Deck 3: From Classical Greece to the Hellenistic World: Cultures in Contact, 400-30 Bce

Question 1

What was Alexander the Great's most successful strategy for ruling the lands he conquered?

A) He continued wars of conquest in order to unite people in a common cause.
B) He replaced practically all Persian officials with Greeks and Macedonians.
C) He established free public education in order to make an educated city-state.
D) He reduced the size of the army.
E) He created a synthesis between Greeks and Persians.

Answer 1

He created a synthesis between Greeks and Persians.

Question 2

The "common peace" negotiated by Persia favored which Greek city-state?

A) Athens
B) Corinth
C) Argos
D) Sparta
E) Thebes

Answer 2

Corinth

Question 3

Who was the Greek writer and orator who hoped to persuade Philip II of Macedon to support peace within the greater Greek world?

A) Pericles
B) Demosthenes
C) Isocrates
D) Demetrius
E) Meidias

Answer 3

Isocrates

Question 4

Which of Alexander the Great's battles during the Persian conquest resulted in an offer of peace by Darius II, king of Persia, which was soon rejected?

A) Chaeronea
B) Granicus River
C) Issus
D) Gaugamela
E) Hydaspes River

Question 5

Which of the following was a method that Alexander used to govern his empire?

A) He rejected Persian court dress and ceremony.
B) He rejected divine status.
C) He placed restrictions on intermarriage between Greeks and other ethnic groups.
D) He placed only Greek officials in office.
E) He founded new cities.

Question 6

In addition to being a love match, what does Plutarch suggest regarding the purpose of Alexander's marriage to Roxana?

A) There was no other reason.
B) It was done to strengthen ties with the Persian nobility in particular.
C) It was done to increase his identification with Macedonians.
D) It was done to strengthen ties with the peoples he conquered.
E) It was done to appease the Macedonians, who were upset that he had not yet married.

Question 7

Which of the following statements best explains the political circumstances of the Greek world in the early fourth century BC?

A) City-states continued to grow in strength due to their reduced interest in warfare.
B) Persia withdrew itself from Greek political and military affairs as it turned toward strengthening its domestic economy.
C) The drastic reduction in the population of Thebes made it a minor power.
D) Sparta remained the undisputed leader in the Greek world.
E) The reduced circumstances of Sparta and Athens allowed other city-states, like Corinth and Thebes, to compete with them on more equal terms.

Question 8

Which of the following philosophers might say, "Mathematics is essential for understanding the world"?

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) Epicurus
D) Zeno
E) Archimedes

Question 9

The conquest of which Persian capital gave Alexander the Great access to the entire Persian treasury?

A) Sardis
B) Babylon
C) Tyre
D) Persepolis
E) Alexandria

Question 10

Which of the following was a feature both Alexander the Great and Hellenistic monarchs shared?

A) They both refused to adopt aspects of the cultures of people they conquered and then ruled.
B) They both used only Macedonians/Persians in their militaries.
C) They were both worshipped as divine.
D) They both conducted wars against other Macedonian powers.
E) They both were intolerant of local cultures and religions.

Question 11

Which of the following statements most accurately characterizes trends in warfare in the fourth century BCE?

A) There was greater focus on the hoplite phalanx as the main unit in warfare.
B) There was a decrease in the use of mercenaries.
C) A variety of unit types were incorporated, including light infantry or cavalry.
D) The use of cavalry decreased.
E) Simpler tactics were employed over time.

Question 12

To what does Hellenism formally refer?

A) the spread of Greek language and culture
B) the spread of Greek political power
C) the settlement of Greek colonies
D) the widespread use of Greek mercenaries
E) the widespread adoption of Greek religious practices

Question 13

"Soft power" was an important means by which Hellenistic monarchs controlled their subjects.What does "soft power" consist of?

A) patronage of public works
B) the use of religious festivals and scholarship, for example, to promote shared culture
C) the adoption of new technology
D) maintenance of a large army
E) diplomacy between monarchies

Question 14

Which philosopher tutored Alexander the Great?

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) Zeno
D) Epicurus
E) Euclid

Question 15

Which of the following statements best expresses Macedonian and Greek frustration with Alexander the Great's rule?

A) They thought Alexander favored Greeks and Macedonians too strongly over Persians.
B) They thought Alexander demanded honors from the Greeks and Macedonians that were beneath them.
C) They rejected the idea of Alexander as divine.
D) They thought that Alexander did not act enough like a king.
E) They thought Alexander wore outfits unsuitable for court.

Question 16

Which of the following regions of the Greek world, all conquered by Philip II of Macedon, was known for its precious metal resources, especially gold?

A) Thessaly
B) Boeotia
C) Thrace
D) Crete
E) Asia Minor

Question 17

What was the forerunner of and inspiration for the modern university as a place for education?

A) Plato's Academy
B) Aristotle's Lyceum
C) the Painted Stoa
D) the Great Library of Alexandria
E) the Library of Pergamum

Question 18

Which of the following best characterizes the nation and culture of Macedon?

A) aristocratic oligarchy
B) specialist theocracy
C) warrior monarchy
D) educated democracy
E) autocratic tyranny

Question 19

What is a satrap?

A) a governor of a province in the Persian Empire
B) a style of religious ceremony introduced in the Hellenistic period
C) the commander of a Macedonian mercenary unit
D) a type of boat developed to navigate the Nile Delta
E) a new genre of poetry composed by Theocritus

Question 20

What term did Aristotle use to refer to what he perceived to be the negative form of government?

A) aristocracy
B) tyranny
C) democracy
D) anarchy
E) monarchy

Question 21

How did the indigenous peoples use Greek local traditions to maintain an identity separate from Hellenism?

A) They worshipped Sarapis.
B) They wrote Egyptian history in Greek.
C) They translated Homeric epics into Egyptian.
D) They translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek.
E) They applied the Ptolemaic practice of producing official inscriptions in local languages.

Question 22

During the early second century BCE, the island of Rhodes was

A) controlled by the Attalids.
B) independent.
C) controlled by the Ptolemies.
D) controlled by the Antigonids.
E) controlled by the Seleucids.

Question 23

The most ancient evidence has survived from which Hellenistic power?

A) Ptolemies
B) Attalids
C) Seleucids
D) Aetolian League
E) Antigonids

Question 24

What feature was characteristic of Hellenistic Greek art and literature?

A) order
B) idealizing
C) calm
D) charm
E) simplicity

Question 25

Which adjective most accurately describes the Hellenistic period?

A) sophisticated
B) isolated
C) parochial
D) democratic
E) poverty-stricken

Question 26

Which Hellenistic dynasty controlled Pergamum?

A) Ptolemies
B) Aetolian League
C) Seleucids
D) Antigonids
E) Attalids

Question 27

Which word best characterizes free Greek women in the Hellenistic period?

A) articulate
B) dutiful
C) independent
D) crafty
E) cloistered

Question 28

Which of the following authors or poets wrote during the fifth century BCE?

A) Menander
B) Epicurus
C) Aristophanes
D) Theophrastus
E) Apollonius

Question 29

What was a common feature of both Epicurean and Stoic philosophies?

A) emphasis on the role of fate
B) high degree of organization for those following these philosophies
C) use of reason to avoid extreme emotion
D) continued role of the gods in causation
E) emphasis on the right way to eat and dress

Question 30

What was one of the ways that Hellenistic monarchies resembled the Persian Empire more than Greek city-states?

A) Power was shared by an oligarchic elite.
B) The importance of the military was a priority.
C) The degree of social and political hierarchy was the same.
D) Greek culture was held in greater esteem than indigenous culture.
E) Historical narratives were an important genre of writing.

Question 31

In Ptolemaic Egypt, Sarapis was worshipped as a new god.Which Greek god was most closely associated with Sarapis?

A) Zeus
B) Dionysus
C) Ares
D) Poseidon
E) Hephaestus

Question 32

What was an important difference between the patronage of Hellenistic kings and queens?

A) Hellenistic queens supported charities that were oriented toward women.
B) Hellenistic queens supported religious festivals.
C) Hellenistic queens did not act as patrons; such roles were reserved for men.
D) Hellenistic queens supported artists and poets.
E) Hellenistic queens did not support competitors in Greek athletic events such as the Olympic Games.

Question 33

During the Hellenistic period, which scientist could calculate the circumference of Earth based on his observation of the length of shadows at various points in Egypt?

A) Eratosthenes
B) Euclid
C) Archimedes
D) Theocritus
E) Copernicus

Question 34

Which of the following was a development characteristic of the Hellenistic period?

A) town walls
B) a bartering economy
C) the gymnasium
D) cultural homogeneity
E) trading only within communities

Question 35

What was a major difference between Hellenistic monarchies and classical Greek city-states?

A) The government had greater control of the resources.
B) Greek city-states did not use ships and Hellenistic monarchies frequently used them.
C) The conditions of roads were far worse in Greek city-states.
D) Artists and poets were held in esteem.
E) Hellenistic monarchies were not concerned about agriculture.

Question 36

Which of the following was a legal aspect of marriage contracts or divorce in the Hellenistic world?

A) Women pledged not to have affairs outside marriage.
B) Men pledged not to have affairs outside marriage.
C) Women pledged to marry no additional husbands.
D) Only men could initiate divorce.
E) Some women were provided dowries.

Question 37

Which statement best explains why Hellenistic monarchs preferred to collect their taxes in coins?

A) They needed to pay their armies in cash.
B) It forced people to move to the cities they founded.
C) The amount of produce that might be collected as in-kind payment, primarily grain, was impossible to store in large quantities.
D) It was more efficient than mining precious metals.
E) It facilitated the development of a sophisticated system of credit.

Question 38

Which Hellenistic kingdoms likely had the largest Macedonian population?

A) Antigonid
B) Corinth
C) Attalid
D) Ptolemaic
E) Seleucid

Question 39

Which statement describes the most important reason why the Ptolemies soldiers were loyal?

A) They were divine.
B) They were the successors of Alexander the Great.
C) They held marvelous festivals.
D) They were paid very well.
E) They were patrons of the arts.

Question 40

Which of the following best describes the Greek intellectual tradition that Hipparchus combined with Mesopotamian observations to explain planetary motion?

A) mathematical models
B) historical writing
C) philosophy
D) epic poetry
E) ethics

Question 41

One of Aristotle's notable metaphors for understanding the human experience was the fable of the cave.

Question 42

Alexander the Great had no overarching goal of creating equality between Greeks and the peoples he conquered.

Question 43

In what century did the Hebrew Bible probably come into being?

A) nineth century BCE
B) fifth century BCE
C) third century BCE
D) second century BCE
E) first century CE

Question 44

What important facet of Judeo-Christian and Muslim beliefs was first expressed in the Book of Maccabees?

A) the Sabbath
B) prophecy
C) martyrdom
D) charity
E) monotheism

Question 45

The Library of Alexandria collected original manuscripts, returning written copies to their owners.

Question 46

In what way did Hellenistic culture directly influence Jewish culture and society?

A) Jews began to worship the god Baal.
B) Both Jewish men and women adopted Greek athletics.
C) Jewish marriage contracts protected the interests of both parties and both could initiate divorce.
D) Greek literature influenced the composition and genre of at least one book in the Hebrew Bible.
E) The Greek language was used for business, and Aramaic was used for prayer and religious ceremonies.

Question 47

The Hebrew Bible was collated due to ________ initiative.

A) Greek
B) Jewish
C) Babylonian
D) Persian
E) Assyrian

Question 48

In Ptolemaic Egypt, the state directly paid tax collectors.

Question 49

The greater degree of freedom granted to Hellenistic women, especially aristocratic, has its roots in Macedonian law and culture.

Question 50

One of Alexander the Great's first actions after becoming king was the destruction of the Greek city-state Thebes.

Question 51

The Maccabees revolted against Seleucid rule after Antiochus Epiphanes introduced what god to be worshipped in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem?

A) Apollo
B) Dionysus
C) Ishtar
D) Baal
E) Zeus

Question 52

The prophetic book Daniel uses the king of what nation to represent negative outside influence on Jewish culture and identity?

A) Babylon
B) Assyria
C) Persia
D) Egypt
E) Rome

Question 53

Which of the following statements best explains the diminishing prominence of city-states and the rise of Macedon beginning in the fourth century BCE?

A) Macedon had lots of mineral wealth.
B) City-states were truly autonomous.
C) City-states remained prominent.
D) Persian intervention depressed city-state economies.
E) Macedon relied on the great similarities between Macedonian and Greek culture to bribe city-states to support them.

Question 54

In the Hellenistic period, although slaves were universally considered property, there was a significant amount of variation in the experiences of individual slaves.

Question 55

A major innovation of Philip II of Macedon was the invention of the hoplite phalanx.

Question 56

The era of independent Greek city-states ended with the defeat of Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea in 338 BCE.

Question 57

The statue Lady of Kalymnos demonstrates the continued importance of values traditionally associated with women in Greek culture.

Question 58

Why was the Septuagint created?

A) Jews wished to convert Greeks to Judaism.
B) Greek philosophers were curious about local beliefs.
C) During the Hellenistic period, there were Jews whose first language was Greek.
D) The Jewish population during the Hellenistic period was predominantly Greek.
E) All of the writings contained in the Great Library of Alexandria had to be in Greek; therefore, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible was required.

Question 59

Which of the following is one of the languages used on the Rosetta Stone?

A) Hebrew
B) Demotic
C) Greek
D) Persian
E) All of these languages are used on the Rosetta Stone.

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of the religious multiculturalism characteristic of the Hellenistic period?

A) Herodotus's research about the nomadic Scythians
B) the influence of Zoroastrianism on the Hebrew Bible
C) the adoption of Persian dualistic thought by Greek writers
D) Ptolemies-issued decrees in Greek and Egyptian
E) the rejection of "thrice-great Hermes"

Question 61

One similarity between Greek and Jewish women of the Hellenistic period is that legally they both could initiate divorce.

Question 62

The Maccabees rebelled against the Attalids and established the Hasmonean dynasty.

Question 63

What do the status of free women and the institution of slavery reveal about the Hellenistic period?

Question 64

How did the priorities and agendas of Greek city-states in the fourth century BCE compare to those of Hellenistic monarchies through the mid-first century BCE?

Question 65

The Second Temple period of Jewish history began with the construction of a temple in Jerusalem in the sixth century BCE.

Question 66

What was the most important cultural development of the Hellenistic period? Provide evidence to support your answer.

Question 67

A new development in Greek society during the Hellenistic period was recognition that women were individuals, with voices and thoughts of their own.

Question 68

Describe how one of the Hellenistic dynasties followed Alexander the Great's methods of rule.

Question 69

The science of astronomy originated from the cultural interchange during the Hellenistic period.

Question 70

Describe the influence of Greek culture on Jewish religion and culture during the Hellenistic period.

Question 71

Explain how Alexander the Great's accomplishments depended on his father's legacy.

Question 72

Identify the economic innovations of Hellenistic monarchs.

Question 73

Distinguish between the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, and explain their historical significance.

Question 74

What do you think were Alexander the Great's most important victories? Provide evidence to support your answer.

Question 75

What conditions during the Hellenistic period made religious multiculturalism common?