Latin
Lines 1.1-1.5
Greek and Roman Historians, The Hellenistic World 1.1-5
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The Classical period of Greece was characterized by large numbers of city states of various sizes that were very jealous of their independence and found it hard to co-operate. At this time the Greek world in the East was restricted to the area of present-day Greece and the Aegean shore of Asia Minor. By the mid-fourth century Macedon under Philip II dominated the Greek city states, and his son Alexander led them in the conquest of the Persian empire. Greek colonies were set up throughout the Near East and the Greek language became the cultural lingua franca . These colonies became city states in their own right and established various relationships with the monarchies in whose territories they stood.
The Hellenistic World refers to the the spread of Greek culture and civilisation through the Mediterranean and Asia Minor following Alexander's death in 323 BC. His generals Ptolemy, Antigonus, Parmenion, Cassander, and Seleucus engaged in a bitter struggle to carve out personal kingdoms from Alexander's empire. The high period of the Hellenistic Kingdoms was the end of the 3rd century B. C.
Three major dynasties were set up in the fifty years after Alexander's death in 323 BC:
1) Ptolemy controlled Egypt and created a Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt until its absorption into the Roman Empire by Augustus in 30 B. C. By 200 B. C. its rulers were fairly ineffectual and came increasingly under the control of Rome.
2) Seleucus created in the Near East a large empire, sometimes stretching as far as Iran and even India. His successors (the Seleucid dynasty) had lost control of Asia Minor by 200, but Antiochus III (223-187) gained the title "the Great" by re-establishing control over the vast areas east of Mesopotamia. His defeat by Rome in 188 B. C. rendered the Seleucid Empire a lesser power, which continued to deteriorate until it was abolished by Pompey the Great in 63 B. C.