The Hellenistic era is a period in ancient Greek history that lasted from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE to the end of the Roman Republic in 27 BCE. It is characterized by the spread of Greek culture and influence throughout the Mediterranean world, as well as the growth of large, cosmopolitan cities and the flourishing of arts, sciences, and philosophy.
The term "Hellenistic" comes from the Greek word "Hellas," which refers to the Greek-speaking world. During the Hellenistic period, Greek culture spread throughout the regions that had been conquered by Alexander the Great, including Egypt, Anatolia, and the Levant. This led to the emergence of a new, cosmopolitan culture that blended elements of Greek, Egyptian, and Eastern traditions.
One of the most notable features of the Hellenistic era was the growth of large cities, such as Alexandria, Pergamon, and Antioch. These cities were centers of trade, learning, and culture, and attracted people from all walks of life. They were also centers of political power, with the rulers of these cities often vying for control over the surrounding regions.
The Hellenistic era was also marked by the flourishing of arts, sciences, and philosophy. The period saw the development of new styles of art, such as the realistic portraiture of the sculptor Lysippos, and the emergence of new philosophical schools, such as Stoicism and Epicureanism. It was also a time of great scientific progress, with advances in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine.
Overall, the Hellenistic era was a period of great cultural and intellectual achievement, and its legacy can still be seen in many aspects of modern Western culture. Its cosmopolitanism and openness to different cultures and ideas laid the foundations for the diverse and multicultural societies that we see today.
What does hellenistic period mean?
Hellenic studies focuses on the study of the Ancient Greeks. In the evolution from the Homeric kingship supported by the nobles in council, from which the commonalty was excluded, or where it was supposed at most to express assent or dissent to proposals laid before it through oligarchic or aristocratic rule and the usurped authority of the tyrants, to the establishement of democratic government, there is nothing surprising to the man of today. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Migrations and Invasions in Greece and Adjacent Areas. The Journal of Hellenic studies, Volumes 113-114. The easternmost regions soon fell away, but Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt long continued under Greek rule, until Rome in the 1st century BC made good her claims to sovereignty in those lands.
Hellenistic Art: History, Facts, and Characteristics
What is meant by the Hellenistic period and why is it called by this name? It is customary to distinguish two main periods, between which stands the striking figure of Alexander the Great, and to apply to the earlier period the adjective "Hellenic," that of "Hellenistic" to the latter. Their art is marked by the observance of a just proportion and by a certain natural restraint due to the preponderance of the intellectual element over the purely sensuous. So, how did Alexander the Great start this process of cultural fusion? It seems likely that Alexander himself pursued policies which led to Hellenization, such as the foundations of new cities and Greek colonies. To identify them, Luke uses the term Hellenistai. University of Chicago Press. However, new traditions emerged as the gods and goddesses of other regions influenced their beliefs and their society. According to Peter Green, these cults did not produce genuine belief of the divinity of rulers among the Greeks and Macedonians.
Hellenistic period
When towards the end of the first century BCE, Hillel in practice repealed the regulation of the remission of debts in the sabbath year Deut. The National Hellenic Museum seeks to share the story of Greek Americans — as chapters that continue from the ancient story of Hellenism. In these new Hellenistic cities, Greeks still considered themselves culturally superior and governed according to the principles of their own polis, or city-state. While it reflects the situation at a later period, its origins go back well before the Christian era. Wilson , Historical Commentary on Galatians 1997:302; Ramsay notes the 4th century AD Paphlagonian Γαλατίᾳ τῇ Ἑλληνίδι. Here we find, alongside of the worship of the Olympians, evidences of chthonian cults and abundant hints of human needs not satisfied by the well-regulated religion of the several city-states. Oxford University Press p.
