EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Hellenic Age refers to the period of Classical Greece between the
first democracy of Athens and the death of Alexander the Great. It is
considered as the cultural predecessor of the Western Civilization. This is
also the time of the great Golden Age of Greece and, in the more common
view, resonates as 'ancient Greece'. Hellenistic refers to Greeks and others
who lived during the time after Alexander's conquests. They differ from
Hellenic in territory or geographic domination, culture, religion and political
systems. The Hellenic Age was the period when Greek culture was pure free
from influence by other cultures. The period has contributed a lot to the
foundations of modern science, philosophy, art, culture, literature and other
fields of study. But even after the death of Alexander the Great and Romes
conquest of Greece, the spread of the Greek culture was not cut short; this,
however opened a new period known as the Hellenistic Age. The Hellenistic
Period was a time when Greeks came in contact with outside societies and
their Hellenic, classic culture blended with norms from Asia and Africa to
create a blended civilization.
The Hellenic World refers to that period of ancient Greek history
between 507 BCE and 323 BCE. Argos, Athens, Eleusis, Corinth, Delphi,
Ithaca, Olympia, Sparta, Thebes, Thrace, and Mount Olympus, the home of
the gods, were major city-states and were considered sacred places of
pilgrimage during the Hellenic Age. Athens, then, was considered as the
dominant city during Classical Greece; mainly because many of the writers
and scholars during this age were born in it. Their civilization was termed
classic because it was not influenced by outside forces and foreign culture.
The gods played a significant part in the lives of the people of Greece. The
Iliad and the Odyssey, works of Homer, depicted the gods as being involved
in the lives of the people. Individuals from all over the world would come to
Greece to ask advice from the gods. During that period, it was considered
vital to consult with the supernatural forces before commencing on any

military campaign and procedure. Among the famous battles of the Hellenic
World that depicted this practice were the Battle of Marathon, the Battles of
Thermopylae and Salamis and Plataea. Another significant war was The
Battle of Chaeronea. where the forces of the Macedonian King Philip II
commanded and defeated the Greek forces unifying the Greek city-states. It
is recorded that this battle was partly commanded by his son, Alexander.
Rapid military development was not uncommon during those days. The
reason for such practice is particularly due to the Hellenic theme of constant
warfare. Alexander would then go on to conquer the world of his day,
becoming Alexander the Great. Through his campaigns he would bring Greek
language, culture and civilization to the world. And this period of Ancient
Greek is referred to as the Hellenic World. In the classical period, anatomy
was more detailed. The predominant sculpture was the kuoros which
depicted a nude male with simplified anatomy and a monumental attitude,
baring an slight smile, almond-shaped eyes and detailed hair. It embodied
ebullience and cheerful sensuality. Marble statues and reliefs depicted
human sensuality and greatness. Art in the Hellenic Age is what we
recognize as Greek art in the present time. The Homeric epics originated
during

the

Hellenic

era

delighting

in

the

beautiful

aspects

of

life

and.reinforcing faith in human greatness. Lyrical poetry thrived in its gentle

yet personal style. Tragic dramas - such as Oedipus and Antigone - were the
supreme achievement of the Hellenic world, incorporated in many outdoor
festivals for audiences of thousands. Aristophanes, who was an ardent lover
of the city and a ruthless critic of cranks and quacks produced comedy that
lacked the politeness and subtlety of other genres. The invention of
philosophy was witnessed during the Hellenic period. Among all the works of
this time, the most notable is Plato's Republic. It is the earliest systematic
treatment of political philosophy. Other philosophers include Aristotle, a
Macedonian who studied in Athens and later became the teacher of
Alexander the Great. Another significant philosopher is Socrates, whose
primary ideology was concerned with the citizen's intimate relationship with

the polis or city-state. The Hellenic world witnessed the dawn of many wellknown ancient scientists and theories. Aristotle engaged in metaphysics and
syllogism. In astronomy, which is the study of celestial objects, space and
the physical universe as a whole, Thales predicted a solar eclipse. In
mathematics, Pythagorean invented his theorem. Science in its nature was
seen as the systematic investigation coupled with rational inquiry, in the
pursuit of the truths of the universe. However differences in medicine was
evident those days as many scientists used philosophy rather than science.
The disputations came to pass when Hippocrates utilized a scientific manner
in describing many diseases and their treatment after detailed observation.
He is now known as the Father of Modern Medicine. He is given credit for the
first description of clubbing of the fingers, an important diagnostic sign in
certain lung disease and cardiac problems. The Hellenic World comprises
those who made some of the most important and significant contributions to
western civilization.
After Alexander the Greats death, he left the legacy, which came to be
known as the Hellenistic World. Hellenistic Greece was a predominately
urban culture. The cities founded by Alexander were centers of authority and
trade as well as culture. These were large cities by ancient standards. For
instance, Alexandria in Egypt contained about 500,000 populations. The
Greeks brought their theatres and schools to other cities, including their
temples and gods, thus exporting their culture and Greek culture, which
became a way of life. The community began to copy the Greek spirit. They
sent their children to Hellenic schools and the Greek language became a
common and almost, an international language. Hellenistic states were
extremely large by Greek standards, but they contained the same public
features. The world of the polis (Classic Greece) had clearly paved way to the
world of the cosmopolis (Hellenistic). And with that change from the
smallness of the city-state to the scale of the world-city, there were relative
changes in the worldview. Greek community had become more complex and
was urbanized as a result of Alexander's conquests. The political positions

fell into the hands of the wealthy few and the people were left with nothing.
Democrats, citizens whose public and private duties were identical, no longer
ran the city-state. Instead, bureaucrats and officials took over the duties
formerly given over to common citizens. As a result, citizens lost their sense
of eminence, as they became subjects under the new form of government
with the control of vast bureaucratic kingdoms. The citizens now became
little more than numbers losing their identity. With this incumbency, upper
class philosophies ascended over the classical discipline. In the Hellenistic
world, both Epicureanism and Stoicism therapies reflected the change in
man's social and political life. Stoicism was the resolution for individuals who
were still trying to bring order out of the chaos of Hellenistic life, the point of
view and therapy of choice. Epicureans appealed to those individuals who
had resigned themselves to all the chaos and instead turned to the quest for
pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Universal principles of truth formulated
by Plato were rejected in favor of individual traits. Greek citizens became
more interested in their private matter rather than in the affairs of the citystate. The subject matter has changed and has turned to a more introvert
and domestic life far different from the 5th century (Classical Period). The
Hellenistic age has brought about changes to literature, poetry and drama.
Comedies became more related to dramas, as observed in the works of
Menander. Pastorals, written by Theocritus, created make-believe worlds
rather than describing the real world. Utopia became the theme of
dominating historians, biographers and authors. Unlike before where
comedies focused on the relationship between the government and people,
in 4th century, comedies made jokes about cooks, the price of a catch, and
incompetent physicians. In art, this shift in focus led to the creation of many
"rubbish" works where many wealthy patrons, who used the commodity for
show rather than pursue it for its own pleasure, financed the arts of this age.
Sculpture of this period emphasized extreme naturalism. Architecture of this
period also reflected the inherent materialism of art, grandeur and
exuberance. Two of the most significant architectural achievements during

this period include the citadel of Alexandria, the first lighthouse, and the
Corinthian column. Unlike its faults in many of the other arts, the Hellenistic
world, actually built upon the foundation laid by its scientists. Wealthy
patrons, who helped the sciences to thrive, supported experiments, trials and
intellectual inquiry. Achievements in medicine continued including the
description of the brain and determining that arteries carried blood and not
air. The elements of geometry; a branch of mathematics that deals with
properties of dimensional analogs, physiology, and the principle of specific
gravity are only few of the many achievements of the Hellenistic Period.
Debates over the goals of existence, which mostly led to some kind of
intellectual cultivation and the search for the highest good aroused. There
were major developments in religion such as Zoroastrianism became
apparent as one of the first documented monotheistic religions, with AhuraMazda as the single god and the intercession of magi priests for the world.
The legacy of Alexander the Great spread Greek culture throughout
Persia, including parts of Africa and Asia. He respected the local cultures he
conquered, and allowed their practices to continue. The golden age of
Greece is undoubtedly, the most memorable in the history of the world.
Primarily, for the accomplishments and advancements made by the people
of

that

time;

the

playwrights

Sophocles,

Euripedes,

Aeschylus

and

Aristophanes, the statesman Solon; Pindar and Sappho contributed to poetry;

the orator Lysias; Herodotus and Thucydides, who were famous historians
the philosophers Zeno of Elea, Protagoras of Abdera, Empedocles of Acragas,
Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the general and
writter Xenophon, the physician Hippocrates, and many other notable
names, all lived during this period. The shift from a polis to a cosmopolis
resulted in democracy that allowed for the flourishing of free-thinkers and
writers. Thus, producing some of the most well-known achievements in art,
science, literature, philosophy, and other sciences. The long list of thinkers,
writers, physicians, artists, scientists, and warriors of the Hellenic Age

comprises those who made some of the most important and significant
contributions and development to the western civilization.