Deck 4: The Greek World Expands,400–150 B.C.E

Question 1

Whereas Plato conceived of politics as a means toward living the good life,Aristotle regarded politics as:

A) an end in itself.
B) irrelevant to the true purposes of human life.
C) a hindrance to contemplation,which is the true end of life.
D) an essential attribute of being human,in which both women and men should participate.
E) a dangerous pursuit for anyone in which to engage.

Answer 1

an end in itself.

Question 2

The fourth century in Greece witnessed a confused political terrain,with many attempting to discover a direction for the Greeks; among these was _________,who believed that the Greeks could rediscover their lost unity by an invasion of Persia.

A) Xenophon
B) Thales
C) Pythagoras
D) Meno
E) Isocrates

Answer 2

Isocrates

Question 3

A philosophical concern of Plato's was:

A) to explain change.
B) the doctrine of Ideas.
C) to establish a just society.
D) the problem of evil.
E) political life in the context of free will.

Answer 3

to establish a just society.

Question 4

The ultimate aim of the the League of Corinth was:

A) to conquer the southern Balkans.
B) to dominate Athens.
C) world conquest.
D) to invade Persia.
E) to create an Adriatic empire.

Question 5

Why didn't Sparta benefit more from its victory in the Peloponnesian War?

A) Sparta had no interest in an empire.
B) Persia quickly defeated Sparta.
C) Sparta alienated the other Greek cities by trying to dominate them.
D) Sparta was a land power with no navy.
E) Sparta was defeated the following year by Thebes.

Question 6

Alexander the Great is said to have taken two books with him on his conquest of Persia; one was Homer's Iliad and the other was:

A) Plato's Republic.
B) Aristotle's Politics.
C) Euclid's Elements.
D) Xenophon's Anabasis.
E) Heraclitus's The Fire Next Time.

Question 7

The _________ War represented the beginning of the end of Greek dominance.

A) Athenian
B) Corinthian
C) Spartan
D) Theban
E) Mycenaean

Question 8

The political and military alliance by which the Macedonians united Greece under their own rule was known as the:

A) Macedonian League.
B) Delian League.
C) League of Corinth.
D) National League.
E) Greek League.

Question 9

During the economic decline of Greece in the fourth century B.C.E.:

A) former soldiers often worked as mercenaries,who disrupted the household-based culture of the Greek poleis.
B) Greek artists created sculpture that was increasingly idealized and dignified.
C) Greek drama reached its peak under the leadership of Sophocles,Aeschylus,and Euripides.
D) prices declined and taxes were lowered,allowing state treasuries to accumulate substantial surpluses.
E) the economic center of the Mediterranean world shifted to Macedonia.

Question 10

Alexander the Great is a difficult figure for historians to evaluate because:

A) so many legends grew up around him during his lifetime.
B) his military victories are so well known.
C) he died young and without a clear heir.
D) he did not actually accompany his armies on their far-flung campaigns.
E) nothing was written about him during his lifetime.

Question 11

As outlined in the Republic,Plato's ideal form of government is best described as a (an):

A) democracy.
B) republic.
C) aristocracy.
D) meritocracy.
E) tyranny.

Question 12

Aristotle believed that:

A) the only true reality lies in unchanging ideals.
B) only matter exists,and so ideals are the creation of human minds.
C) ideals shape matter toward specific purposes.
D) the human mind cannot understand the order of the universe and so should concentrate only on human concerns.
E) only real phenomena can be investigated in order to understand the world in which we live.

Question 13

Macedonian military reforms under Philip II most closely resemble earlier such reforms undertaken by:

A) Thebes.
B) Sparta.
C) Athens.
D) Persia.
E) Egypt.

Question 14

Aristotle argued that good conduct is virtuous conduct and that virtue resides in aiming to:

A) separate the mind from the body and its pursuits.
B) live a contemplative life in seclusion.
C) act moderately in all things.
D) involve all people (men and women)in the political life of the polis.
E) respect the will of each individual.

Question 15

Philosophy after Socrates continued to pursue Socrates' interest in the world through an investigation of:

A) the inner workings of the human mind to the exclusion of the natural world.
B) the natural world in which we live with no regard for human actions.
C) the actions of gods and humans as they affect other people.
D) both the natural world and human actions.
E) the effect human beings had on the natural world.

Question 16

Alexander the Great founded a great empire that might be described as a _________ empire.

A) political
B) scientific
C) hereditary
D) military
E) cultural

Question 17

Why couldn't the Greek city-states unite during the fourth century B.C.E.?

A) The Macedonians would not permit it.
B) The independent temper of Greek political life made unity impossible.
C) The Greek economy was too weak to support an empire.
D) Unity was unnecessary because the Greeks were not threatened by any foreign enemies.
E) There existed an almost perfect balance of power among Athens,Sparta,Corinth,and Thebes.

Question 18

Philip II of Macedon's early success had much to do with his:

A) early experiences in the Athenian navy.
B) reorganization of the Macedonian army.
C) understanding of the Persian phalanx formation.
D) single-minded desire to conquer Athens and subject it to one-man rule.
E) army being so very much larger than that of any of his enemies.

Question 19

The Theban Sacred Band was:

A) an elite military unit composed entirely of male couples.
B) the priestly caste of Thebes.
C) a group of helots committed to overthrowing Sparta.
D) a religious orchestra active in early Greek drama.
E) the royal house of Thebes.

Question 20

Praxiteles was unique among the ancient Greek sculptors due to his:

A) perfecting the use of marble in sculpture.
B) having designed and executed the building of the Acropolis in Athens.
C) ability to integrate many different materials in his work.
D) use of ivory and gold in all his sculptures.
E) being the first to sculpt a female nude.

Question 21

Macedonian rule in Egypt was characterized by:

A) ethnic assimilation between Greeks and Egyptians.
B) social welfare policies designed to improve the lot of the poor.
C) commercial isolation.
D) a revival of ancient traditions associated with the pharaohs.
E) ethnic cleansing by the Macedonians.

Question 22

Although he died in _________,Alexander was buried at _________.

A) Ecbatana; Aigai in Macedonia
B) Babylon; Aigai in Macedonia
C) Alexandria; Memphis in Egypt
D) Hydaspes; Alexandria in Egypt
E) Babylon; Memphis in Egypt

Question 23

The Aetolian and Achaean Leagues differed from previous Greek attempts at political organization between poleis because they:

A) represented a real political unification,with some centralization of government functions.
B) were military rather than true political alliances.
C) required their members to contribute taxation to a common fund.
D) included Macedonian cities.
E) were controlled by the Macedonian royal house.

Question 24

Aristarchus of Samos was unusual among Hellenistic astronomers because he:

A) believed that the earth revolves around the sun.
B) believed that the sun revolves around the earth.
C) used a telescope to make astronomical observations.
D) worked in Alexandria rather than Athens.
E) believed that the moon revolves around the sun.

Question 25

To highlight their authority and status in the former Persian empire,Seleucid rulers:

A) spent most of their wealth on expensive building projects and capital improvements.
B) rejected Buddhist traditions and introduced Islamic reforms.
C) minted coins containing practical advice and realistic portraits.
D) used terms in proclamations reminiscent of earlier Mesopotamian rulers.
E) created a special secret police unit to enforce their edicts.

Question 26

The most important cultural center in the Hellenistic world was:

A) Memphis.
B) Jerusalem.
C) Constantinople.
D) Athens.
E) Alexandria.

Question 27

Herophilus of Chalcedon was an innovative _________ in the ancient Hellenistic world.

A) architect
B) astronomer
C) physician
D) anatomist
E) engineer

Question 28

To control his newly created empire,Alexander constructed:

A) Greek-style cities.
B) a new road system.
C) an innovative administration.
D) a postal and messenger service.
E) a series of military outposts.

Question 29

Alexander was aided in his conquest of Egypt by:

A) being proclaimed as the "son of Ammon" by the sun god's oracle.
B) turning his attention toward Egypt only after conquering Persia.
C) his mother's family who were members of the Egyptian royal family.
D) a civil war in Egypt between the joint rulers,Cleopatra and Ptolemy.
E) the use of "Greek Fire," recently invented by Archimedes.

Question 30

With the expansion of population in Hellenistic urban centers,Middle and Near Eastern cities reached population levels that Europe would not reach until the:

A) eighteenth century.
B) seventeenth century.
C) sixteenth century.
D) fifteenth century.
E) fourteenth century.

Question 31

Scientific development during the Hellenistic period was of such a degree that the era may be compared favorably to the:

A) eighteenth-century Industrial Revolution.
B) seventeenth-century scientific revolution.
C) sixteenth-century Reformation.
D) fifteenth-century Renaissance.
E) fourteenth-century Copernican Revolution.

Question 32

Why did autocratic rulers in the Hellenistic world encourage manufacturing industries?

A) Manufacturing trade goods slowed the development of harbors,roads,and canals,thus preserving their power.
B) Manufacturing distracted local and foreign rivals from aggressive military campaigns.
C) Manufacturing increased international trade revenues and therefore taxation and tariffs.
D) Manufacturing brought in exotic goods that were previously unavailable in the ancient world.
E) Manufacturing trade goods increased the development of harbors,canals,and ship design.

Question 33

The beginning of the end of Alexander's conquests was his inability to fully subdue:

A) Mesopotamia.
B) Egypt.
C) Parthia.
D) Afghanistan.
E) Gedrosia.

Question 34

All of the male rulers of Macedonian Egypt took the name:

A) Antigonus.
B) Alexander.
C) Ptolemy.
D) Seleucus.
E) Ramses.

Question 35

The _________ believed that the cosmos is an ordered whole in which all contradictions are resolved for the ultimate good.

A) Epicureans
B) Stoics
C) Theban Sacred Band
D) Aristotelians
E) Neoplatonists

Question 36

The _________ taught that the only reason one should be good is to increase one's own happiness.

A) Epicureans
B) Stoics
C) Theban Sacred Band
D) Aristotelians
E) Neoplatonists

Question 37

Central to the Skeptical worldview is the idea that:

A) everything always turns out for the best in the end.
B) the universe is ultimately ordered for human beings.
C) one must suspend judgment concerning everything.
D) material pleasure is the only way to happiness.
E) the contemplative life removed from the world is the only way to achieve happiness.

Question 38

The Hellenistic world transformed the rest of the ancient world.This was due,in no small measure,to the:

A) rapid growth in the size of the cities of the Middle and Near East.
B) Greek diaspora,which aided in spreading Greek culture.
C) disjunction between traditional Greek values and the new political reality.
D) monotheistic Greek religion that was spread throughout the ancient world after Alexander.
E) all of these

Question 39

In comparison to classical Greek art,Hellenistic art became more:

A) standardized and predictable.
B) of a commodity to be bought and sold.
C) directly an expression of civic pride.
D) critical of social inequalities.
E) of a product of government committees.

Question 40

What similarities did Stoicism and Epicureanism share?

A) an emphasis on the welfare of the individual,materialism,and universalism
B) the presumption of an orderly,purposeful universe
C) a tendency toward escapism and political disengagement
D) a belief in the transmigration of the psyche
E) all of these

Question 41

Aristotle advocated that real phenomena be investigated rigorously in order to discover the order of nature and mankind's place in it.

Question 42

In the Republic,Plato argues for a return to the democratic state.

Question 43

The league that influenced Alexander Hamilton,John Jay,and James Madison as a role model of cooperation and unification was the Achaean League.

Question 44

Cleopatra VII was the first Ptolemaic ruler to learn the Egyptian language.

Question 45

Alexander's successors in Egypt brought Greek philosophy and styles of government to Egypt,replacing the image of the god-king.

Question 46

Philip's elite cavalry squad,the Companions,was made up of freed slaves who owed their freedom and position to Philip.

Question 47

In portraying the human body,Hellenistic sculptors favored:

A) nudes.
B) noble subjects that pleased their noble patrons.
C) simplicity and naturalism.
D) portraying the gods and goddesses.
E) awkward poses and exaggerated postures.

Question 48

The decline of free civic life in the Hellenistic Age contributed to the decline in philosophical thinking.

Question 49

Platonic dialogues took up weighty issues,with Socrates as the central character.

Question 50

Aristarchus of Samos's deduction that the earth circled the sun was refuted because it disagreed with the premise that humanity,and thus the earth,was the most important facet of the universe and must be at the center.

Question 51

Aristotle argued that some people,including women,were not fully human and were meant by nature to be slaves.

Question 52

The first individual to predict that one could reach Asia by sailing west was:

A) Aristarchus.
B) Herophilus.
C) Eratosthenes.
D) Euclid.
E) Ptolemy.

Question 53

Alexander's use of forced marriage between his officers and Persian noblewomen was an attempt to eliminate ethnic distinctions in his empire.

Question 54

After defeating Darius's armies,Alexander moved his capital to the Persian city of Persepolis.

Question 55

Mystery cults were popular mainly with the elite members of society.

Question 56

Hellenistic cosmopolitanism differed from Persian and Roman cosmopolitanism because it:9

A) was a product of individualism,not autocracy.
B) did not depend on a shared,common language.
C) was cultural rather than linked directly to a particular imperial power.
D) was restricted to seaports along the Mediterranean coast.
E) was linked directly to the imperial power of the Alexandrian dynasty.

Question 57

According to Stoicism,evil does not exist.

Question 58

Hellenistic sculpture is best described as:

A) realistic and alive.
B) highly abstract.
C) highly impressionistic.
D) idealized and dignified.
E) all of these

Question 59

The most influential of all Hellenistic arts was:

A) music.
B) dance.
C) painting.
D) architecture.
E) sculpture.

Question 60

Aristotle argued in his Politics that a government that combined elements of monarchical,aristocratic,and democratic forms would be better than any one form.This view was adopted later by:

A) Theocritus.
B) Galen.
C) Erasistratus.
D) Polybius.
E) Isocrates.

Question 61

What factors accounted for the social and economic crises in the fourth century?

Question 62

In what ways did Alexander's city building help create an empire?

Question 63

How did art and literature reflect the political and economic atmosphere of Hellenistic Greece?

Question 64

How did Skepticism differ from Epicureanism and Stoicism?

Question 65

What was the effect of the fourth-century crisis on art and literature?

Question 66

In addition to discovering the law of specific gravity,Hippocrates is also credited with the principles of the lever,the screw,and the pulley.

Question 67

What changes took place in Greek religion during the third and second centuries B.C.E.?

Question 68

What are the key differences between the Greece of the Hellenistic period and that of the Classical Era?

Question 69

How much of Alexander's success did he owe to his father?

Question 70

In what ways were the Aetolian and Achaean Leagues a challenge to Antigonid rule?

Question 71

Compare and contrast the rule of Alexander's successors in Egypt,Seleucid Asia,and Antigonid Macedonia.