The Hellenistic period is one of the important eras in Mediterranean history covering the period between 323 BC (when Alexander the Great died) and 31 BC during the Battle of Actium, which heralded the emergence of the Roman Empire. During this time, the Greek cultural influence peaked in terms of geographical expansion, especially in the Mediterranean. The spread of Hellenism around the Mediterranean via Alexander’s conquests led to a common language, cosmopolitan cities, new types of philosophy and religion, plantation slavery, and money-based economies. This paper discusses this Mediterranean world.
The Hellenistic culture spread quickly and started thriving throughout the Mediterranean region through Hellenization and acculturation efforts by the Greek authorities. As Greeks expanded their geographical boundaries through conquest, they took with them their culture, which was then integrated into the native ways of life. In terms of religion, Greek gods were worshiped in most places in addition to the existing religious practices (Bugh 209).
Dynasty ruler cults were also worshiped during this period, especially in Egypt where Pharaohs had become god-kings. A common language was also another major feature of the Hellenistic Mediterranean era. Greek was the most used language, as it would unify the various regions across the Mediterranean. The introduction of a foreign language to conquered lands was one of the ways of stumping colonization as an effective tool of unification.
Additionally, various schools of thought emerged during this era to inform the Hellenistic philosophy, with Athens being the center of these ideologies. The core Hellenistic philosophies pursued ideas, such as freedom from suffering (apatheia), self-sufficiency (autarky), and robust equanimity (ataraxia) (Green 53). The pursuit of science, with Alexandria in Egypt being the center of Hellenistic sciences and the elite center for research, also characterized this period. Empirical and mathematical research started informing scientific investigations to understand the cosmos and the way of life with individuals, such as Pythagoras at the helm.
The military during this time underwent significant changes by improving approaches used in the classical period. Professional soldiers and advanced weaponry were common elements, which allowed the Greeks to continue expanding their territories. Warships were made using new siege engines (Bugh 285). Therefore, conquests were common during this time with the advancement of military science. Slavery thus became normalized as people were needed to work for the masters in newly acquired territories and back in Greece. For instance, in Athens, slaves were treated as their master’s property and thus they could be sold or disposed of as deemed fit by the owner (Garlan 47). Specifically, slaves were mainly used in plantations to provide cheap and adequate labor for increased agricultural production.
Additionally, great cities existed as part of the Hellenistic civilization, including Athens, Corinth, Sparta, Antioch, Alexandria, Pergamum, Argos, and Rhodes, to name but a few. Alexandria in Egypt was one of Alexander’s foundations surrounded by city walls for security. Money-based economies also emerged with the cosmopolitan nature of these cities with people coming from diverse backgrounds. Specifically, coinage was widely embraced to aid in trade and the development of market exchange, and the development of financial institutions.
The Hellenistic Mediterranean ushered in a new wave of civilization and advancement in various sectors including trade, governance, war, philosophy, and language. Hellenistic culture spread across the region to shape different societal aspects, such as language and religion. Cosmopolitan cities were developed and a coin-based economy was adopted during this revolutionary period in human civilization.
Works Cited
Bugh, Richard (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Garlan, Yvon. Slavery in Ancient Greece. Cornell University Press, 1988.
Green, Peter. Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age.University of California Press, 1990.