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Creating a Hellenistic World - Coggle Diagram
Creating a Hellenistic World
Alexander the Great
Son of Philip of Macedon
Rival with the Persian Empire
Evidence
Arrian
, c2nd AD
Writing under the Roman Empire
Elite
Drawing on first-hand information
Greek
Plutarch,
Life of Alexander
, c1st/earlyc2nd AD
Writing under the Roman Empire
Greek
Diodorus
, c1st BC
Earliest of surviving evidence
History of the world
Greek
Justin
, c2nd/c3rd AD
Latin
Quintus Curtius Rufus
, c1st AD*
More of a rhetorical account
Contemporary lost historians
Including
Callisthenes
who was on campaign with Alexander as a historian of the expedition
Alexander
Images of Alexander
Romantic Alexander, the dreamer
Unity of mankind
Tarn, 1933
Ruthless, brutal Alexander
Murdering and drinking his way across the Persian Empire
Badian, 1958
Bosworth
Philip II
359 BC --> Accession
336 BC --> Assassination
Alexander
Mythologies surrounding Alexander from the time of his brith
Mother was Philip's 4th wife (out of 7 - politically polygamous)
Comes to power in 336 BC
Father had just been assassinated
2 years before, his father had just married his 7th wife, Cleopatra
Macedonian
The niece of one of Philip's top generals
Has 2 children
Could have been a threat to Alexander's power
He immediately eliminated this threat
Revolt and destruction of Thebes, 335 BC
Upon hearing the false information that Alexander had died
Alexander in turn destroys Thebes
A message to any other city considering revolt
6000 dead
30,000 enslaved
House of Pindar (Theban poet) saved
One place he did not destroy
Invasion of Persia
Alexander is thus established in Macedon, mainland Greece (made clear by the destruction of Thebes) and set onto invade the Persian Empire, in follow of his father
Early incursions into the Persian Empire
Xenophon
Agesilaus
338 BC --> Persian king Artaxerxes III dies
Succeeded by Artaxerxes IV
337 BC --> Philip sets up the League of Corinth
Sends expeditionary force under Parmenion
336 BC --> Darius III on Persian throne
Invasion
334 BC, spring --> Alexander joins Parmenion and the campaign in Asia
32,000 infantry
5000 cavalry
Not a huge force, but significant enough
Antipater left in charge of Macedon
Alexander's aims differed from Philip's
Philip
To carry out what Greeks had been talking about throughout c4th BC
To liberate greek cities in Asia Minor from Persian rule
Alexander
Blasted his way into the Persian Empire and kept going
Destruction of the Persian Empire
Alexander begins with Ilium, city of Troy
Projects the spirit of Achilles in the current age
His self-image and written image by
Callisthenes
Plutarch,
Life of Alexander
, 15
Homeric hero
Alexander honoured Achilles and invoked the age of Home and heroic warriors
Asia Minor
Alexander's campaign
Three major battles
Battle of Granicus, 334 BC
'Alexander, son pf Philip, and the Greeks dedicate these spoils taken from the barbarians who dwell in Asia'
Arrian 1.16.7, inscriptions to be attached to 300 suits of armour sent to Athens
Issus, 333 BC
Gaugamela, 331 BC
'With his right hand he appealed to the gods ... he was sprung from Zeus, to defend and strengthen the Greeks'
Plutarch,
Life of Alexander
, 33
Presented himself as liberator of the Greeks of Asia Minor
'Destroyed the oligarchy, and established a democracy'
Arrian 1.17.10-18.2
The oligarchies which previously held these cities tended to be subject to the Persians
Alexander's letter to Darius, Arrian 2.14
'Aim of punishing the Persians ... since you are the agressors'
'By the grace of the Gods, I control the country'
Captured the family of Darius
'Whenever you communicate with me, send to me as king of Asia'
'If you wish to lay claim to the title of king, then stand your ground and fight for it'
Siege of Tyre, 332 BC
Egypt: Alexandria and Siwah
Foundation of Alexandria, 331 BC
Becomes really involved in the city he has arrived at
Founds 'Alexandria'
New settlement
Moves onto Ammon and Siwah Oasis
Earliest account by court historian,
Callisthenes
We are told Alexander was led by crows
Alexander recognised as son of Zeus
Shift into Alexander the divine
After Gaugamela
Fight of Darius
Satrap of Babylon, Mazaeus, surrenders city
Alexander leaves him in admin charge of region
Alexander takes Susa
Vast amount of booty
Burning of Persepolis
India
The furthest reach of the Persian Empire
Mutiny of Hyphasis
Returns to coast down Indus River
River notorious for bloodshed
Then back to Babylon via the Gedrosian desert
Alexander the Great King
330 BC
Darius killed by one of his nobles, Bessus
Alexander captures and executed Bessus, charging him with treachery
Alexander as the new Great King
Largely takes over existing administration
Reasons for dissent towards Alexander
Using native elite in administrative positions
These people have been subdued
Why use them in roles of authority?
Accused Alexander of dressing up in Persian style
Court practices
Many not appropriate for Macedonians
Eg. Pyrokinesis
Divine aspirations
He seemed to want to be a god
Murder of Cleitus the Black
'By these wounds that you have become so high and mighty as to disown Philip and claim to be the son of Ammon'
Plutarch,
Life of Alexander
, 50
Alexander's death
Upon return from Babylon
Fell ill with fever
323 BC
Establishing the Hellenistic Kingdoms
Hellenistic
Alexander as the border between Classical era and Hellenistic era
A period in which Greek culture spreads throughout the eastern Mediterranean
323 BC --> death of Cleopatra
Evidence
Plutarch
, especially
Lives of Eumenes, Demetrius, Pyrrhus
No lives written about the major Hellenistic kings
Diodorus, books 18-20
Covering years 323-302 BC
After that in fragments
History of the world
After 302 BC, it exists only in fragments
Justin,
Epitome of Pompeius Trogus
, book 13 onwards
World history
Covers much of the broader period of the Hellenistic World
BUT it is an epitome, so much is not there
Inscriptions
Don't tell us about the narrative
BUT do give a sense of the culture and what's important
Contemporary
Finding a King
Alexander's death
In response to whom he leaves his empire to:
'To the best man; for I foresee that a great combat of my friends will be my funeral games'
Diodorus, 18.1.3
Possible successors
Arrhidaios
Half-brother of Alexander
Becomes Philip III
Considered incapable
Bloodline to Alexander
Supported by the footsoldiers
Alexander IV
Son of Alexander and Roxane
Unborn at the time of Alexander's death
Supported by officers, led by Perdikkas
Most important figures in the empire in 323 BC
Perdikkas, in Babylon
There with Alexander and his soldiers at the time of his death
Krateros, in Asia Minor
Antipater, in Macedon
But the empire is run by the Satrapies
Antigonos the One-eye (Phrygia, Asia Minor)
Associate of Philip II
Came with Alexander into Asia Minor
Remained in control of it while Alexander continued
Lysimachos (Thrace)
Commander in Alexander's army
Seleukos (Babylon)
Commander in Alexander's army
Ptolemy (Egypt)
Commander in Alexander's army
What was the fate of these figures?
Perdikkas
Killed by his own soldiers, 321 BC
Krateros
Killed in battle against Eumenes, 321 BC
Antipater
Died of natural causes, 319 BC
Following Alexander's death
Body is embalmed
Funeral carriage is created
Described in
Diodorus 18.26-7
Funeral carriage taken by Perdikkas to make its way back to Macedon, where he would be buried in the royal tomb
BUT the body never arrived in Macedon
Ptolemy kidnapped the body
Perdikkas pursued it to Egypt, but did not manage to retrieve it
Ptolemy incorporated the body into a mausoleum he created in the Palace of Alexandria
Nature of Alexander's Empire at the time
All satraps profess loyalty to the kings, the Argead dynasty (Alexander's dynasty), and the empire
HOWEVER all are looking out for themselves, simultaneously
Eg. Ptolemy intercepts Alexander's body whilst building his power in Egypt
Loyalty to the system, whilst preparing for an alternative future
317 BC --> Philip III is ordered to death by Olympias
He is now out of the way
The empire breaks up
Antigonos the One-eyed
Growing more power
Cassander, Ptolemy, and Lysimachos come together again him
Peace of 311
Diodorus 19.105
Cassander to be general of Europe, until Alexander's son comes of age
Greeks be autonomous
HOWEVER they did not abide by these agreements
Each of them, putting forward plausible excuses, kept seeking to increase their individual power
311 BC
Making agreements like independent rulers
Not good for Alexander IV
Implications for Alexander IV
Fearing for himself, he instructed Glaukias, who was in command of the guard over the child, to murder Roxane and the king, conceal their bodies, and to disclose to no one else what has been done
New kings
306 BC --> Antigonos and his son Demetrios the Besieger take the title king after defeating Ptolemy in a sea battle off Cyrus
Others soon copy in claiming king and posing challenge
Plutarch,
Demetrius
18
The end of Antigonous
Antigonous continues to expand his kingdom
His son, Demetrios, campaigns in Greece
301 BC --> Antigonous is defeated and killed at the Battle of Ipsos by a coalition of Cassander, Lysimachos, and Seleukos
Demetrios escapes
After Ipsos
Ptolemy I Soter
Died naturally in 283 BC, aged 85
Succeeded by his son and pre-established co-ruler Ptolemy II Philadelphos
No distribution in this succession
Smooth transition takes place in Egypt
Presents an Egyptian face to his Egyptian population and another to his Greek population
Lysimachos (Thrace and Asia Minor)
Killed in a battle at Kouropedion in 281 BC
When his army was defeated by Seleukos I
One and only member of his dynasty
Died in battle
Never arranged a succession
His territory of Asia Minor was taken over by Seleukos
Thrace was incorporated into other people's territories
Seleukos I Nikator
Assassinated by Ptolemy Keraunos in 281 BC
One of the sons of Ptolemy of Egypt, who had become part of the court around Seleukos
Succeeded by his son and co-ruler Antiochus I
In the latter part of his life, he had started advancing into Lysimachos' territory towards Macedon
Reason is unknown
Does not end up running a dynasty in Macedon either
With Lysimachus dead, the stronghold and stability of the north was gone
His death was not the end of his kingdom
He had been co-ruling with his son and so his son simply took over
The Kingdoms
By 270 BC, the main Hellenistic kingdoms had been established
Antigonids (based in Macedon)
Seleucids (expands from Turkey through to Afghanistan / major part of the Persian Empire)
Ptolemies (based in Egypt)
Fundamental characteristics
Ruled by Macedonians
Greco-Macedonian cultures
The first generation were former colleagues, who fought together with Alexander
They were rivals but collaborated and inter-married
Seleucids and Ptolemies ruled a non-Greek native population
Ptolemaic Egypt
The Nile
Egypt is primarily the Nile Delta
Towns and cities located along the Nile
Mostly desert east and west of the river
Important to have some strong leader because it was the river which liked the region and allowed people to survive
Fayyum
Area of recalled land by the Ptolemies
Tuned from desert into land through irrigation
Irrigation systems allow people to farm in a region of much flooding (due to monsoon rains)
The Nile would not dry up in summer, oddly to the Greeks
Papyrus
Conditions in Egypt allows this material to survive
Evidence from Egypt which we don't have for much of the Greek world
Gives an insight into the lives of the Egyptian people
Setting up a kingdom
Ptolemy
A general fro Alexander's army
Wrote a memoir about his adventures with Alexander
After Alexander's death he became satrap of Egypt
Cleomenes of Naucratis
Greek
Coming from one of the only Greek communities in Egypt
Put in charge of Egypt
From the area and knew the territory
Was not popular
Aristtle,
Oeconomica
II,2,3,33b
to save crocodiles, Cleomenes was given lots of gold
Getting rid of him, for Ptolemy, was not a major issue
Ptolemy as satrap
Ptolemy minted coins, in honour of Alexander, displaying Alexander's portrait
Shows Ptolemy's connection with Alexander
First coins with Alexander's head on them
Some likely referred to Alexander's son (Alexander IV), whose name Ptolemy was ruling in
Ptolemy established himself as ruler, despite ruling in the name of another
Satrap Stele
, 311 BC
Priests and temples acknowledge Ptolemy as their benefactor
Shows how Ptolemy was actively truing to win them over
305 BC
Ptolemy becomes king
Ptolemy I Soter (saviour)
Alexander IV is no more
A royal family
As king, Ptolemy started building up a dynasty
Coins mined with the entire family on
Importance of the family
Makes a statement about legitimacy
The poet Sotades
Made a joke about the family's incest
Was drowned
The women of the royal family had a prominence that they may not have had in other dynasties
Eg. Appear on coins
Meant Cleopatra's sole-rule of Egypt was not too controversial
Alexandria
Founded by Alexander
BUT he did not stay for long and so did not develop it much further
Made a capital city by Ptolemy
Ptolemy developed Alexandria
Associated himself closely with Alexander in order to legitimise his rule in Egypt
Ptolemy even moved from Memphis to Alexandria
The King would have been one of the main employers of Alexandria
Many people associated with the king
Not much archeological evidence of the ancient city nowadays
HOWEVER, much underwater archeology
Frank Goddio and Jean-Yves Empereur
Alexander's visual image may have been a mixture of Egyptian and Greek
Egyptians and Greeks
Cohabitating with each other
Ptolemy has 2 ways of representing himself - Greek and Egyptian
Does not mean he was trying to appeal to 2 different audiences
May assert he rules 2 kingdoms
Petitions
Appeals to the king (seen as dispenser of justice)
Eg.
Philista
(Greek name)
daughter of Lysias
'I am wronged by Petechon' (Egyptian name) ... handed over the offender to the chief policeman 'in the presence of Simon' (Jewish name)
Mixture of people from different ethnic backgrounds
A sense of the bureaucracy, with the
response
/ how this petition is archived within this bureaucracy
Canopus Decree
, 283 BC
Written in 3 different languages
Hieroglyphic (language of the priests)
Demotic
Greek
Illustrates how the people saw the king, as well as issues he may have had to deal with
Flooding of the river as a major problem for the people of Egypt
Celebrating Macedonian-ness
Posidippus
, 88 AD
Taking part in a festival at Olympia/ cultural world of mainland Greece is important
Being of Eordaean descent (Macedonian) is still looked on as worthy
Negative interactions
'they have treated me [a non-Greek] with contempt because I am a barbarian ... that I do not die of hunger because I don not know how to speak Greek'
P. Col. IV 66 (256/5 BC)
P Enter 79
(218 BC) - An Egyptian woman peed on a Greek
Legal disputes
If something is declared in Greek, it shall be felt with according to Greek code, and the same goes for Egyptian
Being Greek does not give one any legal or moral superiority