Southern Europe Hellenistic period

1 southern europe

1.1 kingdom of epirus
1.2 kingdom of macedon
1.3 rest of greece
1.4 balkans
1.5 western mediterranean

southern europe
kingdom of epirus


pyrrhus , elephants.

epirus northwestern greek kingdom in western balkans ruled molossian aeacidae dynasty. epirus ally of macedon during reigns of philip ii , alexander.

in 281 pyrrhus (nicknamed eagle , aetos) invaded southern italy aid city state of tarentum. pyrrhus defeated romans in battle of heraclea , @ battle of asculum. though victorious, forced retreat due heavy losses, hence term pyrrhic victory . pyrrhus turned south , invaded sicily unsuccessful , returned italy. after battle of beneventum (275 bc) pyrrhus lost italian holdings , left epirus.

pyrrhus went war macedonia in 275, deposing antigonus ii gonatas , briefly ruling on macedonia , thessaly until 285. afterwards invaded southern greece, , killed in battle against argos in 272 bc. after death of pyrrhus, epirus remained minor power. in 233 bc aeacid royal family deposed , federal state set called epirote league. league conquered rome in third macedonian war (171–168 bc).

kingdom of macedon


philip v, darling of hellas , wearing royal diadem.

antigonus ii, student of zeno of citium, spent of rule defending macedon against epirus , cementing macedonian power in greece, first against athenians in chremonidean war, , against achaean league of aratus of sicyon. under antigonids, macedonia short on funds, pangaeum mines no longer productive under philip ii, wealth alexander s campaigns had been used , countryside pillaged gallic invasion. large number of macedonian population had been resettled abroad alexander or had chosen emigrate new eastern greek cities. 2 thirds of population emigrated, , macedonian army count on levy of 25,000 men, smaller force under philip ii.

antigonus ii ruled until death in 239 bc. son demetrius ii died in 229 bc, leaving child (philip v) king, general antigonus doson regent. doson led macedon victory in war against spartan king cleomenes iii, , occupied sparta.

philip v, came power when doson died in 221 bc, last macedonian ruler both talent , opportunity unite greece , preserve independence against cloud rising in west : ever-increasing power of rome. known darling of hellas . under auspices peace of naupactus (217 bc) brought latest war between macedon , greek leagues (the social war 220-217) end, , @ time controlled of greece except athens, rhodes , pergamum.

in 215 bc philip, eye on illyria, formed alliance rome s enemy hannibal of carthage, led roman alliances achaean league, rhodes , pergamum. first macedonian war broke out in 212 bc, , ended inconclusively in 205 bc. philip continued wage war against pergamum , rhodes control of aegean (204-200 bc) , ignored roman demands non-intervention in greece invading attica. in 198 bc, during second macedonian war philip decisively defeated @ cynoscephalae roman proconsul titus quinctius flamininus , macedon lost territories in greece proper. southern greece thoroughly brought roman sphere of influence, though retained nominal autonomy. end of antigonid macedon came when philip v s son, perseus, defeated , captured romans in third macedonian war (171–168 bc).

rest of greece


greece , aegean world c. 200 bc.

during hellenistic period importance of greece proper within greek-speaking world declined sharply. great centers of hellenistic culture alexandria , antioch, capitals of ptolemaic egypt , seleucid syria respectively. conquests of alexander widened horizons of greek world, making endless conflicts between cities had marked 5th , 4th centuries bc seem petty , unimportant. led steady emigration, particularly of young , ambitious, new greek empires in east. many greeks migrated alexandria, antioch , many other new hellenistic cities founded in alexander s wake, far away modern afghanistan , pakistan.

independent city states unable compete hellenistic kingdoms , forced ally 1 of them defense, giving honors hellenistic rulers in return protection. 1 example athens, had been decisively defeated antipater in lamian war (323-322) , had port in piraeus garrisoned macedonian troops supported conservative oligarchy. after demetrius poliorcetes captured athens in 307 , restored democracy, athenians honored him , father antigonus placing gold statues of them on agora , granting them title of king. athens later allied ptolemaic egypt throw off macedonian rule, setting religious cult ptolemaic kings , naming 1 of city s phyles in honour of ptolemy aid against macedon. in spite of ptolemaic monies , fleets backing endeavors, athens , sparta defeated antigonus ii during chremonidean war (267-261). athens occupied macedonian troops, , run macedonian officials.

sparta remained independent, no longer leading military power in peloponnese. spartan king cleomenes iii (235–222 bc) staged military coup against conservative ephors , pushed through radical social , land reforms in order increase size of shrinking spartan citizenry able provide military service , restore spartan power. sparta s bid supremacy crushed @ battle of sellasia (222) achaean league , macedon, restored power of ephors.

other city states formed federated states in self-defense, such aetolian league (est. 370 bc), achaean league (est. 280 bc), boeotian league, northern league (byzantium, chalcedon, heraclea pontica , tium) , nesiotic league of cyclades. these federations involved central government controlled foreign policy , military affairs, while leaving of local governing city states, system termed sympoliteia. in states such achaean league, involved admission of other ethnic groups federation equal rights, in case, non-achaeans. achean league able drive out macedonians peloponnese , free corinth, duly joined league.

the colossus of rhodes, 1 of 7 wonders of ancient world.

one of few city states managed maintain full independence control of hellenistic kingdom rhodes. skilled navy protect trade fleets pirates , ideal strategic position covering routes east aegean, rhodes prospered during hellenistic period. became center of culture , commerce, coins circulated , philosophical schools became 1 of best in mediterranean. after holding out 1 year under siege demetrius poliorcetes (305-304 bc), rhodians built colossus of rhodes commemorate victory. retained independence maintenance of powerful navy, maintaining neutral posture , acting preserve balance of power between major hellenistic kingdoms.

initially rhodes had close ties ptolemaic kingdom. rhodes later became roman ally against seleucids, receiving territory in caria role in roman–seleucid war (192–188 bc). rome turned on rhodes , annexed island roman province.

balkans

painting of groom , bride hellenistic thracian tomb of kazanlak, near ancient city of seuthopolis, 4th century bc.

the west balkan coast inhabited various illyrian tribes , kingdoms such kingdom of dalmatae , of ardiaei, engaged in piracy under queen teuta (reigned 231 bc 227 bc). further inland illyrian paeonian kingdom , tribe of agrianes. illyrians on coast of adriatic under effects , influence of hellenisation , tribes adopted greek, becoming bilingual due proximity greek colonies in illyria. illyrians imported weapons , armor ancient greeks (such illyrian type helmet, greek type) , adopted ornamentation of ancient macedon on shields , war belts (a single 1 has been found, dated 3rd century bc @ modern selce e poshtme, part of macedon @ time under philip v of macedon).

the odrysian kingdom union of thracian tribes under kings of powerful odrysian tribe centered around region of thrace. various parts of thrace under macedonian rule under philip ii of macedon, alexander great, lysimachus, ptolemy ii, , philip v ruled own kings. thracians , agrianes used alexander peltasts , light cavalry, forming 1 fifth of army. diadochi used thracian mercenaries in armies , used colonists. odrysians used greek language of administration , of nobility. nobility adopted greek fashions in dress, ornament , military equipment, spreading other tribes. thracian kings among first hellenized.

after 278 bc odrysians had strong competitor in celtic kingdom of tylis ruled kings comontorius , cavarus, in 212 bc conquered enemies , destroyed capital.

western mediterranean

southern italy (magna graecia) , south-eastern sicily had been colonized greeks during 8th century. in 4th century sicily leading greek city , hegemon syracuse. during hellenistic period leading figure in sicily agathocles of syracuse (361–289 bc) seized city army of mercenaries in 317 bc. agathocles extended power throughout of greek cities in sicily, fought long war carthaginians, @ 1 point invading tunisia in 310 , defeating carthaginian army there. first time european force had invaded region. after war controlled of south-east sicily , had himself proclaimed king, in imitation of hellenistic monarchs of east. agathocles invaded italy (c. 300 bc) in defense of tarentum against bruttians , romans, unsuccessful.

gallo-greek inscription: segomaros, son of uillū, citizen (toutious) of namausos, dedicated sanctuary belesama



a silver drachma massalia (modern marseille, france), dated 375-200 bc, head of goddess artemis on obverse , lion on reverse

greeks in pre-roman gaul limited mediterranean coast of provence, france. first greek colony in region massalia, became 1 of largest trading ports of mediterranean 4th century bc 6,000 inhabitants. massalia local hegemon, controlling various coastal greek cities nice , agde. coins minted in massalia have been found in parts of ligurian-celtic gaul. celtic coinage influenced greek designs, , greek letters can found on various celtic coins, of southern france. traders massalia ventured inland deep france on rivers durance , rhône, , established overland trade routes deep gaul, , switzerland , burgundy. hellenistic period saw greek alphabet spread southern gaul massalia (3rd , 2nd centuries bc) , according strabo, massalia center of education, celts went learn greek. staunch ally of rome, massalia retained independence until sided pompey in 49 bc , taken caesar s forces.

the city of emporion (modern empúries), founded archaic-period settlers phocaea , massalia in 6th century bc near village of sant martí d empúries (located on offshore island forms part of l escala, catalonia, spain), reestablished in 5th century bc new city (neapolis) on iberian mainland. emporion contained mixed population of greek colonists , iberian natives, , although livy , strabo assert lived in different quarters, these 2 groups integrated. city became dominant trading hub , center of hellenistic civilization in iberia, siding roman republic against carthaginian empire during second punic war (218-201 bc). however, emporion lost political independence around 195 bc establishment of roman province of hispania citerior , 1st century bc had become romanized in culture.