Hellenistic Greece:  The Age of Alexander

 

A.     Macedonia

1.      Geographical & Cultural Orientation

2.      The rise of Philip II

3.      The Battle of  Chaeronae: 338 B.C.

4.      The Hellenic League:  anti-Persian

5.      The death of Philip, the rise of Alexander, 336 BC

 

B.     Alexander:  Military /Political Accomplishments

1.      Beyond the Hellespont: The Battle of Granicus R. 334BC.

a.       PR. The “New Trojan War”

b.      PR The “New Achilles” – semi-divine

c.       PR Untying “The Gordian Knot”

2.      The Battle of  Issus, 333 BC

3.      The Egyptian campaign:  The “New Pharaoh”

4.      Always simply “The King”

5.      Elevating Persian Generals & Rituals

6.      Establishing poli

7.      The first eugenic experiment: Intermarriage

 

C.     Drive to the East

1.      Pursuing Darius III

2.      The Army revolt: 324 BC: Alexander’s hubris

3.      On to India, Pakistan

4.      The 2nd Army revolt

5.      The death of  Alexander: 323 BC & a fusion culture

 

D.     The Division of the Empire

1.      Antigonus, Ptolemy, Selecus

2.      The “Varnish Cultures”

3.      The problem of legitimacy

a.       The aura of Alexander

b.      Cultivating cult status

c.       The King as benefactor, the megalopsychus (man of great soul)

d.      Piracy

e.       Case study:  The Maccabean Revolt

 

E.      Hellenistic Culture

1.      The Library of Alexandria

2.      Technology:  Hero of Alexandria

3.      New Schools of Philosophy

f.        Epicurianism

g.       Stoicism

h.       Skepticism