HIS 101 - Unit 4 and 5 Flashcards

Major Themes

  • The rise of Macedon and Alexander the Great’s conquests
  • The spread of Hellenistic culture and its successor states
  • Roman myth and identity: foundational legends and civic values
  • Development of the Roman Republic: Senate, laws, social orders
  • Roman military expansion and transition from republic to empire
  • Urbanization and Roman cultural diffusion

Detailed Study Notes

King's Peace and Macedonian Rise

  • King's Peace (387/386 BC):
    • An agreement between Sparta and Persia.
    • Sparta ceded Ionia to Persia, allowing the Greek city-states to fight among themselves.
    • This disunity facilitated the rise of Macedon in the north.

Macedon's Position and Philip II's Early Life

  • Macedon was initially a minor power, viewed by Greeks as semi-barbarian.
  • Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, was the architect of Macedonian power.
  • Philip was sent to Thebes as a hostage at age 14 and learned Greek military tactics.

Philip II's Military Reforms and Expansion

  • Philip returned to Macedon, seized power, and reformed the army.
  • Introduced the phalanx with longer pikes and formed the elite Companions cavalry.
  • Used diplomacy, marriage, and military force to secure borders and expand south.
  • Took control of Greek silver and gold mines and was elected head of the Corinthian League.

Battle of Chaeronea and Persian Campaign Plan

  • In 338 BC, Philip defeated Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea using strategic retreat and cavalry.
  • Greek independence ended.
  • Planned a campaign against Persia but was assassinated before execution.

Alexander the Great's Conquests

  • Became king at 20; tutored by Aristotle and trained by Philip.
  • Invaded Persia, starting in Anatolia; won decisive battles against Darius III.
  • Captured Egypt (welcomed as pharaoh), founded Alexandria.
  • Burned Persepolis as revenge for Xerxes.

Brutality and Continued Expansion

  • Tyre and Gaza resisted and were brutally punished; populations enslaved.
  • Continued east through Bactria and the Indus Valley; troops mutinied.
  • Returned to Babylon; died at age 32.

Legacy and Successor States

  • Empire fragmented into:
    • Ptolemaic Egypt (stable, ruled by Ptolemy, centered on Alexandria).
    • Seleucid Asia (large but decentralized, included Persia and Mesopotamia).
    • Antigonid Macedonia (weakest, prone to rebellion, eventually conquered by Rome).

Hellenistic World and Greek Culture

  • Widespread Greek colonization (diaspora) reduced homeland population.
  • Koine Greek became a common language.
  • Urban life promoted with cities featuring markets, theaters, temples.

Hellenistic Intellectual Centers

  • Alexandria: Founded by Alexander, key city in Egypt.
    • Library of Alexandria: Collected all global knowledge.
    • Museum of Alexandria: Research institution.
    • Scholars: Euclid (geometry), Eratosthenes (geography), Herophilus (anatomy).

Greek Philosophy and Ethics

  • Socrates: Promoted questioning (Socratic Method), executed in 399 BC.
  • Plato: Founded the Academy, wrote The Republic advocating a philosopher-king.
  • Aristotle: Founded the Lyceum, focused on observation and empirical logic.

Stoicism and Epicureanism

  • Stoicism: Emphasized virtue, duty, and rational acceptance of fate.
  • Epicureanism: Valued inner peace and happiness, avoided politics.

Roman Foundations and Myths

  • Romulus and Remus: Twin brothers; Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome (753 BC).
  • Sabine Women: Women abducted and integrated into Roman society, symbolizing unity.
  • Lucretia: Her suicide after being raped sparked the revolution that founded the Republic.

Development of Roman Republic

  • Overthrew monarchy in 509 BC; created a Senate and elected consuls.
  • Senate originally limited in power but grew with Rome’s expansion.
  • Elite class (patricians) dominated; plebeians (commoners) demanded rights.
  • Struggle of the Orders: Plebeians won concessions like tribunes and codified laws.
  • Twelve Tables (450 BC): First Roman legal code, displayed in the Forum.

Roman Values and Structure

  • Mos maiorum: Respect for traditions and ancestors.
  • Patria potestas: Legal power of the male head of household.
  • Vestal Virgins: Priestesses of Vesta; symbolized civic virtue.
  • Patron-client system: Political and social networks of obligation.

Military and Political Expansion

  • Citizen-soldiers formed disciplined legions.
  • Cincinnatus: Model dictator who returned power after crisis.
  • Punic Wars: Conflicts with Carthage; Hannibal vs. Scipio Africanus.
  • Conquests increased wealth, but also inequality and unrest.

Urban Life and Infrastructure

  • Latifundia: Large estates that displaced small farmers.
  • Third Servile War: Spartacus’ slave revolt (73–71 BC).
  • Roman culture spread via urbanization: roads, aqueducts, architecture.
  • Pompeii: Preserved Roman daily life after Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE.
  • Appian Way, Circus Maximus, Colosseum: Roman engineering and entertainment marvels.

Required Terms and Definitions

  1. King’s Peace (387–386 BCE) – Peace brokered by Persia allowing Sparta to dominate Greece while ceding Ionia to Persia, fostering disunity.
  2. Philip II – King of Macedon, father of Alexander; reformed the military, expanded Macedonian power.
  3. Phalanx – Macedonian infantry formation using long spears (sarissas), key to Philip and Alexander’s victories.
  4. Battle of Chaeronea (338 BCE) – Macedonian victory over Athens and Thebes, ending Greek independence.
  5. Alexander the Great – Son of Philip II; conquered the Persian Empire, spread Hellenistic culture.
  6. Darius III – Last Persian king, defeated by Alexander.
  7. Ptolemaic Egypt – Hellenistic kingdom founded by Ptolemy, stable and wealthy, ruled Egypt for 300 years.
  8. Seleucid Asia – Hellenistic state in Persia and Asia founded by Seleucus, diverse but less centralized.
  9. Antigonid Macedonia – Weakest Hellenistic successor state, often unstable.
  10. Diaspora – Greek emigration across the empire; spread language, ideas, and culture.
  11. Socrates – Athenian philosopher; emphasized questioning, executed for corrupting youth.
  12. Plato – Student of Socrates; founded the Academy; wrote The Republic.
  13. Aristotle – Student of Plato; emphasized observation and logic; tutor to Alexander.
  14. Koine Greek – Common Greek language in the Hellenistic world.
  15. Alexandria – Egyptian city founded by Alexander; major intellectual center.
  16. Library of Alexandria – A vast repository of global knowledge, symbol of Hellenistic scholarship.
  17. Euclid – Mathematician; wrote Elements, foundational geometry text.
  18. Eratosthenes – Measured Earth’s circumference accurately; promoted global navigation.
  19. Herophilus – Practiced human dissection; studied brain and nervous system.
  20. Stoicism – Hellenistic philosophy focused on duty, acceptance of fate, and community participation.
  21. Epicureanism – Philosophy focused on personal happiness and freedom from fear/pain.
  22. Romulus and Remus – Mythical twins raised by a she-wolf; Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome (753 BCE).
  23. Kidnapping of the Sabine Women – Myth symbolizing Roman resilience and incorporation.
  24. Lucretia – Roman matron whose suicide led to the fall of monarchy and rise of the Republic.
  25. Senate – Governing council of Rome, originally advisory, became dominant in the Republic.
  26. Patron-Client System – Social structure of mutual obligations between elites and commoners.
  27. Struggle of the Orders – Conflict between patricians and plebeians for political rights.
  28. Law of the Twelve Tables (c. 450 BCE) – First codified Roman laws, displayed in the Forum.
  29. Populares and Optimates – Political factions; populares appealed to masses, optimates to elite traditions.
  30. Mos maiorum – Roman respect for ancestral customs and traditions.
  31. Patria potestas – Legal authority of the Roman father over the household.
  32. Vestal Virgins – Priestesses of Vesta who maintained sacred fire; symbolized Roman virtue.
  33. Latin Right – Legal status granting some rights of Roman citizenship.
  34. Roman Legion – Key Roman military unit; disciplined and flexible in formation.
  35. Cincinnatus – Model Roman dictator who returned power to the Senate after crisis.
  36. Punic Wars – Three wars between Rome and Carthage; led to Roman dominance in the Mediterranean.
  37. Hannibal – Carthaginian general; led campaign against Rome in Second Punic War.
  38. Scipio Africanus – Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama (202 BCE).
  39. Latifundium – Large Roman estates worked by slaves; contributed to rural displacement.
  40. Third Servile War (73–71 BCE) – Spartacus-led slave revolt; ultimately crushed.
  41. Pompeii (destroyed, 79 CE) – Roman city destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius; preserved Roman daily life.
  42. Thermopolium – Ancient Roman fast-food establishments.
  43. Appian Way – Major Roman road linking Rome to southern Italy.
  44. Circus Maximus – Large chariot racing stadium in Rome.
  45. Colosseum – Amphitheater for gladiatorial games and public spectacles.

Review Questions and Answers

  1. What was the King’s Peace? – A treaty where Sparta ceded Ionia to Persia, allowing Greek disunity.
  2. How did Philip II reform the Macedonian army? – Introduced longer spears, trained phalanx, created cavalry.
  3. What did the Battle of Chaeronea signify? – End of Greek independence and rise of Macedonian dominance.
  4. How did Alexander the Great conquer Persia? – Superior tactics, trained troops, and exploiting weaknesses.
  5. What happened to Alexander’s empire after his death? – It split into three successor states.
  6. What is Koine Greek? – A common dialect that unified the Hellenistic world linguistically.
  7. What was the purpose of the Library of Alexandria? – To collect all known knowledge from around the world.
  8. Who was Euclid? – Greek mathematician who wrote Elements, a foundational text on geometry.
  9. What is Stoicism? – A philosophy promoting virtue, duty, and accepting fate.
  10. What is Epicureanism? – A philosophy focused on personal happiness and avoiding pain.
  11. What does the Romulus and Remus myth explain? – The founding of Rome and its values of strength.
  12. What led to the formation of the Roman Republic? – The suicide of Lucretia and the overthrow of the monarchy.
  13. What was the Struggle of the Orders? – Conflict between plebeians and patricians for political equality.
  14. What were the Twelve Tables? – Rome’s first written laws, publicly displayed.
  15. What is the patron-client system? – A reciprocal relationship of support between rich and poor Romans.
  16. Who were the Populares and Optimates? – Political factions supporting masses vs. elites.
  17. What was the role of Cincinnatus? – A dictator who returned power voluntarily, symbolizing civic virtue.
  18. What were the Punic Wars? – A series of wars with Carthage that expanded Roman power.
  19. Who was Spartacus? – Gladiator who led a major slave revolt against Rome.
  20. Why is Pompeii significant? – Its preservation gives insight into everyday Roman life.
  21. What are the three Roman foundational myths? – Romulus & Remus, Sabine Women, and Lucretia.
  22. What does the myth of the Sabine Women symbolize? – Roman unity and incorporation of outsiders.
  23. How did Philip II learn Greek military tactics? – As a hostage in Thebes during his youth.
  24. What were the Companions in Philip’s army? – An elite Macedonian cavalry unit.
  25. What was Alexander’s strategy against Persian chariots? – Fought in terrain unfavorable to them.
  26. What happened at Tyre and Gaza under Alexander? – Brutal conquests; men killed, women enslaved.
  27. Why was Alexandria important? – It became a key center of learning and Hellenistic culture.
  28. What did Darius III’s death symbolize? – The collapse of the Persian Empire.
  29. Why did Alexander’s empire not last? – Lack of administrative structure and his early death.
  30. What role did intermarriage play in Alexander’s rule? – It was a tool to culturally integrate his empire.
  31. What is the significance of the Hellenistic world? – Spread of Greek culture, language, and urbanism.
  32. What are Plato’s three classes in The Republic? – Producers, auxiliaries, and guardians.
  33. What was Aristotle’s view on women? – He believed they were incomplete males.
  34. What is Mos maiorum? – The customs and traditions of Roman ancestors.
  35. What is patria potestas? – The legal power of the male head of a Roman family.
  36. Who were the Vestal Virgins? – Priestesses guarding Rome’s sacred fire.
  37. What did the Latin Right grant? – Partial Roman citizenship to allied communities.
  38. What was a Roman legion? – A military unit of 5,000 disciplined soldiers.
  39. What was a latifundium? – A large estate worked by slaves.
  40. What was the Appian Way? – A major Roman road connecting Rome to southern Italy.