Essay About Bc Bce And Traditional Greek

Cleopatra the Ptolemies and the Hellenistic Era
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Classics Lecture 1: The Ptolemies and the Hellenistic EraChronologyBCE/BC BCE go backwards 700BCE – 600 BCE – 500 BCE – 400 BCE6th century BCE = 599-500 BCE Cleopatra VII: Sources 1. Traditional Greek and Roman writersFind in Jones source books, mostly men in Greek and Latin2. Egyptian and African writersCan be slotted in w Roman bc they mostly all write in Latin and Greek and write when under Roman rule 3. Early Christian and Moslem Egyptian historians Later sources… She’s a diff person here… appears as a doctor, woman of strength and political aspects.. Muslims give her a diff picture 4. Alternative sources: visualCoins, aritechture, inscriptions, etc 7th Cleopatra is the OG one (there are a bunch of Cleopatras) Mythology of Cleopatra begins in her lifetimeB/c of her presence in Greek and roman, she’s viewed as a euro monarch even tho she was Egyptian Hellenistic Period323 BCE – 31 BCEBegins with the death of Alexander the Great Alexander the Great is the conqueror of the East He doesn’t leave a successorHis generals carve the empire amongst themselves Ptomlemoy is one of the generals 🡪 produces Cleopatra Cleo lives in this period 323: Alexander the Great dies in this year and he loves Greek culture Hellenistic kingdoms spread Greek culture widelyAs did Alexander himself, always travelled with Iliad Literature, cities, art, etc.The Hellenistic period came to an end with the arrival of who? (2nd C BCE) .. Acc ends earlier than Cleopatra bc Romans come and conquer Hellenistic era produced many things as well Test: ends in the 2nd C BCE but the last person ruling Hellenistic dies in 30 (Cleopatra) [pic 1][pic 2]The Death of Alexander IIIFrom fever, drinking, and a broken heart in 323 BCEWho died the year before 323 BCE? Hiphistion (one of his generals, boyfriend)‘Toi kratistoi’ (said this while he was dying?) /Perdicaas (passed his ring to this general?)Only 33, when he dies, he gave his kingdom to the strongest Everyone’s tries to grab a piece of the kingdom Dissention and rivalryWhy did his empire disintegrate so fast?His empire fell apart without him His empire is carved up by his generals and successors The generals/ the SuccessorsFuneral Cortege of Alexander III In a coffin of gold in a huge opulent carriagePpl are arguing over his body and all Alexander the Great is Macedonian, takes two years to get him back PtolemyThe coffin is sidetracked and stolen by Ptolemy (one of his generals) He seizes is by force and takes it to city of Alexandria (never makes it to Macedonia)The resting place of Alexander’s sarcophagusAlexander the Great lay in his sarcophagus but we don’t know where it was and it’s never been discovered Strabo (geographer) saw it[pic 3]Rams horns curling out of his head bc Alexander thought he was the son of Zeus Ammon had horns (the son) [pic 4]Alexandria (Egypt) is where we will bePtolemy controls the yellow part The Ptolemies Ruled Egypt 305 – 30 BCEHard time establishing himself as Egypt They don’t really want him as KingHe doesn’t really solidify his power until 305 Wealthy and prosperousEgypt was hella rich Ptolemy did well getting Egypt for himself Geographically favorable, easy to defend itself Late Dynastic period in Egypt 1087- 322 BCEForeign occupation: Libyans, Nubians, Persians+ brief periods of national resurgence (when its invaded by diff groups) [pic 5]Ptolemy Missing: paintStone is sturdy but paint is fragile and tends to slide off so none of statues now have paint on them[pic 6]Ptolemoy the first on left side All of them have this weird popped out eyes Prob bc Alexander the Great is also shown with the big eyes? [pic 7]Ptolemy I (Ruled 305-285 BCE)Murder of family membersRules for about 20 years and gets it through murder of family members There are other ppl in his family that want to be King too so he murdered them (that’s why rule started later)Married his full sister ArsinoeEgyptian habit of full brother-full sister marriageMarried full sister lmao bc of the Egyptian habitAdv: wealth stays in the family + blood line stays clean and pure + less people trying to take over the throne (less law issues) Changed Egypt as necessary Changed Egypt only as necessary:Local expertiseAll the Ptolemies really liked to leave things as they were and relied on local expertise (person at the tax clinic stayed etc) Royal admin was cultural as well Royal administration based on the traditional divisions or nomes of EgyptThe Greek language: administrationBefore: Egyptian, now GreekNow the language of admin is GREEKEgyptians were not as privileged Greeks privileged socially AND in the tax structureGreek status was now ‘acquired’You could ACQUIRE Greek status lmao through employment/education/indispensable to the King 🡪 you would pay less taxes and could own more land Employment and educationThe Ptolemaic army:Relied on army for security Land-grants to veterans (army)The importance of native temples, native cultsReligion was getting imp….Ptolemy didn’t follow religion but they kept the temples to keep people happy and not rise against them Egyptian pharaohs AND Greek monarchsThey speak GREEKBut— many wars with the other Successor-Generalsand dynastic intrigues, murders, civil warsPtolemy manages to hold everyone off who’s tryna get Egypt Ptolemy VIII Euergetes (182-116BCE)Son of Cleopatra I (215-176 BCE, who was a Seleucid) and Ptolemy V (ruled 210-180 BCE)PTO8 (charitable/kind) son of CLEO1 (from another Hellen period) and PTO5 PTO 6, 7 are the older brothers (prob murdered) Ruled jointly 170–164PTO8 rules joint with PTO6 and sister CLEO2 from 170-164164–163 alonePTO8 rules 164-163 ALONE bc PTO6 has died In Cyrene from 163 until 145 PTO8 rules in Cyrene from 163-145 (in 145 manages to get back to Egypt and climb back on throne there) Married Cleopatra II (185-116 BCE) in 145 BCEPTO8 married CLEO2 (sister) ((with whom he ruled)) While they were ruling together, she was married to PTO6He replaced Cleo II with Cleopatra III (d. 101 BCE), daughter of Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra IIThey married in 140/139 BCE PTO8 wants to marry niece (Cleopatra3) (rape from uncle therefore had to marry) He divorces Cleopatra2 and takes up with her daughter the Cleopatra3In continual conflict with the AlexandriansDidn’t have an easy reign bc of destruction Alexandrians were hostile to Ptolemy8, they wanted one of this other brothers but he ended up getting it therefore they weren’t happy Civil war 132 -124 BCEWar w the Alexandrians Destruction, persecutions, expulsionsJoint reign 124 -116 BCE with Cleo II and IIIMakes peace at 124Euergetes and Cleo II die 116 BCECleo III ruled 116-101 BCE, first with her elder then her younger son (Ptolemy IX and X)Cleopatra3 + Cleopatra2 fought a lot Joint reign of Ptolemy8 + Cleopatra2, Cleopatra3 Cleopatra3 rules for a while with her son (Ptolemy9, then Ptolemy10) 101BCE: Cleopatra3 had her son put her to death She met a violent end in 101 BCE[pic 8] Cleopatra I[pic 9]Ptolemy 8, looks like Ptolemy 1 [pic 10]Egyptians depict ppl as stylized so you cant rlly tell who is who (no specific features) Left: HorusRight: PTO8 bringing an offering to him[pic 11] Ptolemy 8[pic 12] Cleopatra II [pic 13] Cleopatra II and III 🡪 can’t tell who’s who (only from top part)Languages of Egypt The Ptolemies did not speak EgyptianThey are GREEK therefore speak GREEK Until…Cleopatra7 is the first person to learn Egyptian (everyone before her in royal palace spoke Greek) The Rosetta Stone (196 BCE)Rosetta Stone carved in 196 BCE –> decree of Ptolemy5 A decree of Ptolemy VTwo languages and three scripts:Greek and Egyptian /Greek, demotic, hieroglyphsIt’s written in 2 languages and 3 scripts (3 ways of writing 1 for 1 and 2 for other) Greek: GreekEgyptian: demotic (the one that the people read), hieroglyphics (priests/high class language) [pic 14]