1. Alexander the Great and the Spread of Greek Culture

2. Macedonia Attacks Greece
Macedonia – a powerful kingdom that lay north of Greece
Philip II needed to unite Greece with Macedonia to defeat the Persian Empire
After training a vast army, Philip began taking over the Greek city-states
Defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Chaeronea (kehr-uh-nee-uh)
After this battle, Philip controlled most of Greece

3. Alexander Builds an Empire
Alexander the Great became king of Macedonia after his father, Philip, died
Began his conquest of the Persian Empire in 334 B.C. with the Battle of Granicus
Alexander’s forces destroyed the Persian forces
A year later, he defeated the Persian army at Issus and freed the Greek cities in Asia Minor
Captured Syria and Egypt
Built the city of Alexandria (in Egypt) as the center of business and trade
Continued his conquest of the Persian Empire by fighting in modern Pakistan, India, and Iran

5. Legacy = what a person leaves behind when he or she dies
In 323 B.C., Alexander planned to invade southern Arabia, but he became ill and died
Legacy = what a person leaves behind when he or she dies
Alexander’s legacy – the spread of Greek culture throughout southwest Asia and northern Africa
Alexander’s conquest marked the beginning of the Hellenistic Era- time when Greek language and ideas spread to non-Greek areas of southwest Asia

6. Government business was conducted in the Greek language
After Alexander’s death, his generals fought for power, and his empire ended
Four kingdoms emerged in its place
Government business was conducted in the Greek language
People who didn’t speak Greek could not hold government jobs  helped the Greeks maintain control
New cities were created during the Hellenistic Era
Cities needed architects, engineers, and philosophers
Hellenistic rulers sent Greek colonists to southwest Asia to help build the cities  Greek culture spread

7. Greek Culture Spreads
Philosophers, poets, scientists, and writers moved to the new Greek cities in southwest Asia, mainly Alexandria, during the Hellenistic Era
Kings hired Greek architects and sculptors to make their cities like Greece
Writers of the Hellenistic Era produced a large body of literature
Athenians still created plays, but the plays of the Hellenistic Era were about love and relationships

8. New Philosophy and Science
Epicurus taught that happiness was the goal of life
Zeno developed Stoicism (stoh-uh-sih-zuhm) – happiness comes from reason, not emotions
Astronomers study the stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies
Euclid- one of the most famous Greek mathematicians
described plane geometry (points, lines, angles, etc.)
Archimedes- the most famous scientist of the Hellenistic Era
Worked on solid geometry (spheres, cylinders, pi, invented the catapult)

9. Greece Falls to Rome
The four Greek kingdoms shared their culture but fought one another
In the late 200s B.C., Rome, a city-state in Italy, conquered the Italian peninsula, and the Romans began expanding into Greece
Greece began supporting Rome’s enemies in times of war, but the Romans conquered Greece and its allies
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