The Spread of Hellenistic Culture

Cultural interaction:
 - hellenistic culture, a blend of Greek and other influences, flourished throughout Greece, Egypt, and Asia.

Setting the Stage:
 - Alexander's ambitions were culture as well as military and political. He started new cities as administrative centers and outposts of Greek culture. These cities, from Egyptian Alexandria in the south to the Asian Alexandrias in the east, adopted many Greek patterns and customs.

Hellenistic Culture in Alexandria
A vibrant new culture emerged. Greek culture blended with Egyptian, Persian and India influences. This blending became known as Hellenistic culture. Koine is the popular spoken language.
 - Trade and Cultural Diversity
    - among the many cities of the Hellenistic world, the Egyptian city of Alexandria became the foremost center of the commerce and Hellenistic civilization.
    - by the third century B.C., Alexandria had become an international community, with a rich mixture of customs and traditions from Egypt and from the Aegean.
 - Alexandria's Attractions
    - a much visited bomb contained Alexander;s elaborate glass coffin.
    - soaring more than 350 feet over the harbor stood an enormous stone lighthouse called the Pharos.
    - the lighthouse contained a polished bronze mirror that, at night, reflected the light from a blazing fire.

Science and Technology
Alexandrian scholar provided most of the scientific knowledge available to the West.
 - Astronomy
    - Alexandria's museum contained a small observatory in which astronomers could study the planets and stars.
    - Eratosthenes, the director of the Alexandrian Library, tried to calculate Earth's true size.
 - Mathematic and Physics
    - Eratosthenes and Aristarchus used a geometry text compiled by Euclid.
    - Euclid was a highly regarded mathematician who taught in Alexandria.
    - Archimedes of Syracuse, studied at Alexandria

Philosophy and Art
In the third century B.C., philosophers became concerned with how people should live their lives. Two major philosophies developed out of this concern.
 - Stoicism and Epicureanism
    - Zeno found the school of philosophy called Stoicism.
    - Epicurus founded the school of thought called Epicureanism.
 - Realism in Sculpture
    - the largest known Hellenistic statue was created in the island of Rhodes. Known as the Colossus of Rhodes, this bronze statue stood more than 100 feet high.
    - by 150 B.C., the Hellenistic world was in decline, a new city Rome, was growing and gaining strength.