Alexander And The Hellenistic World: Midterm Focus Terms

Front 1

epigraphy

Back 1

the study of inscriptions. e.g. epigraphs on gravestones and civic documents of Greek poleis; a wide range of inscriptions survives from the Hellenistic period

Hint 1

epi
graphy

Front 2

papyrology

Back 2

the study of papyri, a reed-based paper-like material; tens of thousands of papyri have been preserved in arid regions of Egypt

Hint 2

you got this one I know

Front 3

Polybius of Megalopolis

Back 3

-(c. 200-118 B.C.)
-Hellenistic historian providing our fullest account of the late 3rd century B.C. onward
-much of his work has been lost
-wrote to explain the Roman takeover of Greece
-considered similar to Thucydides in his "scientific" approach to history

Hint 3

historian

Front 4

field survey

Back 4

-uses GIS (geographic information system) software to plot the density of unearthed sherds after the first plowing across a region.
-can give us some "low resolution" information about a region
-prioritizes broad region and broad time period

Hint 4

breadth > depth

Front 5

Argead dynasty / Temenids

Back 5

-ruling dynasty of Macedonia from ~700-300 B.C.
-claim to have come from Argos in the 8th century B.C.
-claimed descent from Heracles through Temenos

Hint 5

a whole lot of claiming going on

Front 6

Mt. Olympus

Back 6

-mountain at southern border of Macedonia
-mythical home of Greek gods
-holds status as marginal space between Greeks and "barbarian" peoples of the north

Hint 6

it's a mountain

Front 7

Perdiccas I

Back 7

-king of Macedonia
-(c. 700-678 B.C.)
-in Herodotus' foundation myth of Macedonia, Perdiccas is the youngest of three brothers who eventually settle Macedonia

Hint 7

he's in Herodotus' foundation myth

Front 8

Philip II

Back 8

-king of Macedonia
-(359-336 B.C.)
-father of A the G (Alexander the Great)
-after period of political instability in Macedonia, consolidated kingdom and revolutionized the army
-formalizing control of Greece through "League of Corinth"
-planned expedition to Asia
-was assassinated

Hint 8

Alexander's dad (unless you believe that whole thing about Nectanebo)

Front 9

Battle of Chaeronea

Back 9

-338 B.C.
-marked culmination of Philip's campaign in Greece
-Philip's forces fought an alliance of Greek poleis including Athens and Thebes
-resulted in decisive victory for Philip and his establishment of the League of Corinth

Front 10

sarissa

Back 10

-long thrusting spear
-introduced by Philip II as part of his reform of traditional phalanx
-thought to contribute to decisive defeat of Greek alliance at Chaeronea
-remained standard weapon of Hellenistic armies

Hint 10

you wouldn't want to meet someone wielding one of these in a dark alley

Front 11

L. Flavius Arrianus

Back 11

-(c. 80-160)
-Greek from Asia minor who held high Roman offices
-author of The Campaigns of Alexander
-considered one of the most reliable sources on Alexander because of reliance on eyewitnesses

Hint 11

Pros: is a reliable source on Alexander
Cons: does not depict Bucephalus' bloodthirsty rampage

Front 12

Second Sophistic

Back 12

-flourishing of Greek literature in late 1st and early 2nd century A.D.
-name invokes revival of culture assoc. with 5th century classical Athens
-Plutarch and Arrian were considered part of this movement

Hint 12

revival!

Front 13

Vulgate tradition

Back 13

-tradition of ancient Alexander literature based primarily on the work of the Greek Kleitarkhos, who probably wrote in Alexandria not long after Alexander's death
-Vulgate writers include Diodorus Siculus and Curtius Rufius

Hint 13

based off of Kleitarkhos

Front 14

Ephemerides / Royal Journals

Back 14

-records kept by Alexander's secretary, Eumenes
-Arrian and Plutarch both claim to draw on this document, but it is unclear whether the actual Ephemerides survived Alexander's death

Hint 14

it would be nice if we had this

Front 15

Ptolemy Son of Lagos

Back 15

-(c. 365-283 B.C.)
-boyhood friend of Alexander and an important general in Alexander's Asia campaign
-after Alexander's death, held Egypt and established long-lived Ptolemaic dynasty
-wrote a history of Alexander which Arrian drew upon

Hint 15

friend of A's (Alexander), eyewitness

Front 16

Aristoboulos

Back 16

-(c. 380-301 B.C.)
-Greek engineer in Alexander's retinue
-wrote a history of Alexander which Arrian drew upon
-pro-Alexander, excused alcohol consumption

Hint 16

also eyewitness

Front 17

Sack of Thebes

Back 17

-335 B.C.
-Alexander went north to subdue Balkan tribes
-Rumors of Alexander's death led Thebans to revolt
-Alexander marched south and annihilated city to show example to rest of Greeks
-Arrian treats incident apologetically

Hint 17

Not Alexander's finest moment

Front 18

Parmenion

Back 18

-(400-330 B.C.)
-Macedonian general under Philip II and then under Alexander III
-Clashed with Alexander due to his more orthodox military views
-Alexander ordered his assassination in 330 when his son, Philotas, was convicted of conspiracy

Hint 18

not to be confused with Parmesan

Front 19

Battle of Granikos

Back 19

-(334 B.C.)
-first of Alexander's three major battles against the Persian Empire
-fought in northwestern Asia minor
-Alexander defeated the combined forces of several Persian satraps, including Memnon of Rhodes

Hint 19

Major battle

Front 20

Gordion knot

Back 20

-333 B.C., prior to Issus
-Whoever undid knot was destined to rule over Asia
-Alexander did it, but sources vary over how

Hint 20

untying this was knot a small feat

(I'm sorry)

Front 21

Battle of Issus

Back 21

-333 B.C.
-Second of Alexander's three major battles against Persian empire
-fought in Cilicia
-Alexander won a decisive victory over forces led by Darius
-Darius escaped, but Alexander captured royal family

Hint 21

Darius got away

Front 22

Siege of Tyre

Back 22

-332 B.C.
-Alexander laid siege to Phoenician city of Tyre, Persian naval base
-wanted control of the seas
-took several months
-constructed mole
-ended in massacre and enslavement of the inhabitants

Hint 22

I bet everyone was pretty Tyred by the end of this siege

Front 23

Hephaestion

Back 23

-(356-324 B.C.)
-Alexander's best friend and possibly lover
-Probably mediocre officer
-Alexander placed him in charge of half of Companion Cavalry in 330 and made him "chiliarch"
-died suddenly in Ecbatana in 324

Hint 23

Alexander was sad when he died

Front 24

Darios (Darius) III

Back 24

-king of Persian empire from 336-330 B.C.
-defeated by Alexander at Issus and Gaugamela
-fled to Bactria
-overthrown in coup led by Bessos and killed before Alexander could reach him

Hint 24

brave sir robin

Front 25

"Tomb of Persephone" at Vergina
(Tomb I)

Back 25

-excavated in 1970's
-looted in antiquity
-contains remains of middle-aged man, young woman and infant
-walls decorated with painting of Rape of Persephone
-scholars dispute: some claim male body is Philip II

Front 26

"Tomb of Philip" at Vergina
(Tomb II)

Back 26

-excavated in 1970's
-unlooted
-lavish tomb containing remains of middle-aged man and young woman
-man may be Philip II (d. 336 B.C.) or Philip III (d. 316 B.C.)
-do objects in tomb reflect Alexander's conquest or cultural production in Macedon under Philip II?

Front 27

pothos

Back 27

-"longing" in Greek
-Arrian ascribes Alexander's actions to "pothos"
-linked to thirst for knowledge and conquest

Hint 27

Seized by a sudden desire, I continued making flashcards

Front 28

Oracle of Ammon

Back 28

-332 B.C.
-Alexander went to Siwa oasis to consult oracle
-Sources differ on questions/answers
-Alexander claimed descent from Zeus Ammon

Hint 28

Alexander...went to this oracle.

Front 29

Philotas conspiracy

Back 29

-330 B.C.
-Philotas, son of Parmenion, found guilty of conspiracy against Alexander's life (for failing to report a plot. Executed.
-Parmenion executed
-Alexander reorganized army, splitting up command of Companion Cavalry between Hephaestion and Kleitos
-Relied more heavily on his "suntrophoi"

Hint 29

A plot against Alexander's life! :O

Front 30

Battle of Gaugamela

Back 30

-331 B.C.
-Third of Alexander's three major battles against the Persian empire
-fought in modern Iraq
-decisive victory for Macedonians
-led to fall of Persian empire

Hint 30

Gaugamela went really well-a (for Alexander, that is)

Front 31

Kleitos

Back 31

-one of Alexander's companions
-saved Alexander's life at Battle of Granicus
-after Philotas' death, received command of half of Companion cavalry
-disliked Alexander's cultural fusion policies
-killed by Alexander in drunken quarrel in 328 B.C.

Hint 31

another instance of one of Alexander's less fine moments

Front 32

Pella

Back 32

-birthplace of Alexander
-largest city of 4th century Macedon
-near Aigai
-gridded city plan

Front 33

Nysa

Back 33

-city in western India said to have been founded by Dyonisos
-Arrian says that Alexander granted inhabitants' pleas for freedom
-Alexander was happy about reaching and surpassing the furthest point of Dyonisos' wanderings

Hint 33

Alexander was Nysa to the people here

Front 34

Poros (Good)

Back 34

-Indian king
-defeated by Alexander at Battle of the Hydapses in 326 B.C.
-tall and beautiful
-Alexander made him client king and extended rule

Hint 34

he was either really tall or really really tall

Front 35

Poros (Bad)

Back 35

-Rival of Good Poros
-fled his kingdom, which was handed to Good Poros

Hint 35

rival of Good Poros

why can't those two ever get along

Front 36

Battle of the Hydaspes River

Back 36

-326 B.C.
-Alexander crossed Hydaspes to attack Poros
-Macedonians won, though with many casualties
-Alexander secured control of much of Punjab region

Hint 36

went well-ish

Front 37

Eratosthenes

Back 37

-(c. 276-105 B.C.)
-geographer who served as a librarian of Alexandria
-worked to debunk geographical myths of Alexander historians
-Arrian rejects his extreme skepticism

Front 38

The Mutiny at Hyphasis

Back 38

-326 B.C.
-Alexander's men refused to cross Hyphasis and march further east
-In Arrian's account, Alexander exhorts men to complete world conquest
-Koinos speaks on behalf of army
-Alexander relents and turns south

Hint 38

can't win 'em all, Alexander

Front 39

Malloi

Back 39

-326/5 B.C.
-Indian tribe against whom Alexander campaigned
-Ruthlessly slaughtered
-Alexander recklessly leaps into Malloi citadel before his men
-Is wounded

Hint 39

Alexander was hurt here

Front 40

Gedrosia

Back 40

-325 B.C.
-Desert region on coast of Indian ocean
-Alexander marched half his men through the desert, perhaps to outdo Cyrus and Semiramis
-Army suffered spectacularly in harsh desert
-Many casualties

Hint 40

not a great scene

Front 41

Pseudo-Callisthenes (and the authorship of the Romance)

Back 41

-Attributed to Callisthenes, Alexander's court historian, by Renaissance manuscripts
-Hold the phone! Callisthenes died before the end of Alexander's campaign. Ergo impossible
-Theories: kernroman (seed from earlier account began accumulating material) and bunching together
-Bunching theory is more popular: holds that an editor around 3rd century A.D. compiled stories
-Third theory emphasizes unity of Romance as folklore text

Hint 41

Three theories surrounding authorship

Front 42

Nectanebo

Back 42

-last pharaoh of Egypt
-defeated by Persians in 342
-appears in Alexander Romance as crafty sorcerer who seduces Olympias and fathers Alexander

Hint 42

Alexander's REAL dad

Front 43

Serapis

Back 43

-Greco-Egyptian god devised under Ptolemy in the 3rd century B.C. to unify Greeks and Egyptians
-Serapis appears in Alexander Romance, where he prophesizes to Alexander the prosperity of Alexandria

Hint 43

God unifying Greeks and Egyptians

Front 44

Dhu al-Qarnayn (the two-horned one)

Back 44

-figure in the Quran identified with Alexander
-righteous ruler who builds a wall to shelter a people he met going east

Front 45

Queen Candace of Meroe

Back 45

-legendary Nubian queen
-in the Alexander Romance, Alexander wished to visit the palace of Semiramis
-Candace refused to let him enter her realm, so he visited in disguise

Front 46

Gymnosophists

Back 46

-Greek for "naked philosophers"
-Arrian, Plutarch and the Romance all tell of encounters between them and Alexander
-One of them, Calanus, accompanied Alexander back west

Hint 46

bunch of cool dudes

Front 47

Plutarch

Back 47

-(c. 46-120 A.D.)
-Greek writer under Roman rule and part of Second Sophistic
-Author of Parallel Lives (Greek/Roman)
-Considered reliable source
-Concerned with character rather than comprehensive historical accounts

Front 48

Aristotle

Back 48

-(384-322 B.C.)
-student of Plato, teacher of Alexander at Mieza
-inspired Alexander's lifelong interest in philosophy and healing
-In return for tutoring, Philip rebuilt his birthplace, Stagira, which he had formerly destroyed and enslaved. Wasn't that thoughtful of him.

Front 49

Stag(e)ira

Back 49

-birthplace of Aristotle
-located on Chalkidiki peninsula
-Philip destroyed and enslaved city in 348 B.C., but later rebuilt and resettled for Aristotle

Front 50

Stoa

Back 50

-covered walkway lined with columns
-provided shade for shops and socializing often at the edge of the agora
-bounding-off of space in this way was typical of Hellenistic architecture