Transcript Chapter 4 Classical Greek Civilization

Classical Greek
Civilization
The Hellenistic Age
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Background
Following Peloponnesian War, first Sparta,
then Thebes took over leadership of Greece
The period 400-360 BC is extremely messy;
essentially, the Greek city-states spend two
generations fighting themselves
War and civil unrest sap economies across
Greece; the Greek world drives itself into
poverty
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Background
In 359, Philip II becomes king of Macedon;
his efforts to rebuild his kingdom lead to
conflicts with Greek city states
At Chaeronea (338 BCE) the Greek cities
suffered a devastating loss to Philip
Alexander the Great succeeded his father in
336 and ruled until his death in 323
The period from 323 to 146 BCE is known
as the Hellenistic period
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New Directions in Art
Chaos had profound impact on peoples’ outlook.
Gone are Classical principles of:
Rationality
Order
Perfection
Correctness/formulae
Serene idealism
Replaced by individuality/world of appearances,
as opposed to perfect beings/perfect buildings
Internal becomes external
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New Directions in Art
Praxiteles’ statues,
Aphrodite of Knidos
and Hermes with the
Infant Dionysus
demonstrate the
humanizing, sensuous
approach late
Classical sculptors
took to their art.
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New Directions in Art
These statues by
Lysippus, another
great late-Classical
sculptor, the
Apoxyomenos and the
Weary Hercules,
demonstrate changes
in proportion,
physique, energy
level, and
perspective; we must
walk around these
statues to appreciate
them fully.
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Macedonian Court Art
This mosaic from Pompeii is generally believed to be a reasonably faithful copy of a
painting of the battle of Issus (where Alexander defeated Darius), which Philoxenus created
for King Cassander, one of Alexander’s successors.
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Architecture
Polykleitos the Younger, Theater, Epidauros, c. 350 BCE.
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The Importance of the Period
Greek art/Classical ideals transmitted to
Rome through contact with Hellenistic
kingdoms
Began tradition of widespread state support
for arts and humanities
Artistic legacy is powerful
Influence of schools of philosophy that
arose in this period continues to be felt
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A Few Generalizations. . .
Dominated by large cities
Interconnected, urban civilization replaces
polis-based culture of Classical Greece
Multiracial, multicultural (though Greek
influence important)
Strong eastern influence
Divinity of rulers
“Grandiose” aesthetic
Rise of religious cults
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The Stages of Hellenistic History
Hellenistic era covers relatively brief (177year) period: 323-146 BCE
Falls into two basic stages:
The End of the Empire and the Rise of the
Successor States (323-215 BCE)
• Macedonia/Antigonus
• Persia/Seleucus
• Egypt/Ptolemy
The Arrival and Triumph of Rome (215-146
BCE)
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The Hellenistic World
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Cities, Greeks, and the
Hellenistic World
• Alexander’s most enduring
legacy was new concept of city
•Cities were keystones of empire
• Led to rise of “cosmopolitan”
ideal
• Greek migrants had special
impact
•Numbers and high-profile
presence ensured that Greek
culture and values would play
significant role across period
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Urban Life in the Hellenistic Age
Pergamum
Pergamum’s architecture was in the Hellenic style, but the city’s mixed population made
it the commercial and political hub of a Hellenistic kingdom. Under Eumenes II the
capital and the country reached the height of their power around 160 BCE.
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Urban Life in the Hellenistic Age
Alexandria
The world’s first
universiy –the Museion
– was located at
Alexandria, as was the
greatest library of
antiquity. One of the
library’s branches, the
Serapeion, was open to
the public; the rest was
reserved for scholars.
Designed by Deinocrates of Rhodes, Alexander’s personal architect, Alexandria was
layed out in a grid. The two harbors to the north made the city the most vital port in the
Mediterranean. The Pharos lighthouse was one of the wonders of the ancient world.
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Internal Becomes External
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Drama and Literature
New Comedy: Menander
Alexandrianism: Theocritus; Callimachus
Philosophy and Religion
Cynicism/Diogenes
Skepticism/Carneades
Epicureanism/Epicurus
Stoicism
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Philosophy in the Hellenistic Age
Cynicism
Skepticism
Epicureanism
Stoicism
True freedom arises from
realizing that if one wants
nothing, then one will never
lack anything
Nothing can be known for
certain; question all ideas
Only the atoms and void exist;
pleasure is the highest good;
death is final in its extinction of
consciousness; the gods play no
active role in human affairs
The world is governed by the
divine logos, or reason, or
nature; wisdom and freedom
consist of living in harmony
with the logos
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The Mystery Cults
Orpheus and Dionysus
Demeter and Persephone/Eleusinian
Mysteries
Serapis
Isis
Cybele
Mithraism
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The Mystery Cults
Mithraism
Mithraism was an initiatory order, passed from
initiate to initiate, like the Eleusinian
Mysteries. It was not based on a body of
scripture, and hence very little written
documentary evidence survives. It seems clear,
however, that its rites and rituals track the
movement of the soul through the universe,
from pre-existence, into the body, and then
beyond the physical body into an afterlife.
The cult spread through its popularity with
Roman soldiers; its iconography and apparent
belief in an afterlife, seem to have much in
common with Christianity.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Science and Medicine
Astronomers: Aristarchus of Samos and
Eratosthenes
Euclid
Archimedes
Anatomists: Herophilus and Erasistratus of
Ceos
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Encounter:
The Invention of Parchment and the Birth of
the Secular Library
The Hellenistic kingdom of Pergamum in
northwestern Anatolia (modern Turkey)
gave birth to an improved technology for
writing surfaces—parchment—and a new
civic institution—the secular library. Both
achievements played a defining role in the
heritage of the West.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Architecture/The Corinthian Temple
The Olympeium. Various dates, from late 6th century BCE to 2nd century CE. The 13
standing columns were part of the original architect’s plan. Some unfinished columns
were transported to Rome and helped popularize the Corinthian style.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Architecture/The Altar
The Altar of Zeus at
Pergamum. Erected
in the 170s BCE by
Eumenes II, to
commemorate
victories in Asia
Minor. The altar
and its giant frieze
were meant to recall
Greek monuments,
notably the
Parthenon.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Sculpture
Boy Struggling with a Goose. Roman copy of
Greek original, second half of 2nd century BCE.
Dying Gaul. Roman marble copy of bronze
original, reflecting Pergamene , theatrical style.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Sculpture
Old Market Woman, Roman copy of 2nd-3rd century
bronze, refelcting treatment of stock types.
Athena Battling with Alkyoneus, from Pergamum
altar.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Aphrodite of Melos (Venus de Milo). This celebrated
statue demonstrates the neoclassical style. The head is
purely Hellenic, but the body, with its frank sensuality
and rumpled draperies, is clearly in the Hellenistic
style. Note the influence of Praxiteles, as shown in
Hermes with the infant Dionysus.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Sculpture
Agasias of Ephesus. The Borghese Gladiator,
a “pathetic” figure.
Horse and Jockey of Artemision.
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The Elaboration of the Greek Tradition: The
Spread of Classicism to the Hellenistic World
Sculpture: Rhodes
Scholars often
draw parallels
between
Laocoon’s
distorted
features and
the face of
Alkyoneus on
the Pergamum
frieze,
suggesting a
relationship
between the
schools of
sculpture at
Rhodes and
Pergamum.
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The Legacy of the Hellenistic World
State support of arts and humanities remains
legacy to modern world
Sculpture: realism, individualism, portrayal of
female nude
Schools of philosophy
Stoicism
Epicureanism
Skepticism
Cynicism
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