Relating to the period of Greek history from Alexander the Great's death (323 BCE) to the Roman conquest of Egypt (30 BCE), characterized by the spread of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean and Near East. This era saw the blending of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and other cultures.
From Greek 'Hellenistikos' meaning 'to speak Greek' or 'to adopt Greek ways.' The term was coined by modern historians to distinguish this period from the earlier Classical Greek period, emphasizing the cultural fusion that occurred.
The Hellenistic period created the world's first truly global culture! Greek became the lingua franca from Spain to India, and we see amazing cultural fusion like Greco-Buddhist art in Afghanistan and Greek-speaking Jewish communities producing the Septuagint Bible in Alexandria.
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