The Period Of Ancient Greece

A period marked with much change, Hellenistic Era began with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. From political structures to individual ideologies, the Hellenistic Period marked a time of progress and prosperity for the Greeks who were at the peak of their power. When comparing the Classical and Hellenistic Periods there are many similarities and key differences which are going to be discussed below.

The Hellenistic era ended in the year 31 B.C. with the battle of Actium, it was the final battle between Octavian’s army and Cleopatra’s army. The Roman’s not only conquered Italy, but it also had power over the entire coast of the Adriatic sea and much like Alexander the Great, they were looking to expand throughout the continent of Europe and seeked to conquer beyond Europe. After the battle of Actium, the entire Hellenic world was under Rome’s control and Greece was controlled by various rulers until it’s independence in the 19th century. The new Roman era was one that will change the world forever with many wars and battles that shaped our history and of course, the birth and death of Jesus Christ thus beginning a new world religion, Christianity. Now, every era in human history has given us something that has shaped our contemporary world, the Hellenistic era gave us the modern library, but an era is named and timed not by the people living through it, but the historians who study it centuries later.

Alexander III, who is also known as Alexander the Great, had lived through 356BC to 323BC (www.britanica.com). He was born on July 20, in Pella, which is Macedonia’s ancient capital city (www.historyofmacedonia.org). He was a military commander at the age 18, and then he became a king in 20, the ruler of Greece. He died at the age of 32, he suddenly died on June 13, because of malaria, which is a type of serious fever disease. Before he became a king, his father, Philip II, was a ruler of Greece (Borza 177).

3. The period from the 9th to the 6th century B.C. is known as the Archaic Age during which the Greek kings were deposed by oligarchies (rule of a few who have power and wealth) of wealthy warriors, and the city-states or polis emerged.

Ancient Greece had a major impact on the Western World due to many factors. Documents 1 and 2 reveal that the Western World has been impacted by political factors of the ancient Greeks, whille documents 4, and 5 show us that the Western World was impacted due to cultural reasons.

Throughout the times in Greek art, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods have changed overtime from the sculptures in the form, style, and symmetry.

The Hellenistic Era relates to ancient Greece with monuments, sculptures, cities, state officials, traders, councils, theatres, soldiers, markets, and assemblies.

Alexander the Great was the Macedonian king whose conquests of the Persian Empire and Egypt created a new Hellenistic world (Cole, Symes, Coffin, Stacey, 2012, p. A18). After Phillip the II was assassinated during a festival at Pella. The kingship now fell to Alexander. Among the Greeks, he would be known as Alex ander, the Sacker of Cities. To the Romans, he was Alexander the Great. (Cole, Symes, Coffin, Stacey, 2012, p. 89). There were accomplishments many of this leader. By the time of Alexander’s early death at the age of 32, a monumental legend had already built up around him.

The greatest conquering king in the world; King of Macedonia and conqueror of Persia, Alexander the Great is considered to be one of the greatest military geniuses ever. With his amazing diplomatic skills and military genius, Alexander led Macedonia “to conquer most of the known world”. Though he only lived to a relatively young age of thirty-three, Alexander made use of his time from his first task as a leader stifling a rebellion to his last conquering the Persians and Indians. Alexander’s conquests created a whole new era of Greek inspired culture known as the Hellenistic Era. From his amazing prowess as a youth, to his conquests as an adult, and to his influence on the world after his death Alexander the Great left his mark on the world.

Alexander quickly gained the approval of the Macedonian army to become king and ruler of Macedon. Alexander ordered to kill anyone possible to claim the kingship so no one could take his spot. Alexander soon began his campaigns starting off with the Asian Campaign, in the early 335 B.C.E Alexander's army defeated the Persians for the first time they met, army of Darius III. Alexander gained control of the Asian empire. He soon became the ruler of Asia and in 333 Alexander yet again met Darius III and outnumbered his army and finally called himself the King of Asia. He continued his campaigns and in 331 B.C.E Alexander pushed into Egypt and without a fight the egyptians recognized him as a pharaoh, ruler of ancient Egypt. There he found the city of Alexandria which is known as a center of Greek culture and commerce. Towards the end of Alexander's campaigns Alexander became “King of Babylon, King of Asia, King of the four quarters of the world.” The time came where Alexander finally defeated his enemy Darius III when he was killed by his own assistants to avoid death, but Alexander gave full respect and punished them for breaking the Persian law, and Alexander the Great was finally Kind of

Through 336 to 323 bc, Alexander was the king of Macedon. Alexander The Great always wanted to have supreme power over humans. He also led a group called the Corinthian League. This league entrusted Alexander with many military power to fight with Persia. A little while after, he proceeded to conquer the Persian Empire, making himself one of the best military leaders in ancient time. In October, 335 bc, Alexander decided to go back to Macedon and get ready for his expedition in Asia. He had numerous amounts of troops with ships. Alexander’s resources were much more superior to Darius. He had a very well trained army. Alexander had a huge expansion on his empire called Hellenism also known as a spread culture from Mediterranean to Asia. His army troops made passages through mountainous areas leading to an expansion of trade routes from Europe to Asia. These routes allowed religious and cultural trading between the east and west. Alexander’s group had a safe trade route in the cities where no one had to fear. Alexander defeated a very large Persian army. He also conquered Syria and after Syria, he conquered Egypt in 331 bc. Alexander the great succeeded in making the biggest Western Empire in Ancient time. Alexander also united the Greeks together. The spirit of

Bucephalus Alexander the Great's horse was afraid of its own shadow. “ I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. Alexander says this to mean the strong lead by the weak will become weak and fail, while the weak led by the strong will become strong and prevail. Alexander the Great changed the world by uniting Greece, uniting the Corinthian league, new battle strategies, and cultural diffusion.

The Greek period was a time that changed the world as we know it for not only political but for the beauty of art as well. During the time of around 507 BCE, Demokratia or Rule by the people was introduced by the Athenian leader at the time. Before the form of Demokratia, the Greek empire was ruled by aristocracy and tyranny, because the people were upset with the way the empire was being handled they demanded a change to the ruling, causing Greek to change the way the empire was run thus creating Demokratia. The Archaic Greek period took place in 750 BCE, and was a period of art in which Greek became more naturalistic to represent a human-like figure.

But things started to get worst now and as the marriage of Philip was carried out Cleopatra, who was the general to the infamous general at talus, things become rather difficult for Alexander. But things did not really materialized and Philips was very clear in this regard that it was the Alexander that is trained and groomed for future leadership roles and after Philips, it would be Alexander that would be looking after the affairs . With the assassination of the Philips in 336 BC, the natural progression was kept and Alexander turned out to be the heir of his father. Alexander was proclaimed King by the nobles and army and thus started one of the greatest military eras of all time.

The death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC marks the beginning of the Hellenistic Period and covers 300 years to the invasion of Egypt by the Romans. The word Hellenic refers only to the Greeks, but the term Hellenistic refers to `the Greek-influenced societies that arose in the wake of Alexander's conquest' (Sacks, 105). The Hellenistic world extended from Greece all the way to Afghanistan and resulted in the beginning of the mass spreading of Greek culture. Its central characteristics were the mass empires created by Alexander and his successors, the mingling of Greek and other cultures and the diffusion of religions