The Hellenistic period is the era of Mediterranean history that began with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE and is conventionally closed by the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BCE. After Alexander's death his generals, the Diadochi, divided his conquests into rival kingdoms, notably the Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt, the Seleucid Empire in Western Asia and the Antigonid kingdom in Macedonia. Greek language, cities and ideas spread across the Near East, mixing with local traditions in places such as Alexandria and Antioch. The age produced major advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine and philosophy, with figures such as Euclid, Archimedes and Eratosthenes. One by one the successor states fell under Roman control, the last being the Egypt of Cleopatra VII.
Before and after
- c. 326 BCEPytheas of Massalia sails to Britain and the far north
- from November 326 BCE to February 325 BCEMallian Campaign
- from 323 BCE to 322 BCELamian War
- 323 BCEFarnese Hercules
- from 323 BCE to 30 BCEHellenistic period
- 323 BCEConstruction of Temple of Ephesian Artemis
- 10 June 323 BCEDeath of Alexander the Great
- from 322 BCE to 74 BCEBithynia
- from 322 BCE to 185 BCEMaurya empire
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 13th century BCEAncient Celts
- c. 1,051 BCEThe Phoenician alphabet spreads
- from c. 753 BCE to 476 CEAncient Rome
- 7th century BCEConstruction of Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- from 312 BCE to 63 BCESeleucid Empire
- from 279 BCE to 1480Construction of Lighthouse of Alexandria
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 4th century BCE.