Question

How did hellenistic culture respond to the challenges presented by new multicultural empires controlled by descendants of alexander’s generals?

Answer 1

Hellenistic culture was the culture that resulted from the mix of Greek and local elements. Historians mark the beginning of Hellenistic with Alexander the Great.

As you may know, Alexander the Great was a huge conquerer. He spread his reign and culture from Asia to Africa. This means that he took with him elements of greek culture but mixed it with the culture of other people, such as Persians. Alexander married Persian women and also stimulated his soldiers to do so. This also means that the descendants of Alexander’s soldiers would grow up with both Persian and Hellenistic culture.

Because of this, you can see the difference between Early Hellenistic Art and Hellenistic Art later - after the mix of culture. Early Art was full of concepts of Greek gods, filled with the idea of perfection and idealistic art. After the advance of Alexander, Hellenistic Art changed completely. It focused more on the individual that lived in this huge empire, so art looked more realistic, showing people how they were including their flaws.