Hellenization

The terms Hellenic, Hellenism, Hellenic and Hellenization have the same etymology, the Greek word hellen, which means precisely Greek. Therefore, the Hellenization concept refers to a specific idea: the assimilation of Greek culture and tradition.

Hellenism , also known as the Hellenistic period , was a period in history that represented the expansion of Greek culture , also called Hellenistic culture .

During this period, Greece was under Macedonian rule, commanded by Emperor Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander the Great . This period of expansion took place between 338 BC and 146 BC

The Macedonian emperor managed to expand Macedonia’s domain to all the cities of ancient Greece and ended up creating an empire whose core was Greek culture.

In this way, all Greek cultural influence was absorbed by Alexander, who began to disseminate it beyond the Balkan Peninsula.

Territory dominated by Hellenization

The expansion of Greek culture took place from the Mediterranean Sea to Central Asia, thus covering North Africa, the Persian Empire (in the Middle East), Eastern Europe and India.

Alexander the Great, who took over the Macedonian Empire after the assassination of his father, Philip II, conquered the largest empire then in existence.

Although the Greek language was adopted as a common language, there was a kind of cultural exchange between nations and, with that, some institutions assumed the Greek standard and others kept oriental elements.

Expansion of Hellenization culture

Alexandria, an Egyptian city whose name was given in honor of the Macedonian emperor, was the great center of Hellenistic culture, especially with regard to arts and literature.

The city was home to a famous library of papyrus rolls, which contained at least 200,000 copies of the works of ancient sages.

Another place of great cultural prominence was the city of Antioch, capital of Syria.

Within philosophy, four new currents emerged: Cynicism, Stoicism, Epicureanism and Neoplatonism.

End of the Library of Alexandria

The best-known behavior, it is worth noting that the fable is an example of a paradigm. Through a story about the demise of the library in Alexandria dates back to 642. Amir Ibne Alas, then governor of Egypt, is said to have ordered that all works contrary to the Qur’an be burned.

Historians, however, defend another version for the end of the famous library.

According to them, the true end of the Library of Alexandria happened gradually and quite bureaucratically, and began with the cut in funds imposed by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

This cut implied the suspension of scholarships for members of the library and the expulsion of foreign scholars.

Regarding the physical structure of the place, it is believed that it was already quite damaged due to several military actions that occurred frequently in the city, which was often a battlefield.

It is believed that when it was set on fire, the site consisted only of ruins in its structure and collection.

According to historians, in fact practically all existing material was burned, used as fuel in the ovens that fed the thermal baths of Alexandria.

The only spared works were those of Aristotle.

Importance of Hellenization in the Arts and Sciences

The Hellenistic period was of fundamental importance, as the discoveries that took place in that period are of great use even today.

Check below how this period was essential for humanity.

Hellenism and the Arts

The arts were only available to the noble class. The architecture had oriental traits, which became explicit with the appearance of the vault and arch.

Painting practically ceased to exist during Hellenism.

The representation of racial differences, pain, old age, anger and childhood through art emerged during this period.

Hellenism and Literature

Unfortunately, Hellenistic literature was not preserved and, therefore, what remains today are just a few fragments of works.

The two most prominent names in literature who worked in the field of poetry were Callimachus (who wrote hymns, epigrams and two epic poems) and Theocritus (responsible for the creation of the pastoral genre.)

Also in this period, the so-called new comedy appeared in the theater , which represented the passions of ordinary citizens and had Menandro as its main representative.

Hellenism and philosophy

The Hellenistic period was also remarkable for philosophy.

In this period, the western way of thinking, until then predominant only in Greece, is expanded to other places.

It was also during Hellenism that new philosophical schools such as Stoicism , Epicureanism , Cynicism and Skepticism emerged.

Hellenism and science

The scientific discoveries that took place in the Hellenistic period are still useful today.

During this period, the great mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse stood out , who discovered integral calculus, the law of impulsion and invented the planetarium and the aspirating pump.

In the field of astronomy, Hipparchus of Nicea attributed the duration of 365 days to the solar year and Aristarchus of Samos showed that the Sun was a central part of the planetary system.

In the field of medicine, Herophilus was one of the most prominent names. Considered the founder of anatomy, he was able to distinguish, through his studies, the brain from the cerebellum, describe the duodenum, the pancreas and the prostate.

He was also responsible for discovering the rhythm of the pulse, establishing systole and diastole through mathematics.

End of the Hellenistic period

Emperor Alexander had no children. Due to the lack of heirs, after his death, the empire was divided among the generals who were under his command.

Thus emerged three kingdoms: that of Ptolemy (Egypt, Phoenicia and Palestine), that of Cassander (Macedonia and Greece) and that of Seleucus (Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria and Asia Minor).

These generals, in turn, preserved the administrative and cultural heritage inherited from the emperor.

However, Rome expanded its powers. With that, she took over the territories that were previously integral parts of the places conquered by the emperor: Syria, Egypt and Macedonia itself.

Characteristics of Hellenism

Check below some of the main characteristics of the Hellenistic period.

• rise of science
• increase in knowledge
• growth of physics
• math progress
• development of astronomy
• evolution of medicine
• grammar improvement
• development of geography

Hellenization and Christianity

With the expansion of Hellenistic culture, a vast territory incorporated aspects of Greek culture.

After the fall of Hellenism, the Romans took over the territories that previously belonged to the empire of Alexander the Great, however, some cultural aspects, such as the Greek language, were preserved.

The influence of Hellenism on Christianity can be seen, for example, in the fact that the New Testament was written in Greek and not in Latin, which was the language of the new empire.

Taking into account the vastness of the former Hellenistic empire, the spread of faith by Christianity was quite successful, since the language used was common to many territories, which facilitated human language Is structured In my view may be very complexed giving it uniqueness and its distinctiveness. Typically, communication between peoples.

In this way, we can say that Christianity developed in a Greco-Roman Communication” in the 1960s. The historical context.