Omen
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Joined: 14 Feb 2008
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 Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject: Hellenistic Period (336-146 BC) |
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Hellenistic Period (336-146 BC) - period between the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great and the establishment of Roman supremacy, in which Greek culture and learning were pre-eminent in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It is called Hellenistic (Greek, Hellas, "Greece") to distinguish it from the Hellenic culture of classical Greece. Hellenism
In spite of the political turbulence and chaos of the fourth century BC, Greece was poised on its most triumphant period: the Hellenistic age. The word, Hellenistic, is derived from the word, Hellene, which was the Greek word for the Greeks. The Hellenistic age was the "age of the Greeks; during this time, Greek culture and power extended itself across the known world. While the classical age of Greece produced great literature, poetry, philosophy, drama, and art, the Hellenistic age "hellenized" the world. At the root of Hellenism were the conquests of Philip of Macedon and his son, Alexander. However, the Macedonians did more than control territory; they actively exported Greek culture: politics, law, literature, philosophy, religion, and art. This was a new idea, exporting culture, and more than anything else this exporting of culture would deeply influence all the civilizations and cultures that would later erupt from this soil: the Romans, the Christians, the Jewish diaspora, and Islam.
Macedon
Macedon all during the age of the Greek city-states was an anomaly: it was a Greek kingdom. Located north-east of the Greek mainland and northwest of Asia Minor, Macedon was firmly entrenched on the European continent. The Macedonians were the Greeks who had to contend, then, with all the European tribes, many of which were war-like. So the Macedonians served as a kind of buffer for the Greeks, as the faithful Greeks who stood between the tribal Europeans and the Greek city-states. For all that, the Macedonians were deeply unappreciated by their fellow Greeks; they were looked on as no better than barbarians themselves, particularly since they had never developed or adopted the polis.
The Macedonians were ruled by a king, much like the Mycenean kings. The king came to power through inheritance, but first had to be approved by the army. Beneath the king was an aristocracy of nobles who had a limited amount of power; like all monarchies that shared power with an aristocracy, the balance of power frequently shifted from the king to the nobles and back again. Into this situation, at the peak of the political chaos roiling the Greek world to the south, stepped a powerful king who unified the country of Macedon and set his sights on conquering the whole of the Greek world: Philip of Macedon.Hellenic and Hellenistic Societies
Hellenic refers to the people who lived in classical Greece before the conquests of Philip. Greeks (Hellenic)were isolated and their civilization was termed classic because it was not heavily influenced by outside forces.
Hellenistic refers to Greeks and others who lived during the period after Alexander the Great's conquests. (mixture of civilizations)
Comparison with Rome Features Hellenic World Hellenistic World
Government Small, self-governing city-states Empires ruled by monarchs, kings.
Cities ruled by wealthy class
Education Private tutors for well-to-do. Physical training at gym Education and physical training at gymnasium
Language Classical Greek Greek (kione), Aramaic
Commerce Limited commercial activity extensive trade on sea and land
Status of women restricted roles, domestic chiefly marriage contracts, own slaves and property, act as regents
Slavery Widespread use Widespread use
Literature Golden age drama, poetry Greek influence with local culture
Philosophy Emphasis on logic ethics, reason(Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) Non-rational, Oriental mysticism
1. Stoic 2. Epicurean 3. Cynic
Science Acceptance of experimental method but more attention to philosophy Advances in astronomy, mathematics, and medicine
Religion Olympian gods of Greece Adapted Olympian gods for Rome, local religions |
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