The Fourth Century

• Greek Civilization in the Fourth Century
• Intro: What are the hallmarks of this age?
• Spartan Hegemony (404-371): : Why did Sparta take over after Athen’s fall? How did Sparta change the internal structure of other Greek states? What was Sparta’s relations with Persia like? What happened to Sparta’s manpower?
• Second Athenian Confederacy (377-355): How was it organized? What was its aim? How was it different from the Delian League? When did it come to an end?
• Theban Hegemony (371-362): What are the two main reasons for the Theban success? What are the important things that came from the Theban success?
• Military advances: What are some of the changes in equipment and tactics at this time (e.g. mercenaries,  Theban advance, Macedonian advances) and why are they important?
• Law courts at Athens: Who were jurors, how selected, how much were they paid, how did they vote, and how large were the juries? What is a water clock and how was it used? What was the basic procedure of a law court case?
• Philip II & Alexander the Great
• Philip II (382-336): Why was his stay in Thebes in 367-365 as a hostage important? How did he change the Macedonian military? What were the two main aims of the League of Corinth? How did he die?
• Alexander: What did Alexander inherit at age 20 with his ascension to the throne? How did Alexander establish his mastery? What did he learn in Egypt from Zeus Ammon? What areas did Alexander conquer? Why did he finally turn back? What did he die of? What were his political and cultural visions for his empire? How did he promote Hellenism?
• Fourth Century Art
• What are the key changes in Greek Art in the fourth century?
• How are they reflected in such sculptures as Peace and Wealth, Hermes w. Dionysos and Aphrodite of Knidos (by Praxiteles), the Heracles (by Lysippos), and the grave stelai?
• Fourth Century Philosophy
• Plato (428-348): What form of literature did he employ and what is the essence of this form? What are some of the topics he wrote about? What institution did Plato establish?
• The Apology of Plato (427-348 B.C.); Socrates (469-399 B.C.)
• Consider the manner in which Socrates (according to Plato) defended himself.  What were the various charges?  In particular, what were the slanderous charges (p.356-7) and what were the actual charges lodged against Socrates (p. 360-1)?  Who were the accusers? Which charges is Socrates most concerned with?
• Who was Chaerophon and how did he set Socrates on his mission in life?  In what way was Socrates the wisest?
• What was Socrates' daimon and how did it function somewhat like our conscience?  How was Socrates' arete similar to yet quite different from that of the Homeric heroes? In what way was Socrates the gadfly of Athens?
• After being convicted what penalty did Socrates propose himself?  Why did Socrates not go into exile?  Why did Socrates not fear death?  How can Socrates be described as a martyr?  How do the trial and execution of Socrates represent a radical change in the nature of Athens?
• Aristotle (384-322): Who was Aristotle a pupil of and why did he leave Athens in 348? What school did he found in Athens in 335 and under whose protection? What are some of the topics he wrote about and how long did their influence last?
• Isocrates: What were his key concepts in regard to Hellenism?

• Hellenistic States
• Wars of Alexander’s Successors (323-280): What were the political results of these wars?
• The three main Hellenistic Kingdoms:What family ruled each? Who finally took over all the kingdoms?
• Hellenistic Philosophy
• Cynics: What are its essential points? Diogenes?
• Stoicism: Who founded it? What are its essential points? Apatheia?
• Hellenistic Art
• What are the key trends in art and how are they reflective of the age? How is realism portrayed? How do examples from sculpture, painting, and terra cotta figurines exemplify the above?

• What are the five parts of a typical Greek dinner?
• What are some of the typical foods for each of these parts?
• The most common staples are? The most common protein foods are?
• When did people (men and women] eat and how did they eat?
• What is a symposium? Who attended, what happened, etc?

1. Art: Compare Theocritus, Idyll 15 with one or two examples of Hellenistic Art. How are they similar, different, and what conclusions can one draw from these?

2. Religion: Compare and contrast the concept of the divine in Plato's Apology, Theocritus' Idyll 15, and the inscriptions to Asclepius at the two web sites: Temple cures and Cure inscriptions at Epidauros (text in bold only) . What conclusions can one draw?

3. Military Advances: When we studied the Archaic Age we saw how military advances had a significant impact on other aspects of society. In a similar fashion, what type of impact do the military advances of the Thebans and the Macedonians in the fourth century have? In your essay make sure you specify what these military advances are.