IV. Alexander: IV. Alexander: Why So Great?Why So Great?IV. Alexander: IV. Alexander: Why So Great?Why So Great?

A. Philip of Macedonia• Macedonia – Empire locate just

to the north of Greece• They considered themselves to be

Greek but Greeks considered them to be uncivilized

• Philip of Macedonia – Brilliant general and politician

Macedonian Phalanxes

• Was able to lead the Macedonians to victories over the Greeks

• Wanted to defeat the Persian Empire

• Was assassinated at his daughters wedding

B. Alexander Takes Control

• Aristotle’s student• Military genius who created one of

the largest empires in world history• Proclaims himself king following the

death of his father – Only 20• Within ten years he was able to

conquer the Persian Empire

• The following three years Alexander creates an empire that stretches from Greece to India

• 323 BC – Alexander falls ill and dies at the age of 32

• His large empire crumbles within a week after his death

Alexander and All His Greatness

C. Alexander’s Legacy

• The size of Alexander’s Empire is not what was important

• Didn’t last after his death• Greeks established cities in new

lands and spread both their culture and adopted the culture of others

D. Hellenistic Exchange• Hellenistic – “Greek like”• Hellenistic Exchange – The spread of

Greek ideas and culture to other places– Blending of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and

Indian cultures– Exchange of material goods like lemons,

onions, and sugar– Greeks adopted new types of mystery

religions from the Egyptians

• Greeks liked these new religions because it offered immortality in an afterlife

• Greek religions had no afterlife• Alexander also liked that

Egyptians worshiped their rulers like gods

E. Science & Technology

• Ptolemy – Most famous scientist and geographer of the Ancient Greeks

• “Bill Buckner of the Ancient Greeks”

• Question: Who is Bill Buckner and how could he be compared to some guy who lived almost 2000 years ago?

Ptolemy vs. Buckner

•Both are known for their major mistakes instead of their major accomplishments

F. Ptolemy’s Major Accomplishments

•1) Claimed that the world was round and not flat

•2) Estimated the size of the earth to be 24,662 miles – Actual size of the earth is 24,860 miles

G. Ptolemy’s Major Mistake

•Claimed that the earth was the center of the universe

•Geographers accepted his belief for the next 1400 years – oops

Ptolemy’s Universe

Einstein’s World