HI 207 exam lecture 16 Flashcards
Wars of the Diadochoi
On June 10, 323 BCE, Alexander the Great died and left behind many empires without adequate ruling or succession. This emerged a succesion of wars which led to the creation of three empires. The wars were centered around three individuals, Antigonous (382-301BCE), Seleucus I (358-281BCE), and Ptolemy I (366-282 BCE).
a. Hellenistic Period
The Hellenistic period from 323-30 BCE, followed by the death of Alexander the Great and saw the spread of Greek culture and influence across the Mediterranean Sea and middle east. The hellenistic period experienced an economic boom.
b. Battle of Ipsus (301)
Fought in 301 BCE, it was against Antigonus and his son Demetrius vs. Lysimachus and Selecus. Including a crucial calvary charge by Demetrius that ultimately led to the downfall of Antigonous’s forces and resulted in his death as well.
II. Hellenistic State System
Saw the rise of large, centralized kingdoms, with absolute monarchs at the helm, and the spread of Greek culture and influence across the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.
a. Antigonids (Macedon Greece)
Ruling ancient Macedonia from 306-168BCE, emerged after Alexander the Great’s death with Antigonus and his son Demetrius establishing their rule.
b. Seleucids (Mesopotamia Syria)
Founded by Seleucid after the death of Alexander the Great. Encompassed Mesopotamia and Syria and parts of Anatolia and Persia. The Seleucids established two main capitals: Antioch in Syria and Seleucia in Mesopotamia. They were at constant war with their enemies from Plotomies (kingdom of Egypt) and of their own territories.
c. Ptolemies (Egypt)
Macedonian dynasty, after the death of Alexander the Great Plotolomy claimed control of Egpyt in 305 BCE. Plotomatic Egypt was the wealthiest, longest and final dynasty.
d. The Bit Players and Late Comers
III. Hellenistic Culture and Society
Represent a fusion of Greek and Eastern cultures characterized by the spread of Greek language, art, and philosophy.
a. New Cities
During the Hellenistic period (323-30 BCE), numerous new cities arose, often founded by Alexander the Great’s successors, serving as centers of trade, culture, and administration, including Alexandria, Antioch, and Pergamon
b. Economic Change
During the Hellenistic period, economic changes included the expansion of trade, the rise of urban centers, and increased monetization of transactions, with trade routes extending from the Mediterranean to the East, and the development of institutions like banks and harbors.
c. Religious Syncretism
d. Literature and Philosophy
i. The Philosophies of Comfort
Key People:
• The Heirs:
- Philip Arrhidaeus (359-317)
Philip III Arrhidaeus (359-317 BC), the elder half-brother of Alexander the Great, became king of Macedon after Alexander’s death in 323 BC, but served as a figurehead and was executed in 317 BC by Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great
- Alexander IV (323-309)
Alexander IV of Macedon, the posthumous son of Alexander the Great, reigned from 323 to 309 BC, but was assassinated in 309 BC, along with his mother Roxana, by Cassander to secure his own rule
- The Diadochoi ‘Successors’
The Diadochi, including figures like Ptolemy, Seleucus, Antigonus, Cassander, and Lysimachus, were prominent military and political leaders who rose to power during Alexander’s campaigns.
- Ptolomy I Soter ‘the Savior’ (367-283; Egypt)
Ptolemy I Soter (born 367/366 bce, Macedonia—died 283/282, Egypt) was a Macedonian general of Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt (323–285 bce) and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which reigned longer than any other dynasty. He became satrap of Egypt, with the adjacent Libyan and Arabian regions, and methodically took advantage of the geographic isolation of the Nile territory.
- Antigonus I Monophthalmus ‘the One-Eyed’ (382-301)
Antigonus I Monophthalmus (382-301 B.C.) Macedonian general under Alexander the Great who founded the Macedonian dynasty of the Antigonids (306-168 BC), becoming king in 306. The most powerful dynasts of the empire, now kings in their own right, Cassander, Seleucus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus, responded to Antigonus’s successes by allying with each other, often through marriage. However, the army of father and son was defeated by the united forces of Seleucus and Lysimachus at the decisive Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. Antigonus himself died in the battle after being struck by a javelin, in the eighty-first year of his life. Prior to Ipsus.
- Demetrius I Poliorcetes ‘the Besieger’ (337-283; Macedon)
Demetrius I Poliorcetes (born 336 bc, Macedonia—died 283, Cilicia [now in Turkey]) was the king of Macedonia from 294 to 288 bc. Demetrius was the son of Alexander the Great’s general Antigonus I Monophthalmus, in whose campaigns he commanded with distinction and whose empire, based in Asia, he attempted to rebuild. Unsuccessful against Ptolemy I Soter, satrap of Egypt, and against the Nabataeans, he liberated Athens from the Macedonian Cassander in 307 bc and in 306 decisively defeated Ptolemy at Salamis (Cyprus).
- Seleucus I Nicator ‘the Victor’ (358-281; Babylon)
Seleucus I Nicator (358/4 - 281 B.C.). Macedonian army officer, founder of the Seleucid kingdom. In the struggles following the death of Alexander the Great, he rose from governor of Babylon to king of an empire centring on Syria and Iran. From 316 to 312 Seleucus remained in Ptolemy’s service. He took the initiative in forging a coalition among Ptolemy, Lysimachus (the ruler of Thrace), and Cassander (who laid claim to Macedonia) against Antigonus, whose desire to become the ruler of the whole of Alexander’s empire was a threat to them all. In the resulting coalition war (315-311), Seleucus was made one of Ptolemy’s generals and jointly with him commanded the Ptolemaic troops that defeated the force of Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, at the Battle of Gaza in southern Syria (312).
