Alexander and the Hellenistic Era

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key historical figures, locations, scientific advances, literary achievements, and philosophical schools from Chapter 4, Section 5: Alexander and the Hellenistic Era.

Macedonia

A kingdom north of Greece inhabited by rural farmers and agricultural laborers who spoke a Greek dialect and emerged as a powerful kingdom by the end of the fifth century B.C.

Philip II

The king who came to the Macedonian throne in 359 B.C., built a powerful army, admired Greek culture, and defeated the allied Greek city-states to gain control of Greece.

Battle of Chaeronea

The 338 B.C. battle near Thebes in which the Macedonian army under Philip II crushed an alliance of Greek states led by Athens, bringing an end to the freedom of Greek city-states.

Alexander the Great

The son of Philip II who became king of Macedonia at age 20, conquered the Persian Empire, created an enormous empire across three continents, and died in Babylon in 323 B.C. at age 32.

Alexandria

The Greek capital of Egypt founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C., which grew to be the largest city in the Mediterranean region by the first century B.C. and featured a museum and a library with over 500,000 scrolls.

Battle of Gaugamela

The decisive 331 B.C. battle fought near Babylon where Alexander the Great decisively defeated the Persians and took possession of the Persian Empire.

Hellenistic Era

A period created by the conquests of Alexander the Great—derived from a Greek word meaning 'to imitate Greeks'—marked by the expansion of the Greek language, art, architecture, and ideas to the non-Greek world of Southwest Asia and beyond.

Pergamum

One of four successor kingdoms that emerged after Alexander's death, located in western Asia Minor, whose leading city became a major cultural center with a library second only to Alexandria's.

Subsidizing

Aiding or promoting an undertaking or person with public or monarchical money, as done by Hellenistic leaders who spent large amounts supporting writers and scholars.

Apollonius of Rhodes

A Hellenistic author who wrote the epic poem Argonautica, recounting the story of Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece.

Theocritus

A Hellenistic poet who wrote short poems celebrating the beauty and love of nature, believing poets should avoid attempting epic poetry in the shadow of Homer.

Menander

The most successful playwright of Hellenistic new comedy, which focused on entertaining and amusing audiences rather than offering political commentary.

Aristarchus of Samos

A Hellenistic astronomer who developed the theory that the sun lies at the center of the universe while the Earth revolves around it in a circular orbit.

Eratosthenes

A Hellenistic astronomer who concluded Earth is round and calculated its circumference at 24,675 miles (39,702 km), which was within 185 miles (298 km) of the actual figure.

Euclid

A Hellenistic mathematician who authored Elements, a textbook on plane geometry that has been studied and used up to modern times.

Archimedes

The most famous Hellenistic scientist, from Syracuse, who studied the geometry of spheres and cylinders, established the value of the mathematical constant $\pi$, investigated levers and specific gravity, and invented the Archimedes' screw.

Founder

An originator who establishes a school of thought, institution, or movement, such as Epicurus establishing Epicureanism or Zeno establishing Stoicism.

Epicureanism

A philosophical system founded in Athens by Epicurus at the end of the fourth century B.C., maintaining that human happiness is the ultimate goal, achievable through the pursuit of pleasure defined as freedom from emotional turmoil and worry.

Stoicism

The most popular Hellenistic philosophy, founded by Zeno, which taught that happiness is attained solely by living in harmony with the will of God, bearing whatever life offers, and engaging in public service as a noble citizen.

Zeno

A Syrian merchant who came to Athens, lost his possessions in a shipwreck, and went on to establish Stoicism by teaching in the Painted Portico (Stoa Poikile).