Kingdom of Macedonia was north of Greece Greek city-states considered Macedonia to be outside the Greek world and inhabited by a bunch of barbarians Not worthy of serious consideration unless their help was needed in a war This was a deserved reputation for a long time Plagued by periodic barbarian invasions from the Balkans and by frequent civil wars, Macedonia remained a minor kingdom too troubled by its own problems to be a major source of concern for the Greeks

PHILIP II –359 BC Philip II became king Well educated and recognized that the Greek city-states would be easy pickings for anyone bold enough to attack them

MACEDONIAN ADVANTAGES Greek city-states were not strong enough to defeat them. The Macedonian army had become a formidable fighting force. Based on heavily armed cavalry units, supplemented by light cavalry and hoplite infantry. More mobile and more effective than anything the Greeks had.

DEATH OF PHILIP II Played one city-state against the other Philip had taken control of Greece by 338 BC Imposed lenient terms Vowed to attack Persia to avenge all the trouble the Persians had caused Greece in the past was assassinated at his daughter’s wedding and Succeeded by his 20- year old son, Alexander

ALEXANDER CREATES AN ARMY Planned to invade Persian Empire Needed Greek soldiers but Greeks did not deliver promised numbers –Attacked Thebes in 335 and burned it to the ground Slaughtered entire population or sold them into slavery Taught Greeks a lesson and Greek recruitment into his army skyrocketed –had final force of 30,000 soldiers and 5000 horsemen

START OF ALEXANDER’S CONQUESTS Invaded Persia in 334 –Defeated Persians led by Darius every time they met –Invaded Egypt where he was proclaimed pharaoh –Built city of Alexandria Lighthouse at Alexandria

END OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE Left Egypt in 331 and headed for Babylon Persian emperor Darius was now on the run Alexander finally caught Darius and his army in July 330 Persian Empire collapses Darius

ALEXANDER’S AMBITION Alexander continues to conquer eastward –Convinced that it was his destiny to conquer the world Some Macedonian advisors were against this plan Several conspiracies were launched to overthrow Alexander –He discovered all of them and killed all those involved

ALEXANDER’S PLAN Was not interested in organizing an administration to govern his empire –By blending conquered and conqueror, he hoped to install an element of stability in his empire

DEATH OF ALEXANDER In June 323, Alexander died at the age of 32 Exact cause of death is unknown –Maybe pneumonia, malaria, alcoholic poisoning, or food poisoning. No one will ever know for sure

LEGACY Brilliant general and leader Major contribution was the destruction of the Persian Empire Big weakness was lack of concern for administrative matters

HELLENISTIC AGE Greek culture had spread from Aegean world to rest of known world Civilized world had become unified in a cultural and economic sense Mixture of Greek and Mesopotamian elements into a worldwide, unifying, hybrid civilization known as Hellenistic Civilization

Hellenistic Age: Astronomy Aristarchus –Estimated the sun was 300 times larger then the earth –Proposed that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun. Other scientists refused to believe this. Ptolemy –Earth was the center of the solar system. Eratosthenes –Closely calculated the earth’s size

Hellenistic Age: Mathematics Euclid –Geometry –Book “The Elements” –Basis of courses in geometry

Hellenistic Age: Physics Archimedes –Accurately estimated the value of Pi (  –Explained the law of the lever –Invented the compound pulley –Archimedes screw –Catapult

Hellenistic Age: Philosophy Stoicism: belief in a divine power who controlled the universe. People should live a virtuous life in harmony with natural law Epicureanism: universe is composed of atoms and ruled by gods who have no interest in humans