Alexander the Great did far more than conquer the Middle East and large swaths of Central Asia. He spread Greek thought, customs, and culture into every place he went. Hellenization, making cultures more Greek, was anathema in Judea. And yet, Greek and Hebrew cultures mixed to form the milieu of first century Israel.
By Mark D. Harris
When conquerors want to subdue a foe, they crush their armies. If they want to rule a conquered land, however, they must displace the culture of that land. Alexander the Great knew this, and as he wanted an empire that would outlive him, he needed to displace conquered cultures with his own. This was especially urgent to him due to the diversity of his empire, including Assyrians, Jews, Egyptians, Persians, Parthians, Armenians, and a host of others. Hellenism is Greek culture, and is the primary weapon, even more than his armies, that Alexander used to influence Middle Eastern and European history for millennia.
Continue reading “Hellenization After Alexander – What was it, and Why Did it Matter?”
