Alexander the Great's Contributions to the Hellenistic Age

Lauren Bivens

HIS 101

September 7, 2011

Alexander’s Contribution to the Hellenistic Age

     Alexander the Great’s death brought about a new era in western civilization.  After his death, aspects of different cultures began to fuse.  Some of the cultures that were mixed were the Greek, Egyptian, Iranian, Babylonian, and Hebrew cultures.  Alexander’s successors created many kingdoms which include: Anatolia, Macedonia, Babylonia, and Egypt.  Though these kingdoms were not technically a part of Greece, they displayed more Hellenistic Culture than even Greece itself. 

     An example of this Hellenistic culture was shown in Egypt which was ruled by Ptolemy.  Ptolemy tried to strengthen the cities in Egypt by filling the land with an all Greek army.  The Greek language was used widely in Egypt as well.  The language spread largely because of the Greek invasion of the Byzantine Empire.  The Ptolemies also spread culture by making Alexandria into one of the main centers of arts and sciences.  Today there are still many Greeks living in Alexandria as a result of the Greeks conquest of Egypt. 

     Antigonus took over Anatolia as well as part of Asia Minor.  However, Antigonus and his successors suffered many defeats, making the kingdom weak.  When the Romans invaded years later, the kingdom was overthrown.  Despite Anatolia’s defeat, much of the Greek culture remained.  The Romans embraced and supported the Greek culture in Anatolia.  This was how much of the Greek culture lasted through the changes in rule. 

     An Indo-Greek culture was created in the Kingdom of Bactria.  Bactria included what is now Afghanistan.  Eventually, Bactria ceased to exist because of all of the civil unrest.  However, years later a kingdom appeared in northern India.  The kingdom was ruled by Menander, an Indo-Greek King who converted to Buddhism.  The change in religion caused a very interesting type of culture to spring up in India.  Though this kingdom disappeared, there is a village in India today whose people are believed to be the descendants of these ancient Indo-Greeks. 

     Alexander’s conquest of the western world set many changes into motion.  There were new innovations in literature including epigrams—poems written by women.  Sculptures of the Hellenistic Era were not only given faces, but showed deep, human feelings.  Many philosophies sprang up during this time including: materialism, Epicureanism, and stoicism.  Alexander had a lasting impact on the western world because he did not fight the cultures of other people—he embraced them.