Ancient History: Hellenistic Civilization

Ancient History: Assessment Task 1

1) What do we mean by Hellenistic civilization? Include the features a city needed to have to be seen as Greek

The Hellenistic Age marks the transformation of Greek society from the localized and introverted city-states to an open and sometimes exuberant culture that permeated the entire eastern Mediterranean, and Southwest Asia. Greek culture and power extended itself across the known world: while the classical age of Greece produced great literature, poetry, philosophy, drama, and art. The Hellenistic period covers the period of ancient Greek (Hellenic) history and Mediterranean history between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire as signified by the Battle
Not only was it the centre for the military and bureaucracy, but it was also a city that nurtured Hellenistic culture. Dinocrates, Alexander’s personal architect, constructed the city’s plan. He instilled the city with the best Hellenic architecture and planning. The Greek historian and geographer Strabo stated that Alexandria “ has magnificent public precincts and royal palaces that cover a fourth or even a third of the entire area”. A few key features of the city include the Pharos of Alexandria and the Mouseion. The Pharos of Alexandria was a lighthouse that “towered 120 meters into the sky” . The Mouseion was the centre of classical learning within Alexandria. Strabo described it as a large complex of buildings and gardens with richly decorated lecture and banquet halls linked by porticos, or colonnaded walks . The library of Alexandria had begun construction under Ptolemy I and was completed under Ptolemy II. The historians Oakes and Gahlin stated that “there was room for up to 70 000 scrolls” and the historian and scholar Mangasarian believed that the books the library housed were “more precious than beaten
By serving as the port of Europe, it attracted a lot of trade from India and Africa. Alexandria acted as a beacon for merchants, religious prophets, and most importantly, the greatest intellectual minds of the times. Mangasarian stated that it represented “all the phases and the most delicate shades of thought.” He then continued on to say that “at one time it was the general belief that the mantle of Athens had fallen upon the shoulders of Alexandria.” Once it formally became a part of the Roman Empire it held the greatest population of provincial capitals. A great way to sum up the features and importance of Alexandria is through the words of Theodore Vrettos in his book Alexandria: City of the Western Mind he wrote that “Alexandria was special and different from other large ancient cities of the Mediterranean. Carthage, Rome, and Sparta were all considered important military centres; Alexandria was a city of the mind”

3. How did Rome take over Greece, Macedon and Seleucid Syria/Asia, c.200BC - c.60BC? Include Rome's contacts with Egypt down to 60BC

4. Give a short account of the career of Ptolemy Auletes and his relations with Rome

Ptolemy Auletes was born in c. 112BC and died in c. 51BC. He was officially coroneted as pharaoh in 76BC. There were many politicians in Rome that raised the problems with his legitimacy