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Hellenistic Greece: Survey
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Classical vs. Syncretistic cultures
Diffusion and Assimilation |
1. Imagine a City:
One of the biggest most important cities in the world, in terms of economics,
art, scholarship. It has one of the world’s largest libraries at its center.
The city is based on a harbor. In the center of the harbor is a huge construction, one
of the wonders of the world, seeking as a beacon to all who come there.
This city is on the edge of one of the world’s richest countries, but has a culture
that is very different from the rest of the country. It is more the "Capital of the
world" than capital of its country.
Finally, the population of the city is a mix of people of local origin and immigrants
and their children. About a quarter of the population is Jewish.
New York? IMG (New York)
No, Alexandria IMG (Alexandria Serapeum) - probably the most important city of
the Greek-speaking world from soon after its founding. This Greek city, named after
Alexander the Great, was situated on the edge of Egypt, at its core was the greatest
library of the time, and in its harbor a lighthouse – the Pharos. Its population was
mixed, and perhaps the most important Jewish texts of the time were written there.
This presentation is one that sees Alexandria as a city just as representative of Greek
culture as Athens. The culture of Alexandria and other Greek cities after Alexander the
Great is called "Hellenistic" to distinguish it from the classical
"Hellenic" culture.
2. Classical and Syncretistic Cultures:
"Classical Greece" has long been an important cultural symbol in Western
education because,
The Greeks, especially the Athenians, invented "democracy"
The standard of restraint and moderation in art accorded well with the elite culture of
the west.
The dramatic confluence of great figures in so many areas of human life.
A "Classical" culture is one which has achieved, at least in retrospect, a
unique cultural cohesion, a culture in which many threads come together to create a
special moment of creativity and definition for later times. Other examples would be Rome
of the 1st century BC, China under the Zhou dynasty, and for the United States,
perhaps, the first years after the American Revolution.
But much longer periods of history – including out current period are not
"classical". They are "Syncretistic" – that is cultures which
fuse together, or mix up, different types of culture in a way which is sometimes crude,
but at other times innovative and creative.
The Hellenistic period was syncretistic. Here we will seek to uncover what its
contributions were.
II. Diffusion of Greek Culture
Under Alexander and his successors Greek culture was diffused throughout the
Mediterranean and as far east as India.
1. Alexander the Great IMG (Pella Bust) IMG (Sarcophagus Scene)
Persia IMG (Map)
Origins
Conquests
Map of Empire H/O 1
New Cities – Alexandria IMG (Map of Egypt)
Death
2. Funeral Games – the New Politics
Greek cities – now "independent" but minor players in a world of kings
and dynasties.
Macedonia – The most powerful of the Greek states, but over-extended by
Alexander’s efforts.
Anatolia becomes a major Greek cultural center [until 1922]
– Pergamum IMG (Acropolis) IMG (Map)
Seleucia - Syria/Iraq/Persia
Egypt - Ptolemies
3. Cultural Diffusion
Greek Polis – new cities (ref H/O Map 1)
- Alexandrias
- Antiochs
- Features – agoras (market places), gymnasia.
Greek Language
- Koine – the "common language"
Greek Religion
- Other peoples assimilated gods to Greek Gods. Rome is the most extreme example.
Greek Art
- In India – began Buddhist Art IMG (Greco-Roman) and IMG (Buddhist)
- In Egypt – effect on Grave art IMG (Old Mummy) IMG (Mummified Animals), IMG (Mummy
with Hellenistic Painting), IMG (Male portrait) IMG (Female Portrait)
Greeks and Jews
- Alexandria
- Septuagint
- Philo Judeus
- Jews knew Greeks. Greeks much less aware of Jewish culture.
- Conflict: in Alexandria, and in Jerusalem (Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Macabbees.)
III. Greek Assimilation of Other Cultures: Change & Creativity
The cultural exchange was not one way. Greek culture was profoundly affected by the
cultures that were conquered, as well as by the process of conquest itself..
1. Polis, Empire and the Self
The Classical Greeks had understood human beings primarily in relation to the polis.
Aristotle famously argued "man is a political animal" – that is a person
who achieves "his" highest potential in the context of a city.
But now Kings ruled.
The new empires did not destroy the polis, but did disrupt its central position.
As a result in many areas of life avenues of thought – ones which emphasized a
certain individualism was opened up. We see this in such areas as religion, art and
literature, as well as science and philosophy. Sometimes change occurred simply because of
the new circumstances, but at other times because of direct assimilation of the new
cultural mix.
Usually all this is seen as less of an achievement than that of the classical period.
But we might evaluate if differently today.: E.g. The relatively greater freedom of women
in Hellenistic period; the reduction of inter-city warfare.
[Discussion: How does what we value effect how we interpret history?]
2. Elaboration/Systematization/Reproduction
Illiad compiled
Septuagint
Law Schools
Libraries
3. Religion
Old Gods get Greek followers – Isis IMG (Isis), Osiris IMG (Osiris), The Mother
Goddess of Anatolia IMG (Ephesus Statue)
New Gods are invented – Serapis – a combination of Apis, Amon, and Zeus IMG
(Serapis)
Greater emphasis, perhaps, on the "personal" and mystical aspects of religion.
IMG (Delphi at Dawn), IMG (Delphi ruins), IMG (Belvedere Apollo). Music (First Delphic
Hymn)
4. Art
Emotional themes, elaboration, higher position for female beauty, reproduction for arts
sake (compare use of Gregorian Chant in modern culture).
Classical Art – restraint, moderation, self-control IMG (Apollo
from Olympia), IMG (Apollo’s face). Interest in form IMG (Discusthrower)
Hellenistic Art – looks for emotion IMG (Lacoon), IMG (Gladiator Borgehese),
dramatic use of space IMG (Stele of Aristonautes), IMG (Winged Victory 1 and 2), a story IMG (Thorn Extractor), IMG (Aphrodite and Pan), IMG (Old Woman).
Classical Art – reflected the homoerotic culture of the polis IMG (Kritios Boy), IMG (Boy in British Museum),. And women were usually clothed. IMG
(Peplos Kore), IMG (Parthenon Frieze)
Hellenistic art maintained male nudity, but now began to present women as objects of
beauty. IMG (Venus de Milo1 and 2) IMG (Cnidian Aphrodite)
Sometimes the Greeks simply adopted the style of the local culture. IMG (Ptolemaic
Queen) (ref back to grave mummies)
5. Literature
Transformation of Older Literature
Theatre as entertainment. Theatre in Athens had been part of a religious ritual. Now there
were traveling troops which reproduced the older plays.
New Genres:
- Theocritus (c.320-c.260 BCE): Idylls. Many are autobiographical. The originator of
pastoral or bucolic poetry. Idyll 12:30 describes a kissing contest at the Diocleia
festival at Megara. http://corky.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/theocritus1.html
- The Greek Novel
The novel emerges as a major art form.
6. Science
Greek Science – practical uses.
Babylonian astronomy
Egyptian geometry
Egyptian medicine
Ptolemy and Almagest
7. Philosophy IMG (A philosopher)
Plato and Aristotle
Common themes
– concern with argument, the nature of the universe, relationship of behavior and
philosophy.
– the theme of transcendent explanation.
The Hellenistic Egg -
Logic/Epistemology
Physics/Metaphysics
Ethics/Morals
The Sage
Hellenistic world
- kept goal of Eudaimonia
– reject transcendence.
– a real split between popular religion and "philosophy" which was not
overcome until Christianity and Islam.
Skepticism
Pyrrho of Elea
The Academy
Epicurus
World a swirl of atoms. Chance rules all.
Goal is happiness to be acquired by a life of gentle pleasure.
(Best evidence is in Lucretius, De Rerum natura)
Stoicism
World is an infinite interconnected net. No free will. The world is God.
Happiness is living in accord with this world.
– repeated destruction in fire
– concept of Natural Law
– concept of duty
– use of astrology and Zodiac.
IV. The Coming of Rome
Rome
Traditional date is from 753 BC. For first 500 years a small city.
Expansion (ref H/O Map 2)
First Italy, then conflict with Carthage, then concern with Hellenistic east.
Creation of "Greco-Roman" culture.
Pyrrhus 146
Actium 31 BC IMG (Augustus)
TEXTS
Plutarch: Life of Alexander gopher://gopher.vt.edu:10010/02/133/5
IMAGES
New York
Alexandria – Ruins of Serapeum [the main temple of the city’s God, Serapis]
Alexander - Bust from Pella
Alexander – Sarcophagus scene
Map of Persian Empire [alsoH/O Map 1 on Conquests]
Map of Egypt
Pergamum – Acropolis
Pergamum - Map
Greco-Roman statue – toga etc.
Gupta Maitreya
Old Mummy
Mummified Animals
Mummy with Hellenistic Painting
Male portrait
Female Portrait
Isis
Osiris
Aphrodite (Diana) Diana of the Ephesians
Serapis
Delphi at Dawn
Delphi ruins
Belvedere Apollo
Apollo from Olympia
Apollo’s face
Discusthrower
Lacoon
Gladiator Borgehese
Stele of Aristonautes
Winged Victory 1
Winged Victory 2
Kritios Boy
Boy in British Museum
Peplos Kore
Parthenon Frieze
Venus de Milo 1
Venus de Milo 2
Cnidian Aphrodite
Ptolemaic Queen
A Philosopher
Cleopatra
Augustus
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© Site Concept and Design: Paul Halsall created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 15 February 2025 [CV]
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