Why Was Hellenistic Important?

The Hellenistic period was characterized by a new wave of Greek colonization which established Greek cities and kingdoms in Asia and Africa. This resulted in the export of Greek culture and language to these new realms, spanning as far as modern-day India.

Why was the spread of Hellenistic culture important?

First the Greeks (and others) spread their culture around the Mediterranean, then Alexander and the Hellenistic kingdoms spread trade and culture eastward to India, north into Central Asia, and south into Africa. They established a firm connection of trade and exchange with India and central Asia that was never broken.

What does the word Hellenistic mean and why is it important?

Historians call this era the “Hellenistic period.” (The word “Hellenistic” comes from the word Hellazein, which means “to speak Greek or identify with the Greeks.”) It lasted from the death of Alexander in 323 B.C. until 31 B.C., when Roman troops conquered the last of the territories that the Macedonian king had once ...