About the Greece to the north, Egypt to the southwest and the foothills of the Himalayas to the eastern tip. This is what Alexander’s empire was when he died in 323 BC. Having left Macedonia, the young conqueror, who died at the age of 33, undoubtedly lost to malaria, nevertheless had time to extend the influence of Greece over a territory of unprecedented magnitude for the time.
Thus was born Hellenistic and then Roman Greece, a historical period which ended in 138 AD with the disappearance of the Emperor Hadrian dear to Marguerite Yourcenar. It is this magnificent moment in history that this collective book revisits today.
The interest It is an epic story that the authors tell us here, the almost 500 years of the formidable extension of Greek culture to the entire civilized world of the time, whether it be the language, the political model of the city or the way of life, even if absolute monarchy and slavery are also present on this vast territory.
An epic where we meet some stars, Alexander the Great of course, Ptolemy I but also Cleopatra or Herod. The iconography is sumptuous, whether maps or photos, the texts erudite without ever being boring, the numerous boxes to punctuate the reading. A sum to keep and consult in your library.
The quote “ Alexander’s conquest caused the extension of the area governed by Greeks to regions whose populations spoke languages other than Greek (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Iranian plateau, Central Asia). It therefore constitutes a major break in Greek history, previously centered on the Aegean world. »
Hellenistic and Roman Greece
essay
by Catherine Grandjean, Gerbert-Sylvestre Bouyssou, Christophe Chandezon and Pierre-Olivier Hochard. Editions Belin, 816 pages, 51 euros.