Hellenistic Empires and Culture

How did the formation of the Hellenistic empires affect trade?

A common language and similar currency, together with improved roads and ports, established durable caravan routes that survived continuing wars.

When Hellenistic monarchs built new cities, what public structure did they also build?

Public parks

What was the Jewish rebellion from 166-164 B.C.E.?

Maccabee Revolt

What items did Greek city-states and Aegean societies trade for grains?

Olive oil and wine

What did Hippocrates believe caused disease?

An excess of a particular substance in the body

What political corporations were Hebrew communities allowed to form?

Politeuma

The Stoics' most important practical achievement was the creation of:

Natural law

How did slavery affect the Hellenistic world?

Slavery was vitally important to the economy.

How did the nature of warfare change under the Hellenistic empires?

Warfare was no longer confined to the battlefield; now cities were attacked directly and whole populations threatened.

How did political administration develop in the Hellenized cities?

A corps of professional Greek administrators formed since kings appointed officials without the need for elections.

Which characterizes the Hellenistic city?

In addition to its economic role, the Hellenistic city served as a cultural and educational center.

In attacking Persia, Alexander the Great was carrying out the intended plans of his father Philip.

Persia

Which philosopher believed that a life of contentment was the greatest good?

Epicurus

To the Greeks, civilized life was unthinkable outside of:

A city

Which philosophical school established the concept of "natural law"?

Stoicism

According to the text, Archimedes was most interested in:

The invention of catapults, water pumps, and other mechanical devices.

Alexander the Great used the wealth of Persia to:

Finance the creation of new cities.

What deity is an example of the assimilation of Egyptian and Greek religion?

Serapis

When Alexander established cities in the Near and Middle East, with whom were they founded?

Greek mercenaries and Macedonian veterans unable to continue active military campaigning.

How did the Hellenistic empires revolutionize the art of warfare?

They applied mechanics to siege machinery to build the first field artillery in the Western world.

The political history of the Hellenistic period was dominated by Greek leagues and:

Great monarchies

Eratosthenes was able to calculate with considerable accuracy:

The circumference of the earth

How did Euclid influence Western civilization?

With his text The Elements of Geometry

What primary advantage did Greek culture offer to non-Greeks?

Greek became the language of commerce and politics, and learning Greek allowed non-Greeks access to a wide array of activities.

How did the Hellenistic empires affect the nature of warfare?

Warfare became more professional as soldiers became trained, full-time employees of the kings, who often gave them incentives to remain loyal.

As part of his staff on a military campaign, Alexander the Great brought with him:

Philosophers, poets, and scientists, who mapped and studied the countries invaded.

How did Hellenistic culture influence the Jewish religion?

The Hebrew Bible and synagogue services were both translated into Greek as many Jews assimilated into Greek life.

How was the Greek world affected by the conquests of Alexander the Great?

The cultural and ethnic unity of the early Hellenic world was shattered by the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Hellenistic world.

Why did Alexander found new cities as he moved eastward?

To help maintain contact with the Greek world

What advantage did the new mystery cults of the Hellenistic world have over the older Greek mystery cults?

The new mystery cults were not tied to specific locations that required long pilgrimages, permitting them to spread more easily.

What was the most attractive feature of the Greek religious cults?

Their ability to satisfy deep spiritual yearnings

How did the Hellenistic city differ from the polis?

Hellenistic cities could not engage in foreign policy or war, nor could they govern their internal affairs without interference from the king.

After Alexander's death, where did the Ptolemies found a dynasty?

Egypt

What can we conclude about Hippocrates's methods from his passage about studying a patient's face?

He believed that close observation of patients was important.

How did the Hellenistic states seek to improve the welfare of local populations?

They sponsored experimentation with seed grain to increase agricultural productivity.

In the Hellenistic city, Greeks represented:

An elite citizen class

How did the Ptolemies affect the local Egyptian population?

They tied locals more firmly to the land, cutting off traditional avenues of social and economic advancement.

On what did all of the major branches of Hellenistic philosophy agree?

People could be truly happy only when they turned away from the world and focused full attention on one enduring thing.