When we think of ancient Greece and Rome, the cradle of our civilization and the most accessible of the ancient societies, what comes to mind? Two periods dominate the modern idea of classical antiquity: on the one hand, the democracy of Athens in the fifth century B.C., innovative and dynamic; and on the other, the grand and seemingly unchanging Roman Empire during the first centuries of our era. Between these two periods lies a gap of four centuries that may appear less attractive due to the immense complexity of its political history, with wars, alliances, revolutions, conquests, and the rise and fall of nations. They can also seem depressing because so much happened that seemed to lead nowhere, in the sense that they were part of great historical movements that only selectively interest later generations.
Yet this was a decisive time. It was during those turbulent generations that the scope of Greek history transformed from a matter of city-states, primarily around the Aegean, into one of the great kingdoms—Egypt, Asia Minor, Syria. It was also then that the overwhelming city of Rome succeeded in dominating the Mediterranean world and the Near East, creating an empire greater and more enduring than anything that had come before. In doing so, Rome adopted and imposed a culture that was largely Greek, which had the effect of preserving the achievements of Classical Greece in a modified and selected form, rather than letting them vanish with the destruction of Greek political power. Additionally, this period between the Old and New Testaments was when Jews and Greeks first encountered each other, setting the stage for the spread and triumph of the Christian gospel.
A special term, "Hellenistic," referring to the period from the career of Alexander the Great to the rise of Rome, was not deemed necessary until it was used by the German scholar J.G. Droysen (1808-1884) in his history of the period (1836). The concept has proven useful but also slippery, with scholars disagreeing on the exact dates when the period began and ended. Peter Green defines it as the years from 323 (the death of Alexander) to 31 B.C. (the defeat of Cleopatra), while Barbara Hughes Fowler prefers 323 to 14 A.D. (the death of Emperor Augustus). Some writers have even included the Roman Empire within this period. Fortunately, we need not worry too much about this point. However it is defined at its ends, this period now receives intense study by scholars who contribute to making their findings accessible to readers who might be intimidated by the newly appearing volumes of the Cambridge Ancient History (third edition).
Peter Green, professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has written a book on a grand scale: 970 pages (large and on good paper), 30 maps, 217 illustrations, 5 genealogical tables of dynasties, and a chronological table spanning 45 pages...
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