The Hellenistic Period

Textkit Community Civilization and Culture of the Greeks and Romans
1

Does anyone know of any good books (English and anceint sources) or youtube lectures concerning the Hellenistic period (and upto about 600ad)?

It was a great period of enquiry, philosophy, art and cultural fusion, especially in Alexandria, but my searches on Amazon suggest that it is an almost entirley overlooked period, despite the fact that arguably it still resonates quite significantly today.

Thanks,

A

2

History of the Greek World, 323-146 BC / Max Cary, looks at part of the period: https://www.amazon.com/History-Greek-323-146-University-Paperbacks/dp/0416702007/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=Cary+Greece&qid=1553378997&s=books&sr=1-11-spell

3

Just a clarification, because this might be throwing you off in your search.

While you can certainly see a continuum in thought, literary styles etc, from Alexander til the end of Antiquity, often Hellenistic has the technical sense of meaning “post-Alexander pre-Roman”. So you would find Hellenistic Egypt to end in 31 BC. This would be followed by Roman Egypt, and the high-end of your chronology is usually called Late Antiquity. No one knows when Late Antiquity starts (like Garth Fowden says, the moment a chronology gets invented, it tends to swallow its borders), but it’s commonly studied from the beginning of the Dominate with Diocletian. So Late Antique Egypt could start in around 300 AD. Etc.

These chronologies are often academic, but since what you’re looking for are (I imagine) academic books, it’s important to note them.

To sum up, in your research you might want to look for
Hellenistic X
Roman X
Late Antique X

Good luck!

4

Thanks for the help guys!

And thanks anphph - I am aware of the distinction, though was hoping I was being clear enough.

5

For just the Hellenistic period check out Peter Green.

6

The Hellenistic World by F W Walbank is good too. Plus, it’s inexpensive.

7

For the Hellenistic period:

  • Peter Green “From Alexander to Actium” is still the preeminent narrative/thematic book for undergraduates. Quite poor re: literature, but great everywhere else.


  • Frank Walbank “The Hellenistic Age” is a great, cheap, text by one of its foremost historians. I often recommend the Fontana books here. The rest of the series is great too.


  • Peter Thonemann “The Hellenistic Age” is the most recent handbook. Very short. Never read it, so can’t recommend. He has an auxiliary book on the use of numismatics which should prove important to the student.


  • Angelos Chaniotis is another brilliant historian, see his “War in the Hellenistic World”. He also has “Age of Conquests: The Greek World from Alexander to Hadrian (336 BC – AD 138)” in the profile ancient history series. This one is a mixed bag.