Alexander the great - Research Paper Example

Alexander the Great This is a study about Alexander the Great and his contributions to the Hellenistic thought. More specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions; what is Hellenistic thought? What are the pros and cons of this way of thinking? What types of cultural exchanges occurred as a result of Alexander the Great’s Hellenistic thought? In the discussion, the study will examine three cultural exchanges. Hellenistic thought refers to conventional and humanistic ethics that can be attributed to ancient Greek culture.

It entailed several virtues such as moderation, reason, and public responsibility, quest for arts and knowledge, and bodily development (Price 83). The Hellenistic period acted as a milestone for the revolution of the Greek society from inward looking and restricted city-states to a sophisticated and open culture. This culture spread to the whole of Southwest Asia and Eastern Mediterranean. The age of Hellenism, which started in 800 B.C, lasted up to the time of Alexander the Great’s death in 323 B.C. (Stoneman 19).

The Hellenistic thought can be associated with Alexander the Great, who made significant contributions that shaped the Hellenistic period. With his numerous conquests, Alexander the Great helped in the development of Hellenistic thought. Alexander’s main contribution to the Hellenistic thought rests in his desire for conquest (Stoneman 21). Through his military conquests, he created an empire that encouraged learning and cultural exchange. He also contributed to remarkable Hellenistic ideas that have lasted up to today through governance, forms of art, and government.

Moreover, he led to the creation of an empire that allowed people to spread and blend; this promoted learning. Thus, Alexander the Great paved way for the spreading of Hellenistic thought and ideas. As a way of thinking, Hellenism has some merits and demerits. The pros of Hellenistic thought include the remarkable contributions in the fields of math, medicine, mechanical science, and philosophy. Moreover, Hellenism promoted trade and exchange of cultures and ideas. In math, Hellenistic thought led to numerous developments in geometry (Perry 66).

In medicine, Hellenism paved way for several discoveries such as the use of dissections to distinguish between nerves and arteries. In the field of mechanical science, Hellenism contributed to the invention of the steam engine. In philosophy, Hellenism led to the emergence of new ideas such as Stoicism, which emphasized on the need to perform one’s duty and persevering during times of hardship (Perry 67). Despite its merits, Hellenistic thought is not devoid of some shortcomings. For example, there was no ample understanding of the ways in which the human body works as a system that has organs.

Physicians from Greece never understood the concept of the circulatory system in the heart. As a result, they only thought that the heart pumped blood out and that the body only produced new blood. Hellenistic thought also attracted internal strife and conflicts between the empires (Perry 68). During Alexander the Great’s Hellenistic thought, several cultural exchanges took place. Some of these cultural exchanges had to do with language, religion, and art forms. The first cultural exchange includes the Greek language, which gained prominence in the Hellenistic world as an official language.

In religion, the Greeks experienced significant transformations (Price 86). As a result of cultural exchange, they borrowed new deities from Syria and Egypt. The third cultural exchange entailed the spread of artworks; artists explored new ways that consisted of detail, emotional effect and individual experience. Moreover, architecture spread as a way of expressing interest in designs (Price 86). In conclusion, Hellenistic thought entails conventional ideals associated with ancient Greek cultures.

Alexander the Great made significant contributions to the development of Hellenistic thought through his vast military conquests. This way of thinking led to numerous developments in the field of math, medicine, philosophy, and mechanical science. However, Hellenistic thought never succeeded in outlining the functioning of the human heart. The Hellenistic period involved cultural exchange in religion, language, and artwork. Works CitedPrice, Joan. Ancient and Hellenistic thought. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2008. Print. Perry, Marvin.

Western Civilization: A Brief History. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Stoneman, Richard. Alexender the Great. New York: Routledge, 1997. Print.