Hellenistic Period Overview:
– Etymology: Term originated from ancient Greek Ἑλληνιστής (Hellēnistḗs) from Ἑλλάς (Hellás, Greece).
– Definition: Refers to the period when Greek culture spread beyond Greece.
– Spread of Greek Influence: Greek colonies established in South-West Asia, North-East Africa, and South Asia.
– Cultural Impact: Koine Greek became the lingua franca of the ancient world.
– Prosperity and Progress: Era characterized by advancements in arts, literature, philosophy, and science.
Historical Sources and Background:
– Lack of Complete Historical Works: No complete surviving historical works from the hundred years following Alexander’s death.
– Key Sources: Polybius of Megalopolis, Diodorus Siculus, Plutarch, Appian of Alexandria, Justin, and Diogenes Laërtius.
– Ancient Greece Background: Fiercely independent city-states, followed by Spartan and Theban hegemonies.
– Macedonian Influence: Philip II of Macedon laid the groundwork for Alexander the Great’s conquests.
Conquests and Legacy:
– Alexander’s Conquests: Conquered lands included Asia Minor, Egypt, Persia, and overthrew Persian king Darius III.
– Hellenization: Alexander’s conquest led to the development of a hybrid Hellenistic culture.
– Legacy: Greek influence persisted for centuries but declined with the rise of Rome and Parthia.
– Diadochi Successors: Disputes among Alexander’s successors led to wars and the end of the Argead dynasty.
End of the Hellenistic Era:
– Scholarly Debates: Various proposals for the end of the Hellenistic period, ranging from Roman conquests to Constantine the Great’s actions.
– Proposed End Dates: Range of possible end dates spans from c. 321 BC to AD 256.
– Cultural Influence: Hellenistic culture influenced by various regions and religions, leading to a diverse cultural landscape.
– Angelos Chaniotis’ Suggestion: End of the Hellenistic period marked by the death of Hadrian in AD 138.
Regional Developments and Kingdoms:
– Epirus: Greek kingdom in the Balkans ruled by the Molossian Aeacidae dynasty, conquered by Rome in the Third Macedonian War.
– Macedon: Struggled with finances and faced Roman opposition, losing territories in Greece to Rome in 198BC.
– Greece: Importance declined during the Hellenistic period, with thriving Hellenistic culture in Alexandria and Antioch.
– Balkans: Illyrian tribes and Thracians influenced by Greek culture due to proximity to Greek colonies.
– Western Mediterranean: Greeks colonized southern Italy, Sicily, and Massalia in France, spreading Greek influence.
– City-States and Federations: Formation of leagues like the Achaean League and alliances with Ptolemaic Egypt for defense.
– Rhodes and Roman Influence: Rhodes maintained independence through its navy, becoming a Roman ally against the Seleucids and eventually annexed by Rome.
It has been suggested that Hellenistic Greece be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2024. |
In classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the death of Cleopatra VII (30 BC), followed by the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt the following year. The Ancient Greek word Hellas (Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was gradually recognized as the name for Greece, from which the word Hellenistic was derived. "Hellenistic" is distinguished from "Hellenic" in that the latter refers to Greece itself, while the former encompasses all ancient territories under Greek influence, in particular the East after the conquests of Alexander the Great.
After the Macedonian conquest of the Achaemenid Empire in 330 BC and its disintegration shortly after, the Hellenistic kingdoms were established throughout south-west Asia (Seleucid Empire, Kingdom of Pergamon), north-east Africa (Ptolemaic Kingdom) and South Asia (Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Indo-Greek Kingdom). This resulted in an influx of Greek colonists and the export of Greek culture and language to these new realms, spanning as far as modern-day India. These new kingdoms were also influenced by the indigenous cultures, adopting local practices where beneficial, necessary, or convenient. Hellenistic culture thus represents a fusion of the ancient Greek world with that of Western Asian, Northeastern African, and Southwestern Asian. This mixture gave rise to a common Attic-based Greek dialect, known as Koine Greek, which became the lingua franca throughout the ancient world.
During the Hellenistic period, Greek cultural influence and power reached its peak in the Mediterranean and beyond. Prosperity and progress in the arts, literature, theatre, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science characterize the era. The Hellenistic period saw the rise of New Comedy, Alexandrian poetry, translation efforts such as the Septuagint, and the philosophies of Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Pyrrhonism. In science, the works of the mathematician Euclid and the polymath Archimedes are exemplary. Sculpture during this period was characterized by intense emotion and dynamic movement, as seen in works like the Dying Gaul and the Venus De Milo. Hellenistic architecture emphasized grand monuments and ornate decorations, exemplified by structures such as the Pergamon Altar. The religious sphere expanded to include new gods such as the Greco-Egyptian Serapis, eastern deities such as Attis and Cybele, and a syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism in Bactria and Northwest India.
Scholars and historians are divided as to which event signals the end of the Hellenistic era. Proposals include the final conquest of the Greek heartlands by Rome in 146 BC following the Achaean War, the final defeat of the Ptolemaic Kingdom at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, and the move by Roman emperor Constantine the Great of the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in AD 330. Angelos Chaniotis ends the Hellenistic period with the death of Hadrian in AD 138, who integrated the Greeks fully into the Roman Empire, though a range from c. 321 BC to AD 256 may also be given.
