FOURTH CENTURY BEFORE CHRIST.

(400-300.)

THE important movement of the century is the rise and dissolution of the huge Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great.

ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE. Macedonia becomes of importance under Philip, who causes her to be acknowledged as a Greek state (that country having become reduced to a condition of general exhaustion), and then makes her the chief state of Greece. His son Alexander (the Great) invades Persia (see the preceding map), conquers the whole Persian Empire between 334 B. C. and 330 B. C., and dies in 323 B. C., "having made greater conquests than were ever made by any European prince before or after him." The extent of his dominion is shown upon the accompanying map by a dotted line. After his death the great empire falls to pieces, and in 301 B. C. becomes divided (as shown upon the map) into Egypt (under Ptolemy), Macedonia (including Greece), Thrace, including part of Asia Minor (under Lysimachus), and Syria and the East (under Seleucus).

PERSIA is the chief power during the first part of the century, but is conquered by Alexander in 334-330 B. C. (See above, under ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.)

GREECE. (See above, under ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.)

EGYPT becomes subject to Persia in 350 B. C., and, as a part of the Persian Empire, to Alexander in 332 B. C. (See above, under ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.)

ROME. About the middle of the century Rome begins a career of conquest.

CARTHAGE, though an important state, is not of general historical interest during this century.

Sovereigns. - Artaxerxes II. (Mnemon), Artaxerxes III. (Ochus), Darius III. (Codomannus).

MACEDONIA.

Principal Kings. - Philip II., Alexander III. (the Great), Cassander.

Generals. Parmenio, Perdiccas, Antigonus, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy I. (Soter), Demetrius Poliorcetes, Antipater.

GREECE.

Statesmen, Generals, and Orators. - Thrasybulus, Xenophon, Lysander, Gorgias, Pelopidas, Epaminondas, Agesilaus, Timoleon, Isocrates, Demosthenes, Phocion, Eschines, Demetrius Phalereus.

Socrates, Aristippus, Hippocrates, Democritus, Diogenes, Plato, Aris

Sculptors and Painters. — Parrhasius, Scopas, Lysippus, Praxiteles, Apelles, Protogenes.

EGYPT.

ROME.

Statesmen and Generals. — Camillus, Manlius Capitolinus, Manlius Torquatus, Valerius Corvus, Papirius Cursor, Fabius Maximus.

SYRIA.

King. Seleucus (beginning of the dynasty of the Seleucida).

EPIRUS.