Hellenistic UrbanizationHellenistic Urbanization

The Culture of CitiesThe Culture of Cities

Monday, November 30/2005Monday, November 30/2005

SOSC 2730SOSC 2730

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• 7 7 Hellenistic Absolutism &Hellenistic Absolutism &UrbanityUrbanity

• 8 8 Megalopolis into Megalopolis into NecropolisNecropolis

Selected CivilizationsSelected Civilizations

City-BuildingCity-BuildingEconomic ActivitiesEconomic Activities

• local tradelocal trade• long-distance tradelong-distance trade• manufacturingmanufacturing• financefinance

Long-Distance TradeLong-Distance Trade

• merchantsmerchants–wholesale, retailwholesale, retail

• goods & flow of exchange mediumgoods & flow of exchange medium• customs duties/tax collection, customs duties/tax collection,

carters, warehousing activities, carters, warehousing activities, credit facilities, information credit facilities, information networknetwork

Strategic ImportanceStrategic Importance

• large cities were important large cities were important gathering pointsgathering points–AGGLOMERATIONAGGLOMERATION– information, markets, distributioninformation, markets, distribution

• large cities were important entry large cities were important entry pointspoints–GATEWAY FUNCTIONGATEWAY FUNCTION

Major Cities in theMajor Cities in theHellenistic WorldHellenistic World

CorinthCorinth AlexandriaAlexandria GazaGazaAthensAthens AntiochAntioch NicomediaNicomediaSpartaSparta BabylonBabylon PergamumPergamumThebesThebes DamascusDamascus PetraPetra

Dura-EuroposDura-Europos SeleuceiaSeleuceiaEphesusEphesus TyreTyre

Major Cities in theMajor Cities in theHellenistic WorldHellenistic World

• important centres ofimportant centres of–cultural disseminationcultural dissemination–cultural blendingcultural blending• Greek languageGreek language• art, architecture, scienceart, architecture, science

• agricultureagriculture• tradetrade• citiescities• architecturearchitecture

StoaStoa

TheatresTheatres

Council HallsCouncil Halls

PeristylePeristyle