THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

CLASSICAL STUDIES 2902B

 

Time:  50 minutes

Mid-term Test 

10th February, 2009

 

            INSTRUCTIONS:  Questions 1 and 3 should be answered in essay form; Question 2 in point form.

 

Marks

 

30        1.      Write a historical commentary, including background information, on THREE of the following:

 

            a)      In Philip’s absence, Alexander entertained and became acquainted with envoys from the Persian king, who were won over by his affectionate nature and impressed that he asked no childish or trivial questions, but inquired about the lengths of the roads and the manner of their journey, and about the King himself, his manner of dealing with enemies, and the Persians’ power and prowess.

(Plutarch, Alex. 5—Romm, p. 4)

 

            b)      The theater was filled when Philip himself appeared in a white cloak, having ordered his bodyguards to follow at a distance. For he was showing everyone that as he was protected by the goodwill of the Greeks, he had no need of his bodyguards.

(Diodorus 16.3—Romm, p. 14)

 

            c)      He also sent three hundred sets of Persian armor to Athens as a dedicatory offering to Athena on the Acropolis, and even ordered the following inscription: “Alexander, son of Philip, and the Greeks, except for the Spartans, dedicated these spoils from the barbarians dwelling in Asia.”

(Arrian 1.16—Romm, p. 42)

 

            d)      After crossing the mountains at the so-called Amanic Gates, Darius advanced towards Issus and reached the rear of Alexander’s army without being observed….He advanced, the next day, to the river Pinarus. When Alexander heard that Darius was at his back, he did not credit the report, but embarked some of his companions in a thirty-oared ship and sent them to Issus to find out if it was true…

(Arrian 2.7—Romm, p. 49)

 

            e)      “….Approach me and ask for your mother, wife, children, and anything else you like, and receive them. And in the future, whenever you send word to me, address yourself to me as King of Asia, and not as an equal, and let me know, as the master of all that belonged to you, if you have need of anything. Otherwise, I plan to deal with you as a criminal….”

(Arrian 2.14—Romm, p. 58)

 

            f)      With this force Darius had encamped at Gaugamela, near the river Bumelus, roughly seventy miles from the city of Arbela, on completely level ground. The Persians had long since leveled the uneven ground thereabouts, making it fit for chariot driving and for use by the cavalry

(Arrian 3.8—Romm, p. 78)

 

 

10        2.      In point form, write brief notes to identify, state the importance/significance, etc., as appropriate, of FIVE of the following:

 

a)      Sarissa

b)      Amyntas, son of Perdiccas

c)      Artabazus

d)     Bucephalas

e)      Cleopatra, daughter of Philip and Olympias

f)       Antipater

g)      Memnon of Rhodes

h)      Gordian Knot

i)        Siwah

                    

 

 

10        3.      Write a short essay (about one page) on ONE of the following:

                    

                     a)  Reasons for Alexander’s success in battle: how much was due to Philip and how much

 to Alexander?

 

                  b)  Survey briefly relations between Persia and Macedonia between the time of Darius the Great and the death of Philip II.

 

                  c)  Describe Sparta’s relations with Macedonia and the rest of Greece from c. 340 to c. 330.