Hellenism

Eventually, the Hellenistic empires, one by one, met their downfall at the hands of Rome. Yet, in spite of that, Hellenistic influence did not die out. The culture that conquered Greece and the Hellenistic empires, Rome, was perhaps the most influenced by Greek culture.[30] Greek influence on the Romans began when the Greeks established colonies in Italy and its long term effects lasted until the fall of Rome. When the Romans expanded, they were exposed more and more to the beauties of Hellenistic culture. The Roman upper class was educated in Greek language (no aristocratic Roman wanted to hear that he had a weak command of Koine Greek), philosophy, and culture and owned collections of Greek art. Indeed, wealthy Romans ordered for copies of the great Greek sculptures and decorated their homes with Greek reliefs, urns, portraits, busts, and sculptures. Roman philosophy, religion, art, architecture, and literature were essentially Greek in origin. The great Roman scholars all worshipped the Greek ideas and aspired to study in Athens or Rhodes. Even those who criticized Greek culture reveled in it. It would take a while before Rome would develop its own sense of culture with the likes of Horace and Ovid.[31]

In other parts of the ancient world, Hellenistic culture had long term effects. The Jews adopted Greek lifestyle and language, with one of the first Bibles being written in Greek. Greek thought even had significant effects on the Jewish religion, with aspects of Greek thought shaping Jewish interpretations of immortality and resurrection.[32] Hellenistic science also maintained a tremendous influence on thought in the ancient world. Some scholars believe that the scientific method originated in Alexandria, as well as all the important scientific work that laid the foundation for later scientific theories.[33] The Hellenistic era proved to be a period in history that would never be forgotten.

Beginning with the death of Alexander, the Hellenistic period lasted all the way until Ptolemaic Egypt fell to the Romans in 30 BC.[34] It was a period characterized by the spread of Greek people and culture throughout Asia and Africa, in areas such as Egypt, Anatolia, and Persia. As a result of this spread, Hellenistic Greece was characterized by a mixing of culture with both Western and Eastern elements. Meanwhile, Greek art developed in many ways and established lasting influences on Roman art. In Alexandria, scientific and mathematical research developed heavily, setting the basis for many later scientific theories. Even after the downfall of the Hellenistic empires, its influence can still be seen in Rome and many Eastern empires. All this established the Hellenistic era as probably one of the most important eras in history.

Works Cited

Boardman, John, Jasper Griffin, and Oswyn Murray, eds. The Oxford History of Greece and the Hellenistic World. New York: Oxford UP, 2001.

Camporeale, Giovannangelo, and Lucilla Burn. Hellenistic Art : From Alexander the Great to Augustus. New York: Oxford UP, Incorporated, 2005.

Hanfmann, George M. “Hellenistic Art.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 17 (1963): 77-94.

Kagan, Donald, and Steven Ozment. The Western Heritage : Combined. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Limited, 2000.

Meyers, Eric M. “The Challenge of Hellenism for Early Judaism and Christianity.” The Biblical Archaeologist 55 (1992): 84-91.

Rowlandson, J. L. “Review: Ethnicity in Ptolemaic Egypt.” The Classical Review 40 (1990): 370-71.

Stewart, Andrew, and S. Rebecca Martin. “Hellenistic Discoveries at Tel Dor, Israel.” Hesperia 72 (2003): 121-45.

Waterfield, Robin. Athens : A History, from Ancient Ideal to Modern City. New York: Basic Books, 2005.

[1] John Boardman, Jasper Griffin, and Oswyn Murray, eds. The Oxford History of Greece and the Hellenistic World (New York: Oxford UP, 2001) 13.

[2] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 114-115.

[3] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 127.

[4] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 128-129.

[5] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 127-146.

[6] Robin Waterfield, Athens : A History, from Ancient Ideal to Modern City (New York: Basic Books, 2005) 97-101.

[7] Waterfield 101-114.

[8] Waterfield 115-116.

[9] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 151.

[10] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 164.

[11] Andrew Stewart and S. Rebecca Martin, “Hellenistic Discoveries at Tel Dor, Israel,” Hesperia 72 2003: 122

[12] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 263.

[13] Andrew Stewart and S. Rebecca Martin 123-128.

[14] Andrew Stewart and S. Rebecca Martin 129-142.

[15] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn, Hellenistic Art : From Alexander the Great to Augustus (New York: Oxford UP, Incorporated, 2005) 13.

[16] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 46-50.

[17] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 50-52.

[18] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 47.

[19] George M. Hanfmann, “Hellenistic Art,” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 17 1963: 79.

[20] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 24-26.

[21] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 68.

[22] Giovannangelo Camporeale and Lucilla Burn 105.

[23] Hanfmann 84.

[24] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 336.

[25] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 336-338.

[26] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 338.

[27] J. L. Rowlandson, “Review: Ethnicity in Ptolemaic Egypt,” The Classical Review 40 1990: 370.

[28] Rowlandson 370-371.

[29] Donald Kagan and Steven Ozment, The Western Heritage : Combined (Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Limited, 2000) 107.

[30] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 406.

[31] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 406-410.

[32] Eric M. Meyers, “The Challenge of Hellenism for Early Judaism and Christianity,” The Biblical Archeologist 55 1992: 86-90.

[33] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 372.

[34] Boardman, Griffin, and Murray 409.