Exam 1

Question 1

What was the result of the Diadochi wars?

Answer 1

Created a new world in Asia, so many new Greek cities i.e. the Hellenistic World

Question 2

How was the Hellensitic world and the migration it took possible?

Answer 2

Greek general were Great at travel, that’s 99% of what a campaign is: moving large amounts of people from one place to the next

Question 3

Diadochi

Answer 3

“Successors”
Rival generals who fought for control of the empire after Alexander’s death.

The Diadochi Wars mark the beginning of the Hellenistic Period, which took 40 years for things to settle.

Important ones: Ptolemy, Antigonus (the one-eyed), Antipater, Cassander, Seleucis, Lysimchamos.

Question 4

Antipatros/Antipater

Answer 4

400-319 BCE
Ruled Macedonia 321-319 BCE, father of Cassander

Major general trusted by Phillip II and seen by Macedonians as one of the founding fathers alongside Phillip II.

He was left to oversee Macedonia while Alex on campaign. After Alex died, he couldn’t just be kicked out, he was beloved by the people.

In 320, elected Regent of the Empire but died year later of old age at 81. Father of Kassandros.

Question 5

Perdikkas

Answer 5

355-ca. 320 BCE (age 34-36)

Senior general present as Alexander’s death and one of the first Diadochi. Made “grand vizier”/supreme commander of imperial army.

Everything was okay for a second, but Olympias (Alex mom) wanted him to marry Cleopatra so he’d be uncle to the king, but the OG triumvirate (Perdikkas, Antipater, and Krateros) said no, fuck that, war!

He was originally ruling over Asia and fails to invade Egypt, so his own men kill him. Damn.

Question 6

Krateros

Answer 6

370-321 BCE (age 49)
Loyal royalist and big supporter of Alexander.

Part of the OG triumvirate that didn’t work. Remind me, who were they?

Was in S. Asia when Alexander died, on his way back home, leading THE Macedonian army; the pikemen, real bad men.

He joined Antipater against Perdikkas but died in a battle (321) after being being knocked from his horse and trampled.

Question 7

Seleukos

Answer 7

358-281 (age 77)

Founder of the Seleucid Empire, which was basically the Persian Empire: Asia Minor, the Levant, all the way to India.

At first, he received Babylon and never stopped expanding. He beat Lysimachos and took Thrace, too,

Eventually assasinated by Ptolemy’s son, “the thunderbolt.”

Question 8

What was the deal in 320 BCE?

Answer 8

Antipatros was regent of empire but wanted to be in Macedonia

Antigonis is ruler of Asia

Ptolemy is ruler of Egypt

Question 9

Ptolemy I

Answer 9

367-282 (age 84/85)

One of the 2 powerful Diadochi who rose up out of the madness w/ Perdikkas started alongside Antigonis.

Ended up treating Egypt like his own, basically ignoring central command. And after beating Perdikkas, no one wanted smoke or questioned his rule of Egypt.

Made himself Pharaoh in Egypt and dynasty that lasted 16 generations (305-30 BCE).

Question 10

Kassandros/Cassander

Answer 10

355-297 (58), son of Antipater

Contemporary of Alexander and taught alongside by Aristotle.

After his father died (319) wasn’t made king, but rejected and beat the guy who was, Polyperchon.

He killed Alexander IV (Alexander’s son) who was 14. Said he was away being educated. He murdered Olympias, too. Also, Olympias murdered Phillip III, the handicap older half-brother of Alexander.

He was the chief rival of Antipater and his son, Demetrius, who he beat in 301 (w/ Lysimachus & Seleucus), he had control of Macedon but died of dropsy in 297 BCE, so his dynasty did not last. This made way for Demetrius to set up Antigonid dynasty.

Question 11

Demetrius I

Answer 11

337-283 (53/54), son of Antigonus

First member of Antigonid dynasty to rule Macedon in Hellenistic Greece.

Called “the besieger” after unsuccessful siege of Rhodes.

In 301, Antigonus dies in Battle of Ipsus, beaten by Kassandros and loses Asia.

In 294, he seizes Athens and makes himself king of Macedon.

Actually, he was beat by Lysimachus and later surrendered to Seleucus and it was his son, Antigonus II

Question 12

Lysimachus

Answer 12

360-281 (79)

King of Thrace, Asia Minor, and Macedon from 306-281

Killed in Battle of Corupedium

One of the most powerful Diadochi

Question 13

Isokrates

Answer 13

436-338
Greek orator and rhetorician

Published a pamphlet urging Greeks to unite against the Persians. Punish them! But mostly to open up the East for Greek expansion. Greece was too packed, has too many brokies, and too many mercenaries, let’s get some space!

“We solved our old problems with migration. Let’s do it again, boys!”

In 344, sends pamphlet to Phillip II and is inspiration for Phillip’s plan.

Isokrates and Phillip probably didn’t want the ENTIRE Persian empire, which was too far and thus too hard too control, just Asia minor and the Levant.

Question 14

Describe Alexander’s ideology

Answer 14

One of conquest for conquests sake.

People actually thought his father was a better ruler. He even killed a guy for saying so.

Question 15

Dorikletos Diora

Answer 15

“Spear-won land”

People back then believed taking something by force was a legitimate and legal way to acquire territory. No different land buying or inheriting.

Question 16

What happened after Alexander died?

Answer 16

Died 323 in Babylon

Left no heirs, thought wife was pregnant, which was complicated (will it be a boy?, etc.) & Phillip III was disabled

Most of the royal family, the Argead, had been wiped out by Phillip II

Senior officers made a plan: no more conquest. There was almost a civil war immediately, but agreement reached around 2 weeks later.

If baby is a boy (and survives) he will be co-king and take over once of age. Antipater will stay in Macedon.

… none of that happened.

Question 17

What was Phillip’s plan for Persia and what does that have to do w/ Antigonus?

Answer 17

We don’t actually know and never will! Isokrates only wanted Asia Minor/Levant to free up the far too populated Aegean world.

We may wonder if the Antigonus had the same plan. He wasn’t mad when he lost the East to Seleucos. He really just wantes Greece, Asia Minor, and Syro-Palestine; all places where Greek migration could be under control.

Would Phillip II have actually wanted the Persian empire? Antigonus didn’t, too far for command and control

Question 18

Kalisthenes

Why does he matter?

Answer 18

360-327
His mom was the niece of Aristotle, so Aristotle was his great-uncle

He was a historian who accompanied Alexander and was commissioned to make propaganda by depicting Alexander and super-human, the new Achilles!

He was often depicted like Herakles, as he was supposedly descended from Herakles

There’s a story that the water gave way for Alexander’s army

There’s another where his army was lost in Egypt and a bird talked to him and guided him to the Oasis of Siwa

Question 19

Antigonus I

Answer 19

382-301 (81)
Father of Demetrius I
“the one-eyed”

Stud. Same age as Phillip II and one of Alexander’s best generals

He was left in Asia to pacify conquered terr. while Alexander kept pushing

He seized control of the treasure at Babylonia, ~30K talents of silver & gold, so he was paid

He warned Antipater that Perdikkas was scheming. Krateros joined them.

Died in 301 at Battle of Ipsus but eventually his son Demetrius I, ruled Macedon in 294, but his son, Antigonus II (knock-knees) who really got it poppin for the Antigonid dynasty

Question 20

Describe the Seleucid Empire

Answer 20

From 321-315 BCE, Seleucid is the ruler of Babylon 312, he conquers Babylonia and the dynasty begins

Antioch I makes a bunch of new cities called Antioch. The empire is the old Persian Empire. There’s open-borders and a ton of land and different people, which makes control hard. The Persians and Medes especially, don’t like being told what to do; they were just doing that!

It has the most land and natural resources, but it’s big beyond the point of control. The Army is always stretched thin doing bullshit.

It’s the weakest. Ptolemy is the richest and Antigonid Kingdom is the strongest, ya can’t replace Greek manpower, nerd.

Question 21

In short, what happened to Macedonia after Alexander died?

Answer 21

Antipater rules for a bit until he dies

Phillip III is killed by Olympias

Alexander IV and Olympias is killed by Cassander

Cassander (son of Antipater) rule Macedonia 310-294

294-272 a bunch of people have it. Even northern people invade.

In 272, Antigonus II (son of Demetrius I) wins and fully established Antigonid Dynasty.

Remember, Macedonia is always strong because of their Greek army. But it was a rough place because S. Greeks hated them and Northern peoples always tried to invade

Question 22

What are 3 key things that held the Hellenistic Empire together?

Answer 22

1) Professional soldiers. Sometimes there weren’t Greek soldiers, so locals had to be integrated into a standing army via volunteer or conscription. There were Garrison colonies, too.

2) Imperial Administration kept Kingdom running. Used “philoi” (friends lol) in local government

3) Royal-cult. Rulers would deify themselves. “Better follow me, I’m a descendant of gods. Hell, I am a god!”

Question 23

What was the three main ways Empire were ran?

Answer 23

Army, Admin. Gov., and Royal Cult

Question 24

What did imperial armies look like in Asia and Egypt?

Answer 24

Couldnt rely on citizen soldiers (why would they fight for them?) so instead had a full-time army from locals, either volunteer or conscripted. If you were rich and could afford horse you could be cavalry. Armies were expensive to train and house; major money-such.

Question 25

Philoi

Answer 25

“friends of the king” who advised and help run an empire. Greeks saw salary and jobs as being a slave and humiliating, better to put it as friends. People brought issues to Philoi, they would pass it up to the king if necessary.

Question 26

Royal Cult

Answer 26

Kings would deify themselves
Ptolemy I the savior
Seleucus I the victor
Antiochis III the great

Ptolemies even made themselves pharaohs. There were sacrifices and festivals held for the king.

Basically, I rule you because I’m a god, you better worship me.

Question 27

Dynasts

Answer 27

“power holders”

Smaller scale rulers. In Asia, there weren’t city-states, things were more tribal. Small villages/towns w/ loose governing structures.

In Hellenistic world, kingdoms came from dynasts. Ptolemy was a dynast and Seleucid, too.

Mithradades was important. A Persian lord who staged coup to put Darius on the throne.

Pergamon is the most important. After Seleukos was killed by Ptolemy II (the thunderbolt)

Question 28

Centripalism

Answer 28

People come together to form larger entities (cities, states, nation-states, empires), voluntarily brought together. Like the European union.

Alexander killed enough people to basically force this lol

Question 29

Centrifugalism

Answer 29

Tendency of humans to resist being brought together. Like Brexit. Dynasts want to do this, especially in Asia.