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8-4 The Spread of Greek Culture
(Pages 406–411)
all time, was probably related to Heron II, the king of Syracuse.
I. Greek Culture Spreads (page 407)
A. Philosophers, poets, scientists, and writers moved to the new Greek cities in
southwest Asia, particularly Alexandria, during the Hellenistic Era.
B. Hellenistic kings wanted to make their cities like those in Greece, so they hired
Greek architects and sculptors.
C. The writers of the Hellenistic Era produced a large body of literature. Appolonius
of Rhodes wrote the epic poem Argonautica, recounting the legend of Jason and
his band of heroes. Theocritus wrote short poems about beauty and nature.
D. Athenians still created plays, but the plays of the Hellenistic Era were about love
and relationships.
Why were the cities of southwest Asia lands of opportunity for artisans,
scientists, philosophers, and writers? (The rulers of these cities wanted them to
be like the cultural centers of Greece. To achieve that goal, the rulers needed
the services of artisans, scientists, philosophers, and writers.)
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II. New Philosophy and Science (pages 408–410)
A. Epicurus, the founder of Epicureanism, taught that happiness was the goal of life.
B. Stoicism was developed by a Phoenician named Zeno. This philosophy believes
that happiness comes from reason, not emotions. C. Astronomers study the stars,
planets, and other heavenly bodies.
D. Aristarchus was an astronomer who claimed that the sun was at the center of the
universe and that Earth revolved around the sun.
E. Eratosthenes was an astronomer who believed that Earth was round and measured
Earth’s circumference.
F. Euclid, one of the most famous Greek mathematicians, described plane geometry.
Plane geometry is the study of points, lines, angles, and surfaces.
G. Archimedes was the most famous scientist of the Hellenistic Era. He worked on
solid geometry—the study of spheres and cylinders. He also determined the
value of pi, a number used to measure the area of circles. Archimedes invented
the catapult, among other weapons.
What did other astronomers believe about Aristarchus’s idea that the sun was at
the center of the universe? (Other scientists thought Aristarchus was wrong. They
believed Earth was the center of the universe. They thought the sun revolved
around Earth.)
III. Greece Falls to Rome (page 411)
A. The four Greek kingdoms shared their culture but fought one another.
B. In the late 200s B.C., Rome, a city-state in Italy, conquered the Italian peninsula,
and the Romans began expanding into Greece.
C. The Greeks began supporting Rome’s enemies in times of war, but the Romans
conquered Greece and its allies.
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