Hellenistic period
Also called: Hellenisation · Topic: The Roman Empire · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "An Empire Across Three Continents"
Meaning
The Hellenistic period was the time after Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE. In this period Greek language and culture spread across the lands he had conquered, from Egypt to West Asia. It is usually taken to end in 30 BCE, when Rome took over Egypt, the last of the kingdoms set up by Alexander's generals. The process of spreading Greek ways is called Hellenisation. It explains why Greek, not Latin, was the language of government in the eastern half of the Roman Empire.
Example
Alexandria in Egypt was founded by Alexander and grew into a great Greek-speaking city of learning. Under Rome it was one of the three biggest Mediterranean cities, alongside Carthage and Antioch.
Don't confuse with
- Classical Greece: this was the earlier age of independent city-states such as Athens, before Alexander. The Hellenistic period came after his conquests.