Economics in the hellenistic world

Western CivilizationUniversity High School

2011-2012

Commerce Wealth created new cities, harbors, roads

More geographical knowledge of East Greeks spread Hellenic law and business

practices - standardization Development of long overland trade routes

Caravans with camels Luxury goods from East, manufactured goods

from WestIdeas and knowledgeSlave tradeThe Silk Road

Industry & Agriculture Little development manpower over

machinery More elaborate pottery made locally Agriculture still mainstay of economy &

production

Western CivilizationUniversity High School

2011-2012

Spread of Greek Religion Familiar Greek religious cults spread

throughout Near East & EgyptMeans of spreading Greek culture

Focus on rituals, festivalsDid not satisfy spiritual yearnings

Tyche Fate, doom, chance Some turned to philosophy, superstition,

magic

Mystery Religions Ritual & practice secret to initiates Incorporated aspects of Greek &

Eastern religionsAppealed to those looking for immortality

Main concept: initiates become united with male god Raised from the deadSacrifice and resurrection of god saved

devotee from eternal death

Cult of Serapis Serapis

combination of Osiris and ZeusCreated by King

PtolemyJudge of souls

rewarded people with immortality

Cult of Isis Wider appeal than

Serapis Most important

goddess of Hellenistic worldMarriage, conception,

childbirth

Western CivilizationUniversity High School

2011-12

Ancient Greek Philosophers “seekers of wisdom” who tried to study the world in a systematic waybelieved people could understand the world through

reason & logicvs. religious myths, authority of others

Ancient Greek Philosophers

earliest philosophical questions: What is the world made of? What holds the world up?

The Pythagoreans school of thinkers

founded by Pythagoras (570 – 497 BCE)

tried to unite philosophy & mathematics

believed that universe has order to it, which can be expressed through math

Ancient Greek Philosophers one of the earliest groups = sophists

(“men of wisdom”)Sophists’ main concerns = political & social

successmany were teachers for children of the

wealthy

Socrates 470 – 399 BCE

born & lived in Athens believed what we need to

know is how to conduct ourselves

Important Questions:What is good?What is right?What is just?

Socrates apply terms like “just” to

people, laws, situations, etc. “justice” emerges as common trendcan discover justice through

rigorous discussion, careful questioning & examination of beliefs

Socrates developed the Socratic Method:

a question & answer technique of studying issuesdesigned to make people examine

their beliefs BOTTOM LINE: No one

knowingly does wrong. If we know the answer to “What is Justice?”, we will be obliged to act in just ways.tried to involve & teach others

Plato 424 – 348 BCE a student of Socrates first written philosophy:

The Dialoguesearly dialogues: records

of Socrates’ teachingslater dialogues included

Plato’s own ideas

Plato one of his most famous

dialogues: The Republicoutlined his ideal societybelieved no one would have

wealth/luxury, everyone do what they are best suited to do

included the Theory of Forms

Plato’s Theory of Forms all things in the world are versions of their original

Forms (archetypes) the Forms are ideal; highest & most fundamental

version of realitystudying the Forms is the only path to “true” knowledgee.g. human body = glimpse of true human Form (soul)

basis of the Allegory of the Cave

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave prisoners chained to chairs; shadows projected on wallreality for prisoners = shadows

Plato: philosophers’ job = “free” the prisoners to see the Forms“rehearsing to be dead”

Aristotle 384 – 322 BCE a student of Plato’s

Academy in Athenslater established his own

school (the Lyceum: the world’s first scientific institute)

Aristotle considered one of the great

thinkers of modern worldwrote about: physics,

metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, zoology, economics, optics, and more…

Dante: “the teacher of those who know”

Aristotle: The Nature of Being all things have 2 aspects:

1. Matter: constituent materials; the stuff out of which things are made

2. Form: the way that matter is organized

things are different from each other because they have different Formsno “turtle stuff” instead,

matter (stuff) arranged into turtle Form

Human beings = body (matter) + soul (form)

Aristotle: The Nature of Being believed that reason was

the highest goodpraised the virtues of self-

reliance and self-control allowed insight into “true”

human nature (form! soul!)

Hellenistic Philosophy Philosophy attractive to more people

Less elitistAbsence of politics/religion believe in

philosophy New schools of philosophical thought

Agreed on necessity of making people self-sufficient

Epicureanism Practical philosophy of serenity Epicurus (340-270 BCE)

Based on scientific theoriesNaturalistic view of universe gods had no real

effect on human lifePrinciple good is pleasure absence of painIgnore politics

People could attain peace & serenity by ignoring outside world focus on their own feelings & reactions

Stoicism Zeno from Cyprus (335-262 BCE)

Nature an expression of divine willPeople happy when they live in accordance

with natureUnity of man & the universe

Most popular Hellenistic philosophy People should participate in politics Key Question: Achievements don’t

matter, did you live a virtuous life?

Stoicism Evolved the concept of world order People should do their duty to the state

in which they find themselves Natural Law a natural order of life,

right and wrong, governed everyone Valuable concept for the Romans!

Western CivilizationUniversity High School

2011-12

Hellenistic Science: Astronomy Aristarchus

310 – 230 BCEeducated in the Lyceum

(Aristotle’s school)

Aristarchus promoted heliocentric theory: Earth

and planets revolve around the sunwent against Aristotle’s geocentric theory

(everything revolves around Earth)no telescopes!

heliocentric theory pushed aside until Copernicus (16th century CE)

Hellenistic Science: Astronomy Eratosthenes

used math to calculate circumference of the Earth○ his guess = 24,675 miles○ actually = 24,860 miles

also studied geography using math○ argued that you could reach India from Spain

by sailing south (around Africa) or west

Hellenistic Science: Geometry Euclid

mathematician from Alexandria

wrote “The Elements of Geometry”

Archimedes 287 – 212 BCE

from Syracuse interested in math and

mechanicsvery accurate

approximation of piprinciple of a leverwater displacement

Archimedes’ Screw

Archimedes’ Weapons of War (real??)

The Claw of Archimedesweapon that supposedly

protected Syracusemetal grappling hook on

long arm over water○ lift ship out of water, drop it

back down

Archimedes’ Death Ray series of mirrors set up to reflect sunlight to a

single pointset ships on fire?

The Results of All This Science…

major effect on military, warfaretheories of mechanics

“siege machines” in war○ catapults (rocks, burning

bundles)○ siege towers

Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great

The Results of All This Science… War was no longer between soldiers on

battlefieldNow, between populations…civilian casualties (murder, rape, slavery)

Sense of unease among Greek people cities falling to new machines/weapons