Lecture 6 - Hellenization, Greco-Roman Ataraxia and the Roman civilization Flashcards
Hellenization
Definition of hellenization:
the propagation of the Hellenic culture by
- The Greek settlers/migrants
- Alexander the Great and his successors
- The Romans
- The Medieval Byzantium
- The Renaissance European kingdoms
- Neo-classicism (1750 -1830)
Meet in agora
-Citizens felt obligation for next time debating
-Motivation for achievement, betterment, self-perfecting
Ethos, medicine, navigation….
Hellenization: inspiration/influence of Greek culture on others, spreading of their culture
Alexander the Great… would teach conquered people the Greek way/culture… Hellenization
Formally, the Hellenistic Period (323-27 BC) ended in 27 BC when the Roman Republic transformed into the Roman Empire but the process of Hellenization continued until the 19th century
Hellenization in the post-Alexander kingdoms
ANTIGONOS: development of two major cities:
Antioch: walls, streets, aqueducts, baths,)temples, theatres
Pergamum (Pergamos): streets, temples,
Aesculapian hospitals, the parchment
SELEUKOS:
Babylon: architecture, astronomy, script, “Hanging Gardens”
PTOLEMAIOS
Alexandria: library, navigation, lighthouse, astronomy,
mathematics, medicine, philosophy, theatre
The Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek
Alexandria - a hellenistic metropolis
Funded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC.
-Alexander The Great decided this would be the metropolitan of the Greek empire
Egyptians, Greeks and Hebrews
Commerce, navigation, lighthouse (Pharos), library
Philosophers, mathematicians, astronomers, anatomists
Greek theatre, music, and Greek as official language
Old Testament translated from Hebrew to Greek
HELLENIZATION in the Roman Republic and empire
The Romans have adopted and further developed the
Hellenic
mythology, literature, theatre,
music,
philosophy, medicine,
architecture
and … numerical system
Greek: I, II, III, IIII, Π , ΠI, ΠII, ΠIII, ΠIIII, Δ. 100 = H,
1000 = M
Roman: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, 100 = C,
1000 = M
Existing polytheism was replace by Greek and roman polytheism…. Later Christians
Coptic Christians
-claim to be the real descendants of the real Egyptian ethnic group
Romans adopted names of gods and modified them, adopted the numeric system and modified it
Greco-Roman Ataraxia
Parallel philosophies in Greece and Rome
between 4th c. BC and 2nd AD
2 types of philosophies developed:
- Philosophies of cognitive and moral values:
How to be wise and virtuous (sophia and arete)
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
- Philosophies of emotional values:
How to be happy and untroubled (ataraxia)
Cynicism, Skepticism, Epicureanism and
Stoicism
Cynicism: a counter subculture rather than philosophy
Diogenes 412-323 BC
* Back to nature, low hygiene
* Withdrawal from the civilized world
-Go back to primal state… nature, out of society
-Sometimes poop and pee in public, live in caves
* Loose polygamic transient hordes
* The free world rather than tribal solidarity or
patriotism
* Rejection of social norms and traditions
Cynicism – a counter subculture rather than philosophy
*Egocentric, rebellious and antisocial
The ancient and new counter subcultures:
* Counter subculture or groups manifesting:
- rebellious opposition to respected values
- civil disobedience, disruptive actions
- ostensible demonstration of being different
- imposition of the new ideology onto others
* Historically:
- Ancient Greco-Roman Cynics
- The Hippies movement of the 1950th – 1960th
- The Punk movement of the 20th century
- The Cancel subculture or wokeism of the 21st century
Skepticism:
Pyrrho of Elis 365 - 275 B.C
- Sensory empirical epistemology - mistrusted
- Platonian logical epistemology - mistrusted
- Socratic absolute truth and virtues - mistrusted
- Challenging the existing views and rules;
Doubts and avoidance of conclusions
- Socratic aporia (state of confusion, doubt) - differently applied…
—Don’t move beyond. We conclude we can’t arrive to any conclusion
- Social rules, customs & traditions
observed for peace of mind
Epicureanism
In Greece: Epicurus of Samos 341 - 270 BC.
In Rome: Lucretius 100 - 55 BC. Horatius 65 -
27 BC.
Avoid social troubles & physical pain
Accept the blind fortune and do not complain
Sophisticated pleasure instead of primitive hedonism (sensory experience)
-Rather intellectual, artistic, social pleasure
Obey natural laws
Observe social rules to avoid troubles
Egocentric, opportunistic ethics
Carpe diem
”Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero”
Epicurean Roman poet - Horace (Quintus Horatius)
Seize the day and put minimum trust in tomorrow.
Enjoy the day, the present, the moment.
Later:
Medieval “Gaudeamus igitur”: Enjoy life before it is over
Gestalt-Therapy (F. Perls): Focus on the here and now
Positive Psychology: optimism and gratitude
Stoicism
-Opposite of epicureanism
Zeno of Citium 333 - 262 B.C. teacher
Seneca 3 B.C. – A.D. 65 poet
Epictetus A.D. 50 – 100 slave
Marcus Aurelius A.D. 121 – 180 emperor
Divine master plan
Everything in the universe happens for a reason
Do not revolt against the natural rules.
Obey social rules
Moderation, modesty, asceticism, courage, dignity, trust.
Keep your spirit high, despite the odds
See: Early Christianity
The Roman Civilization
Etruscan & Latini Kingdoms 800 - 510 B.C.
* Roman Republic 510 - 27
B.C.
* Roman Empire 27 B.C. - A.D. 476
Kingdom to Republic to Empire
Susan Wise Bauer, “The History of the Ancient World”.
Rivaling, fighting tribes on the peninsula:
Venette, Itali, Latini &
Etruscan
The Latini kingdom (Rome) colonizes the Etruscan
kingdom
753 B.C. Etruscan usurper kills Romulus, the king of
Rome.
510 B.C. The last Etruscan king, Tarquinius deposed.
Two Latini consuls - for 1 year – of democratic
leadership,
510 B.C. - A.D. 27 Roman Republic
Based on the Ancient Greek model of democracy:
CONSULS Executive power (aristocrats)
Archons
SENATE Legislative power
(aristocrats/patricians)
Ex-archons
ASSEMBLY Forum of opinions (plebeians); later,
legislation
Agora
Rome
* The growth of the Roman Republic - based on conquest
(Macedonia, Greece, Galia, Spain, Africa etc.) slavery,
and taxation.
* Aqueducts, bridges, streets, temples, public baths
(thermae),
* Paid legions: loyalty, dignity, discipline, obedience;
temples of virtues and honour (patriotic & military
ethos).
Adoption of Greek culture. Latin translation of
Greek dramas, mythology, Pantheon, philosophy
Roman Law: a state prosecutor instead of family
vengeance
27 B.C. Senator Octavian proclaims himself as
Emperor Caesar Augustus
Summary
Hellenistic and Roman philosophy of Ataraxia
HELLENIZATION
Aristotle: Γραικοί, the Greeks and their land Γραικία
The Romans: Graeci and their land Graecia
The people: Hellenes and their land Hellada Ελλάδα
Today: Hellenic Republic
Helleniki Demokratia Ελληνική Δημοκρατία
Hellenization, the propagation of the Hellenic culture by:
- The Greek settlers/migrants
- Alexander the Great and his successors
- The Romans
- The Medieval Byzantium
- The Renaissance European kingdoms
Hellenization in the post-Alexander kingdoms
- in Thrace (part of Bulgaria + Turkey now)
- in Macedonia + Greece
- in Babylonia (today Iraq) + Phoenicia (Lebanon today) + Persia + part of
India
- in Egypt + Palestine (today Palestine and Israel) + Cyprus
The decadence of Athens, Alexandria as a new metropolis:
navigation (lighthouse) library, philosophers, mathematicians,
astronomers, anatomists; Greek theatre, music
Greek - an official language in Egypt, ruled by Cleopatra
The Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek
Hellenization in the Roman Republic and Empire
The Romans have adopted and further developed the Hellenic
mythology, literature, theatre, music,
philosophy, medicine, architecture
and the numerical system
Promotion of Latin language
Greco-Roman philosophy of ATARAXIA
The philosophies developed in 4th c. BC. - 2nd c. AD.
- Cynicism, Diogenes 412-323 BC
* Back-to-nature, low hygiene,
* Withdrawal from the civilized world
* Loose polygamic transient hordes
* The free world rather than tribal solidarity, Patria
* Rejection of social norms and traditions
* Egocentric and antisocial
- Skepticism, Pyrrho of Elis. 365-275 BC
Sensory empirical epistemology – mistrusted
Platonian logical epistemology – mistrusted
Socratic absolute truth and virtues – mistrusted
Challenging the existing views and rules
Doubts and avoidance of conclusions
Socratic aporia, differently applied
Social rules, customs & traditions observed for peace of mind
- Epicureanism In Greece: Epicurus 341-270 BC,
In Rome: Lucretius 100-55 BC and Horatius 65-
27 BC
Avoid social troubles & physical pain
Accept the blind fortune and do not complain
Sophisticated pleasure instead of primitive hedonism
Obey natural laws
Observe social rules to avoid troubles
Egocentric, opportunistic ethics
Carpe diem. Quam minimum credula postero”, Horatius (Horace)
Pick, make use, enjoy, seize the day and put minimal trust in
tomorrow.
Enjoy the day, the present, the moment.
- Stoicism: Zeno of Citium, 333 - 262 B.C. teacher, Seneca, 3 B.C.-
A.D. 65 poet, Epictetus, A.D. 50 – 100, slave, Marcus Aurelius,
A.D. 12-180, emperor
Divine master plan
Everything in the universe happens for a reason
Do not revolt against the natural rules
Obey social rules
Moderation, modesty, asceticism, courage, dignity, trust
Keep your spirit high despite the odds
Stoicism adopted by the Early persecuted Christians
The Roman civilization: from Etruscan & Latini kingdoms, through the
Roman Republic
up to the Roman Empire.
The Roman Republic 510 BC. - AD. 27
CONSULS Two executives elected/nominated for a 1 year-term
SENATE Legislative power representing the patricians
ASSEMBLY Forum of opinions representing the plebeians (later: also,
legislative power)
The growth of the Roman Republic based on conquest, slavery and taxation.
Adoption of Greek culture. Latin translation of Greek dramas, mythology,
Pantheon & philosophy. Roman Law: a state prosecutor instead of family
vengeance
Aqueducts, bridges, streets, temples, public baths (thermae),
paid legions: loyalty, honour, discipline, obedience; temples of virtues and
honour (patriotic & military ethos).
27 B.C. Senator Octavian proclaims himself as the Emperor Caesar Augustus.
The end of the Republic and the beginning of the Roman
Empire
