had careful proportion and rhythm. His sculpture of a bronze heifer was supposedly so lifelike it could be mistaken for a real cow.

MORE EXAMPLES OF GREEK SCULPTURES

*You are the unknown sculptur of the Nike of Samothrace. You will read about your work as well as view it carefully once again. You will then complete "Observing for detail" located below the reading.

Name: Nike of Samothrace (The Greek goddess of victory)

Artist: unknown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Period: Hellenistic (Ancient Greek Art)

Date: c. 200 BC

Collection: Musée du Louvre, Paris

ABOUT THE NIKE STATUE
Movement. Drama. Dynamism. These three words describe the essence of the work of sculpture known as the Nike of Samothrace. This image of the Greek goddess Nike demonstrates, in a powerful and impressive manner, the level of technical skill achieved by Hellenistic sculptors. The Nike of Samothrace is quite literally a tour de force of intricate carving and dynamic movement, an image of Victory captured for eternity.

For the ancient Greeks, the goddess Nike represented the personification of victory. In the case of this particular work of art, there is some speculation about the exact victory that this marble statue celebrates, but it is most likely that she is meant to commemorate naval battles that were won by the Rhodians. And while she now commands attention in the Louvre as a free-standing statue, originally the Nike was part of scene that included a ship's prow. The beautiful goddess must have been an awe-inspiring sight, appearing to drift from the sky and land gracefully, wings still hovering in the air, draperies moving in the wind and revealing the elegant body underneath.

Today, in many ways the Nike celebrates the victory of beauty, as she symbolizes the ideals of perfection to which the ancient Hellenistic artists aspired. And the statue of the goddess still stands as a monument to a time of artistic splendor.

*OBSERVING FOR DETAIL (Be able to explain in detail)
1. What does your sculpture appear to be doing?
2. What is causing the drapery to flutter and billow?
3. What kinds of emotions or feelings are you trying to arouse in people who viewed this work?
4. What do you find to be most impressive about your work--Its realistic appearance or its emotional impact?
5. How does the Nike compare or contrast to the other sculptures your viewing?
6. Why do you think the most popular shoe company decided to be called "NIKE"?

Hellenistic Philosophy
Philosophy in the Hellenistic world was dominated by three schools: the Cynics, the Epicureans, and the Stoics.

Cynics: They saw the material world as evil and urged followers to renounce all material possessions. They thought that
"All people should seek virtue"
They hated pleasure and wealth.
The founders of the school were Antisthenes and Diogenes of Sinope.

Epicureans: They sought to maximize the pleasurable and to minimize pain. They taught retreat from public life and concentration on simplicity and tranquillity.
"People should seek pleasure". The founder of the school was Epicurus.
"People should avoid pain"
"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow may bring pain or death"

Stoicism: They believed that the entire universe was ordered according to natural laws. Each person is consigned a role in the natural system and must seek to discover and fulfill that vocation.
"So people should accept what nature has to offer and show little emotion."
"Whatever fate dictated was correct."
"People should not complain, but should learn to accept whatever nature might bring."
The founder of was named Zeno.

Using the chart below, create your own OR pick ONE person or personality trait form EACH philosophy below to make your OWN political cartoon!

CYNICS	EPICUREANS	STOICISM
An old scrooge A Muslim A hippie from the 60's	Someone who eats too much A professional athlete MC Hammer (someone who spends too much money)	Someone quiet or shy Pharell "beautiful" Kurt Warner

Mathematics and Science (under construction)
Hellenistic Egypt emerged as a new center of mathematics and science. Mathematics and the application of mathematics to the cosmos through astronomy were areas of special significance.

Euclid: The geometer Euclid created a system of geometry that continues to exist and actually wrote a text book!!! Ya baby, educating the people of Greece.

Archimedes: was renowned for his application of mathematical theory to ancient engineering. He mostly known for calculating the value of pi.

Hipparchus: of Nicea created a theory of the basic order of the universe with an earth-centered cosmology that remained unchanged until the sixteenth century. He used trigonometry and calculus to determine the time of eclipses.

Advances were also made in medicine. Although the Hellenistic rulers made many attempts to bridge the cultural gaps between the indigenous populations of their territories and the Greeks, there was often open resistance to cultural homogenization. Resistance to the imposition of Greek culture among the Jews led to rebellion after 167 B.C. Violent opposition was repeated elsewhere in the kingdoms that had once been part of Alexander's empire.