The Hellenistic world from Alexander to the Roman conquest : a selection of ancient sources in translation

661 Pages·2006·10.457 MB·English

by  Austin, Michel M

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TheHellenisticWorldfromAlexandertotheRomanConquest
TheHellenisticperiod(323–30bc)beganwiththeconsiderableexpansionof
theGreekworldthroughtheMacedonianconquestofthePersianempireand
endedwithRomebecomingthepredominantpoliticalforceinthatworld.
ThisnewandenlargededitionofMichelAustin’sseminalworkprovidesa
panoramicviewofthisworldthroughthemediumofancientsources.Itnow
comprisesoverthreehundredtextsfromliterary,epigraphicandpapyrological
sourceswhicharepresentedinoriginaltranslationsandsupportedby
introductorysections,detailednotesandreferences,chronologicaltables,
maps,illustrationsofcoins,andafullanalyticalindex.Thefirsteditionhas
wonwidespreadadmirationsinceitspublicationin1981.Updatedand
expandedwithreferencetothemostrecentscholarshiponthesubject,this
neweditionwillproveinvaluableforthestudyofaperiodwhichhasreceived
increasingrecognition.
michel austin isHonorarySeniorLecturerinAncientHistoryatthe
UniversityofStAndrews.HispreviouspublicationsincludeEconomicand
SocialHistoryofAncientGreece.AnIntroduction(1977).Heistheauthorof
numerousarticlesandwasacontributortotheCambridgeAncientHistory,
vol.VI(2ndedition,1994).

The Hellenistic World
From Alexander to the
Roman Conquest
A selection of ancient sources in translation
Second augmented edition
M. M. AUSTIN
HonorarySeniorLecturerinAncientHistory
UniversityofStAndrews
  
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
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Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
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©MichelAustin2006
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relevantcollectivelicensingagreements,noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplace
withoutthewrittenpermissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublishedinprintformat 2006
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Contents
Listofillustrations xix
Listofmaps xxiii
Prefacetothesecondedition xxv
Listofabbreviations xxvii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: The Reign of Alexander (texts 1–25) 18
1 TheParianMarble(264/3):Alexander’sreignandtheageof
theSuccessorsto301 19
2 TheoriginsofAlexander’swaronthePersians 23
3 ThebeginningofAlexander’sreignandthesackof
Thebes(336/5) 24
4 ThestartoftheexpeditiontoAsia(spring334) 26
5 AlexanderinAsiaMinor,administrationandpolitics(334) 28
6 LetterofAlexandertoChios(332?) 30
7 Alexander’smanifestotoDariusafterIssus(332) 31
8 ThefoundationofAlexandria(332/1) 33
9 Alexander’svisittotheoracleofAmmon(332/1) 35
10 ThedestructionofPersepolisanditspalace(May330) 36
11 ThetriumphoftheMacedonians:acontemporaryAthenian
view(summer330) 38
12 Alexander’sattempttointroduceobeisance(‘proskynesis’)
athiscourt 40
13 ThemutinyattheHyphasis(326) 43
14 ‘Maladministration’inAlexander’sempire 44
15 CleomenesofNaucratis 45
16 Harpalus 46
17 ThemarriagesatSusaandAlexander’sgenerosities(324) 47
18 ThemutinyatOpisandthefeastofreconciliation(324) 50
v
Contents
19 Alexander’sdecreeonthereturnofGreekexiles(324) 53
20 ArrianonAlexander’sultimateaims 54
21 Alexander’s‘lastplans’ 55
22 AlexanderthebringerofGreekcivilisationtoAsia? 57
23 Alexanderandthepiratecaptain 59
24 AJewishviewoftheMacedonianconquest 59
25 TheendofPersiaandtheriseofMacedon:a
contemporaryview 60
Chapter 2: The Age of the Successors (texts 26–59) 62
26 ThearrangementsatBabylonafterthedeathofAlexander
(June323) 63
27 TherevoltoftheGreeksinBactria(323) 65
28 TheLamianWarof323/2:AthensunderMacedonian
domination 67
29 PtolemyIandCyrene(322/1) 69
30 ThesettlementatTriparadisus(summer321) 71
31 ThedeathofAntipateranditsconsequences
(autumn319) 72
32 AthenshonoursEuphronofSicyon(318/17) 74
33 Agathocles,rulerofSicily(316–289) 76
34 ThearmiesofEumenesandAntigonusatthebattleof
Paraetacene(autumn317) 78
35 AntigonusdenouncesCassanderandproclaimsthe‘freedom
oftheGreeks’(315) 80
36 SeleucusreturnstoBabylon(312) 82
37 Thepeaceof311andtheendoftheArgeaddynasty 83
38 LetterofAntigonustoScepsisintheTroad(311) 84
39 ScepsisdecreesreligioushonourstoAntigonusonreceiptof
hisletter(311) 86
40 TreatybetweenEupolemusandTheangelaonits
capitulation(c.310?) 88
41 TheexpeditionofOphellastoCarthage(309) 89
42 DemetriusandtheliberationofAthens(307) 91
43 The‘ithyphallichymn’inhonourofDemetrius(291) 93
44 TheSuccessorsassumetheroyaltitle(306–304) 94
45 TheideologyofHellenisticmonarchy 96
vi
Contents
46 ThedoctrinesofEuhemerusofMesseneonthegods
androyalty 96
47 DemetriusandthesiegeofRhodes(305/4) 98
48 TwolettersofAntigonustoTeosconcerningtheprojected
synoecismwithLebedus(c.303) 99
49 DemetriusandtherefoundingofSicyon(302) 105
50 TheHellenicleagueof302 105
51 DecreeofMiletusinhonourofApama(299/8) 108
52 DemetriusandtheMacedonians 109
53 LetterofLysimachustoSamosconcerningaboundarydispute
withPriene(283/2) 110
54 DecreeofAthensinhonourofthepoetPhilippides(283/2) 112
55 DecreeofAthensinhonourofCalliasofSphettus(270/69) 114
56 ThecareerofLysimachus 117
57 SeleucusandthefoundationoftheSeleucidempire 119
58 ThefoundationsofSeleucusI 123
59 Pyrrhus,kingofEpirus 125
Chapter 3: Macedon and the Greek mainland to the
Roman conquest (texts 60–100) 128
60 ThanksgivingofCosfortherepulseoftheCelticinvadersand
thesavingofDelphi(April–July278) 129
61 DecreeofChremonidesonthealliancebetweenAthensand
Sparta(between268and265) 130
62 DecreeoftheAtticdemeofRhamnusinhonourofthe
generalEpicharesforservicesduringtheChremonideanWar 133
63 DecreeoftheLeague(koinon)ofGreeksatPlataeainhonour
ofGlauconsonofEteocles,ofAthens(between261and246) 135
64 DecreeofChiosinhonouroftheAetolians(247/6?) 136
65 DecreeofPhilippirecognisingtheasyliaofCos(242) 138
66 LetterofZiaelaskingoftheBithyniansrecognisingtheasylia
ofCos(242) 140
67 TheriseoftheAchaeanLeague 141
68 DecreeoftheAchaeanLeagueontheadmissionof(Arcadian)
OrchomenustotheAchaeanLeague(c.234) 145
69 AgisIVofSparta(c.263–241) 146
70 CleomenesIIIofSparta(c.260–219) 148
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Contents
71 AratusofSicyonturnstoAntigonusDosontosavethe
AchaeanLeaguefromCleomenes(227–224) 151
72 TheHellenicLeaguevotesforwaragainsttheAetolians(220) 152
73 ThePeaceofNaupactus(217) 154
74 AthenshonoursEurycleidesforservicesperformed(c.215) 156
75 TwolettersofPhilipVtoLarisainThessalyfollowedbytwo
decreesofthecity(217and215) 157
76 TreatybetweenHannibalandPhilipV(215) 159
77 AlliancebetweenRomeandtheAetolianLeague(212or211) 161
78 ConflictingviewsofMacedon’srelationswiththe
Greekworld(210) 163
79 Nabis,tyrant/kingofSparta(207–192) 165
80 ThePeaceofPhoenicebetweenRomeandPhilipV
(summer205) 166
81 PhilipVandthesiegeofAbydus(200) 167
82 TheAthenianscancelhonourspreviouslyvotedto
PhilipV(201/199) 169
83 ThestrengthsandweaknessesoftheMacedonian
phalanx(197) 170
84 TheRomansettlementofGreeceafterthedefeatof
PhilipV(196) 172
85 AetoliannegotiationswiththeRomancommander(191) 174
86 TheSenate’speacetermsforAetolia(189) 176
87 TheAchaeansabolishSparta’s‘Lycurgan’constitution(188) 177
88 DecreeoftheAmphictyonicCouncilinhonourofa
Thessalian(184–3) 178
89 Philip’smeasurestorebuildMacedon(from185) 179
90 RegulationsonmilitarydisciplineintheMacedonianarmy
(reignofPhilipV) 180
91 EmbassyfromLyciatoRome(178) 182
92 ThemoodintheGreekworldontheeveoftheThird
MacedonianWar(171) 183
93 Letter(?)oftheRomanstotheDelphicAmphictyony,
recountinggrievancesagainstPerseus(171–170?) 185
94 Perseus’forcesin171 186
95 DecreeoftheSenateconcerningThisbaeinBoeotia(170) 187
96 TheRomansettlementandpartitionofMacedon(167) 189
97 KingPrusiasofBithyniaandtheSenate(167/6) 192
viii