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History glossary

Hellenistic World

the Greek-influenced world that spread across the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia after Alexander the Great.

Category
Cultural era
Region
Eastern Mediterranean and western Asia
Date range
323-31 BCE

What it means

The Hellenistic World emerged after Alexander the Great's conquests and the division of his empire. Greek language, art, cities, science, and political ideas mixed with Egyptian, Persian, Mesopotamian, and Central Asian traditions across regions that now include Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and beyond.

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