Hell World: Term 1 Week 1: Intro sources and approaches

What time period is covered in this module?

Covers key aspects of history on eastern Mediterranean and middle east between the wing of Alexander the great and the death of Cleopatra VII (323-30 BCE). 

Where did the Hellenistic World geographically begin?

Began in Macedonia/Greece. (the Greeks in the south considered the Macedonians to be barbaric)

Where did the Greco-Macedonian kingdom spread to?

Greco-Macedonian kingdoms spread throughout ancient world after death of Alexander, from Greece to India, Egypt and Sicily. (large scope of land)

What space did the Hellenistic world occupy?

Occupied (largely) the space of the Persian Empire (which Alexander the great conquer), come space in this empire wasn’t in the Persian empire

How was the Hellenistic World viewed in the ancient world?

The period is not thought of as highly as the cultures of Greece and Rome.

Ancients themselves don’t seem to have had much admiration for the period. The romans, having defeated the kingdoms, had contempt for them. It was not a glorious period of Greek history. Later Greeks, living in the time of the Roman empire, tended to look to Classical Athens for inspiration. These attitudes influenced modern historians.

What was this period fundamental to?

It was a period that was fundamental to the development of Greek civilization- Greek cultural traits spead far and wide: many famous works of art were created e.g. Venus milo/ winged Nike

What are the cultural connections in the Hellenistic World?

Cultural connections- spread as far to Afghanistan, a man from Afghanistan travelled to the oracle of Delphi to consult it. Syncrotism- several different deities are combined into the concept of a single deity

How did the role of women change in the Hellenistic world?

Women playing more prominent roles in public life.  Very elite women, not the lower classes as much. Female rulers- Cleopatra the seventh

Cults

New cults, non-greek cults like Isis spread through the Greek world

What happened to trade networks?

Trade networks, some people would describe it as a period of globalisation, much more interconnected than it had been previously

When did the Hellenistic world end?

• The Hellenistic ends with he death of Cleopatra VII in 31 BCE, but others argue it ended with the destruction of Corinth by the Romans 

Why do non-literary sources play a major role?

•No single grand historical narrative (i.e. Thucydides, Tacitus) for this period, therefore non-literary sources play a major role.

Why is the Hellenistic World studied regionally?

•As the Hellenistic world covered such a vast amount of territory (over a dozen modern countries), putting together grand narratives through ancient remains is extremely difficult.

•Therefore, we tend to study it regionally (e.g. Greece, Egypt, etc.)

What is the early Hellenistic period?

•Early Hellenistic -323-196 BCE, death of Alexander to the first Roman defeat of Macedon. Early (successful fase) Hellenistic -323-196 BCE, death of Alexander to the first Roman defeat of Macedon. Largely sees the growth of the kingodm

What is the late Hellenistic period?

•Late Hellenistic - 196-30 BCE. Rise of Rome to prominence in late 3^rd century. Rome becomes the dominant power

What became the world power after the Hellenistic world?

Rome

Where geographically is the Hellenistic World?

• Hellenistic world - Ca. 3,000 miles from peninsular Greece (also Italy and Sicily) to the eastern fringes of the Alexander’s empire.

• Modern countries that are included in this course include: Greece, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India…   

• Wide variation in rulers, wide variation in what survives from this time period

List the main Kingdoms

• Antigonids:

• Ptolemies:

• Attalids:

• Seleucids:

Where were the Antigonids?

Macedon/Greece

Where were the Ptolemies?

Egypt

Where were the Attalids?

 Asia Minor

Where were the Seleucids?

Asia & East

What surviving authors do we have from this time?

• Diodorus Siculus Books 18-20 (ca. 323-301 BCE)

• Polybius of Megalopolis (ca.220-146 BCE)

What time period did Diodorus work in?

Diodorus (time of Augustus) – works don’t survive in their entirety, for our period only the very early years are preserved. His work was a universal history of the world to 60 BCE. It covered the beginning of the world to the 1st century BC, a number of authors at the time wrote universal histories like this. 

Why did Polybius write?

Polybius – works don’t survive in their entirety; purpose of writing was to explain the rise of Rome, not to provide a history of the Hellenistic World- he was impressed by the Romans so his work is about explaining how they managed to be so successful

What is an epitome?

Epitome essentially is a summary of a much longer history

What are the epitomes from this period?

Epitomes (e.g. Justin, second century CE, epitomized Pompeius Trogus, a contemporary of Augustus who wrote the Philippic Histories)

What are the quotations that we have from the Hellenistic period?

Quotations (e.g. Athanaeus, Deipnosophistai, c. 200 CE). Athanaeus he wrote the dinner sophists, an incredibly long set of books with boring pompous know it alls who eat dinner together and they discuss many topics where they quote ancient authors- so its full of quotes about many topics ergo its preserving things that have been preserve no where else, its full of quotes from orks that don’t survive

What encyclopaedias do we have from the period?

Encyclopaedias (e.g. the Suda, a Byzantine encyclopaedia, c. 1000 CE). Most encyclopaedias are quite late

Who is Plutarch of Chaironeia?

Plutarch of Chaironeia (writing in Roman period). Writer of the parallel lives (compares greeka dn Roman figures)

What did Arrian of Nikomedia write?

Arrian wrote a number of works. The best surviving one that’s relevant is the Anabasis, a history of Alexander’s campaigns. He wrote a history of Alexander’s successors but only fragments survive. He also wrote an account of India, large parts of which survive.

What perspective did Appian of Alexandria write from?

Appian of Alexandria (writing in the Roman period) who wrote a works on this period, biased to the Roman perspective.

Who is Berossos?

Berossos, a Babylonian priest, writing in the third century BCE under the Seleucids, composed the Babyloniaka, a history of Babylonia (survives only in fragments) (a non-greek writer writing in Greece)

Who is Manetho (a non-greek author writing in Greece)?

Manetho, an Egyptian priest, writing about the same time as Berossos, under the Ptolemies, wrote the Aigyptiaka, a history of Egypt (also survives only in fragments)

List the sources that we have for the Hellenistic World?

Art, Inscriptions, Papyri, Archeology, Architecture, Coins

Art

lots of Hellenistic art, survives through originals or Roman copies. Rulers commission artworks for their capitalsart survives

Inscriptions

inscribed lots of documents in stone e.g. letters from kings- very wide variety of documents, contemporary documents meaning it gives an insight into what is going on. 

Papyri

some are official documents but many are personal e.g. personal accounts, literary texts, personal letters

Archeology

excavation of sights, focus is paticular/regional, what is excavated in these sights can provide us with information about things such as the Hellenistic economy, can give insight into trade networks

Coins

• official documents, either issued by kings or city states. The coins can tell us the status of cities, depictions of local cults, or tell us about Hellenistic kingships 

Write out Plutarch Alexander 14:

And now a general assembly of the Greeks was held at the Isthmus, where a vote was passed to make an expedition against Persia with Alexander, and he was proclaimed their leader. Thereupon many statesmen and philosophers came to him with their congratulations, and he expected that Diogenes of Sinope also, who was tarrying in Corinth, would do likewise. But since that philosopher took not the slightest notice of Alexander, and continued to enjoy his leisure in the suburb Craneion, Alexander went in person to see him; and he found him lying in the sun. Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many persons coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if he wanted anything, ‘Yes,’ said Diogenes, ‘stand a little out of my sun.’ It is said that Alexander was so struck by this, and admired so much the haughtiness and grandeur of the man who had nothing but scorn for him, that he said to his followers, who were laughing and jesting about the philosopher as they went away, ‘But verily, if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.’

Who is the story by and about?

This is a story by Plutarch (parallel lives author), he is writing in the Roman period. He is comparing Alexander to Julius Caesar (in parallel lives)

What does the story seem to create a sense of?

The story seems to create a sense of buildup/friction between the two men, but it does not end in an argument/punishment but in humour

What kind of a light is Alexander portrayed in?

• Message seems to be not to take it all too seriously, it portrays Alexander in a good light (he isn’t upset  

• In character behaviour for Alexander, curious not a punisher 

Summarise the passage?

Summary of passage: Alexander comes into power, many people come to congratulate but Diogenes doesn’t so he seeks him out. Diogenes tells Alexander to get out of the way of his sun while he is sunbathing- Alexander takes this in a humorous manner

opinion

Opinion: Diogenes is happier, does not need the approval of others like Alexander does (Alexander has so much but looks for approval from a man who lives in a barrel). Story possibly of power/happiness/respect

what is the story inspiration for?

This story is the inspiration for many paintings

What is the Alexander Romance?

The Alexander Romance: fictions that are written after his death, continuing into the medievil period, they all start the same way thinking about what he did in his travels. Each society that writes an Alexander romances interprets him in their own way. One is a story/visual representation of Alexander going into space- airborn via griffins pulling on meat he put on a stick, the gods see hima nd tell him that he has conquered earth and this is the limits of what he can known and tell him to turn back to earth. Story of going beyond human limits (common theme for him in stories)

What did Alexander found lots of?

Alexander founds many cities, all names after him ‘Alexandria’

Write out Arrian 3.1.15ff:

Alexander came to Canobus, sailed around Lake Mareotis, and landed on the site of the present city of Alexandria, which is called after himself. The site seemed to be the most favourable one for the foundation of a city and he thought that it would be prosperous. He was therefore seized with a longing (pothos) for the task, and marked out himself the main parts of the city, the location of the agora, how many sanctuaries there should be, and of which gods, those of Greek gods and of Egyptian Isis, and the course of the city wall. He offered sacrifice over the plan, and the omens appeared favourable. The following story is also told, and I do not disbelieve it. It is said that Alexander wanted to indicate to the builders the lines of the city-wall, but had nothing to mark the ground with. One of the builders suggested making use of the meal which the soldiers carried in vessels, and dropping it on the ground where the king indicated. In this way the circumference of the city-wall was marked out according to his wishes. The seers, and especially Aristander of Telmessus, who had made many correct prophecies to Alexander, reflected on this and declared that the city would be prosperous in every way, particularly as regards agricultural produce.

Who is Arrian?

Arrian is a Roman author who writes the campaigns of Alexander, records a story of the founding of the cities.

How is Alexander portrayed in this text?

Alexander is very involved in the task of the foundation of the city- marking things and places out himself- looking at it all very logically viewing which areas are the most profitable/reasonable to found a city in. Shining a good light on Alexander yet again (Roman author)

Analyse the text

• Tells a story within a story, sights that he heard someone describe the way that the city walls were marked out 

• Feels like a mythical foundation ‘It is said that’, mention of sacrifice (although this is typical). This place is blessed by the gods, Greek and egyptian- both cultures are referenced

Who is credit given to with the founding of the city?

Credit given to the builder, Alexander is praised but not credited for everything

Characteristics and symbolism in the text

• Characteristics that carry through different foundation stories (checking with the gods- romulus and remus) 

• Symbolism of putting grain to mark it out possible (new life, growth, unlikely though personal thoughts) 

Did Alexander have a lot to do with the founding of the actual city?

• Archeology gives evidence that he had little to do with physically founding it- propaganda for him, very praising 

Write out Diodorus Siculus 26.18:

Archimedes, the famous and learned engineer and 212 or 211 BC. mathematician, a Syracusan by birth, was at this time an old man, in his seventy-fifth year. He constructed many ingenious machines, and on one occasion by means of a triple pulley launched with his left hand alone a merchant ship having a capacity of fifty thousand medimni. During the time when Marcellus, the Roman general, was attacking Syracuse both by land and by sea, Archimedes first hauled up out of the water some of the enemy’s barges by means of a mechanical device, and after raising them to the walls of Syracuse, sent them hurtling down, men and all, into the sea. Then, when Marcellus moved his barges a bit farther off, the old man made it possible for the Syracusans, one and all, to lift up stones the size of a wagon, and by hurling them one at a time to sink the barges. When Marcellus now moved the vessels off as far as an arrow can fly, the old man then devised an hexagonal mirror, and at an appropriate distance from it set small quadrangular mirrors of the same type, which could be adjusted by metal plates and small hinges. This contrivance he set to catch the full rays of the sun at noon, both summer and winter, and eventually, by the reflection of the sun’s rays in this, a fearsome fiery heat was kindled in the barges, and from the distance of an arrow’s flight he reduced them to ashes. Thus did the old man, by his contrivances, vanquish Marcellus. Again, he used to say, in the Doric speech of Syracuse: “Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will move the whole world.” Now when Syracuse was, as Diodorus relates, suddenly betrayed to Marcellus, or according to Dio, sacked by the Romans while the citizens were celebrating a nocturnal festival of Artemis, this man was killed by one of the Romans, under the following circumstances. Engaged in sketching a mechanical diagram, he was bending over it when a Roman came upon him and began to drag him off as a prisoner of war. Archimedes, wholly intent on his diagram and not realizing who was tugging at him, said to the man: “Away from my diagram, fellow!” Then, when the man continued to drag him along, Archimedes turned and, recognizing him for a Roman, cried out: “Quick there, one of my machines, someone!” The Roman, alarmed, slew him on the spot, a weak old man, but one whose achievements were wondrous. As soon as Marcellus learned of this, he was grieved, and together with the noblemen of the city and all the Romans gave him splendid burial amid the tombs of his fathers. As for the murderer, he had him, I fancy, beheaded. Dio and Diodorus record the story.

What is the story about?

• Science and technology is so important, has so much power 

• Story is about Roman uncultured militart minds versus Greek brilliance. Author saying yes the Romans conquered us but what did they do- criticises the Romans in an offhand way