The Diffusion of Hellenistic Culture

1. Alexander the Great's conquests did not result in a long-lasting Greek empire. By 275 B.C., Alexander's empire had split into three kingdoms led by the Ptolemies, the Seleucids, and the Antigonids. The conquests had, nonetheless, a profound impact on the social and cultural development of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds. Reexamine the "Farnese Plate" cameo on page 105, the gold earring on page 108, and the clay flask on page 110. When you are finished, make a list of the products one might have found for sale in major market in a large Hellenistic city. What light does your list shed on cultural and economic exchange in the Hellenistic period? What do the objects you examined say about Hellenistic style and taste?