Cultural Effects of Alexanders Conquests - Essay Example

Cultural Effects of Alexander's Conquests Alexander is considered one of the most powerful and successful commanders of all the times, conquering most of the known world before his death. Alexander conquered the Persian Empire, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Central Asia, and India. He integrated foreigners in his army and followed the policy of fusion. With the Alexander conquests, the frontiers of Europe were extended to the entire known world. As a result, the Greeks were exposed to different kind of culture and civilization, and it happened at a time, when Greek civilization and literature was its peak. The people of Asia were quick to adopt the culture of the conquerors. This situation set the stage for integrating Greek culture in the conquered territories and information from both ways. As a result artists, painters, musicians and writers flocked to these cities founded by Alexander in Persia, Egypt and in the later other cities also followed classic Greek city style, complete with baths, temples and public meeting places, a style directly borrowed from Greek, which was further spread along the Silk road in the conquered territories. It is a well-known fact that, the changes in cultures, which we know as history of the civilization, are the direct consequence of sweeping conquests. When Alexander's armies subjugated the known world by their military prowess, the result was Hellinization of the cultures in the centuries to come, and the impact was equal spread from Europe to Middle East and Central Asia. By 323 BC Alexander Empire was stretched from Greece to Egypt, Iran and India. As the Empire grew larger, so does the Greek influence in these new conquered territories. At every conquered territory Alexander setup a strategic military installations with complete Greek style towns, which imported the Greek culture and ideas. And these influences can even be observed even in today in central Asian art and architecture. Despite the enormous distance between the Asia and Europe, the two continents were in contact via Silk Road, which was famous and well-known route for travelers, merchants, pilgrims spreading trade and culture along the silk road from Rome to Central Asia .Without any doubt it was the conquering nations who brought this cultural change and diffusion allowing this diffusion of cultures. Alexander made conscious efforts to hellinize the world, which can be seen by his marriage to Persian princess, the daughter of Darius III .He also asked 80 of his officers to marry local women. During 324 B.C in a feast he offered 10000 of his men foreign women. Other than that he also built about thirty Greek style cities along the route of his conquest, an extension of Hellenistic empire, which continued long after his death. These cities, in the later years even though separated from Greek rule remained alive enclaves of Greek culture. The elite of these cities not only spoke Greek language, but also adopted Greek customs and traditions, including taking part in Greek athletics. Alexander conquests provided the chance for Hellinism to flourish with much greater force among these territories. As a result Greek culture became the culture of the rulers. Alexander used different techniques to consolidate these conquests. For example Alexander founded the colonial installations, even though some were mere military installations, mainly occupied by army to control the city. The important aspect of these cities and town was to acquire the status of Greek cities and able to imitate the Greek style of government. Greco- Macedonians, who lived like Greeks formed part of the local population, ruled these cities. Being conquered, it was natural for these conquered territories to follow the Greek culture and language. One of Alexander's general Peukestas learned Persian language and even became familiar with Persian culture and adopted their clothes, which was an exceptional case. Normally it was the conquered population, who followed the Greek traditions and tried to become part of hellenized culture for greater benefit and gain. It was the Central Asia where the Greek foundation can be truly seen florishing. After the destruction in 150 and 120 BC the new Bactres were developed on truly Greek style architecture under the name of Eucratidea. The buildings were made of unbaked bricks according to the local tradations, but the city like all Greek cities had a theatre, a gymnasium and fountains. The palace was built on the plain with the courtyard in Greek style. Even the Corinthian decoration and pebble mosaic covered the floor, added with many statues made of stone and clay. The city dwellers even used to speak Greek language and there has many Delphic maxims found which define ideal of Greek men. However the Greek influence was not only visible in architecture and living style, but it was more than that. For example in Iran long after invasion the change was visible even when the Greek states disappeared from the map. One of the easy ways be part of the elite class was by adopting the culture and habits, as a result soon after Alexander's invasion a number of Iranian became Hellenized. The change took place easily in the urban areas, but rural areas were also not immune to this change and many inscriptions discovered which testify this fact. One-way of integration was to find Greek wives or wives of mixed origin with Greek names to blend, similar techniques have been adopted in Egypt as well. Among the artists, the difference can be seen in the works they produced long after the Alexander invasion. The artists even though were Easterners, but assimilated new techniques mostly adopted from Greek artisans and were able to produce Greek type of icons and statues. Thus, the work produced even though produced by local artists, but exhibited Greek style. Similarly the Greek influences can also be found in Kushan Empire in Central Asia, which was founded around the mid-Ist century C.E. At the time the nomadic tribes accepted the Greek influence, which can be seen in the coins and use of Greek script. The Greek influence also continued to flourish in arts works, even in later Buddhist art and the Gandhara art, which carries visible influence of Greco-Roman influences. Sogdiane region, present day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan was located along the silk route region and was enormously influenced by Greek culture. The Greek colonists also laid the foundation of the Samarkand. Even though in the mid 2nd century, the region broke away from the Greek empire, but the Hellenism continued to flourish, which in later centuries became an important part of Chinese, Indian and Buddhist cultures. The discoveries at Pendjikent (Panjakent) clearly show the amount of culture, which was brought along the silk route and can be seen in the architecture of temples, such as A Khanoum and Takt-e- Sangin. The major cultural influence can be found in the painting, drawing and sculptures, majority of which reflect the Pantheon influenced by the Greek and local culture. There are also images which are highly influenced by the Greek myths and legends, a few of which were kept in the temples, but later on plundered at the fall of Central Asian Kushan empire. There were also vases and luxury items found with images borrowed from Greek mythology, a reminder that Hellenistic culture continued to flourish for centuries in this region. Greco-Bactrian kings replaced the Turkmenistan kingdom in the third C.E. Their first capital Mithridatkert was built in traditional style, but the architectural decoration was highly influenced by the Greek art. The Parthian kings erected an extensive and great empire, which lasted till 224 C.E Even though the Greek rule was diminishing, but the Hellenistic heritage was in vogue, despite the Iranian culture influences. During the first three centuries after Alexander conquest, the Parthian language was heavily influenced by Greek language. And the presence of Greek norms and language was used to communicate with the Greek communities within the kingdom. The Greek artists were also employed to inscribe in Greek language, the evidence of which can be found in the inscriptions on the coins. Many arts objects such as marble, clay sculptures follow Greek ideas. These first Parthian rulers had artists who were familiar with Greek art and style especially casting in ivory, which also includes Dionysian scenes, female poets, and representations of major Greek gods, all of which reflect the highly Greek ideas and influence in their culture. There is a controversy regarding the view that new civilization was born out of Greek and Oriental cultural interaction. Even though the above discussion makes it clear that eastern cultures were highly influenced by the invasion of Alexander for many centuries and continued to practice Greek norms and cultural practices, but these practices were amalgamated with the local traditions and culture. Some critics mention that both cultures existed independently, which is far from truth, as it is not possible that any culture can live isolation. Even, if there is no invasion, cultural practices are borrowed and imported. In the case of Alexander, it was the speedy adaptation of Greek culture to become part of Greek elite, which is normal practice followed in all conquered nation. The rule of British in India and French in Africa are vivid examples in present times. Even though the colonial rule has been over decades ago, the language and norms and even the system of government is still colonial, which amply shows that conquerors does influence the ways of a nation. Even though the states along the silk route were influenced by Alexander invasions, they continued to practice their own traditions, but heavily influenced from Hellenistic culture, which was reflected in every day life ranging from arts to religion and architecture. For example in the culture of Ptolemaic Egypt, Bacteria and the Lower Mesopotamia (Iraq) had their own peculiarities. Each of these culture had their own artistic style imbued with Greek spirit, which can be observed in many statues and figures in a static and strictly frontal position, including Greek-looking ones. The foundations of the East West contact were channeled along the Silk route, which were laid in pre-Christian era giving rise to many Asian states. The quest for profit on the Silk Road not only exchanged money and wealth, but also led to exchange of ideas and culture. Alexander was the embodiment of cultural intermingling and during his time and after his death, Greek ideas flowed in poetry, technology and integrated into local culture and traditions. Even though, Silk Road was presents before Alexander, but his conquests paved the way further for the meeting of east and west and exchange of ideas. At the time, the famous Silk Road cities, such Balk, Samarkand, and Taxila became melting hot pot for exchange of ideas and knowledge, which even after the Alexander invasion helped in spreading Hellenism leading to enrichment of human civilization. After Alexander's death his empire disintegrated, but this fragmentation did not prevent the movements of goods and ideas across the silk route along the trade. The ruins of monasteries and temples provide the clue to the spread of Greek culture in the Central Asia. These intensive activities of ideas in later centuries gave rise to many movements and religions, such as Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Manicheans and other eastern religions. Conclusion From the discussion above, it is clear that Alexander made conscious efforts to spread Hellenism in the East and in particularly along the Silk Road. However, Greek culture was not merely imported and implanted in host culture, but it rather evolved and grew richer in contact with local culture leading to much more dynamic culture in the later centuries. This interaction was not one way, but it also provided new ideas from Silk Road states to Greek mainland. These inter-cultural exchanges were fruitful creating intellectual domination for Greek scholars and philosopher thought out the centuries and the time to come. Reference Richard Frye, The Heritage of Central Asia from antiquity to the Turkish expansion, Princeton: Marcus Weiner Publications, 1996. James D Tabor.Roman world of Jesus: An Overview,2000 Available athttp://www.religiousstudies.uncc.edu/jdtabor/index.html 2005. Paul Lunde. The Silk road: A History: Saudi Aramco World,1998 Richard Stoneman.Alexander the Great: Routledge, 2004. Waldemar Heckel.The Wars of Alexander the Great, 336-323 B.C: Routledge, 2003. Richard, Hunter.The Gift of the Nile: Hellenizing Egypt from Aeschylus to Alexander The Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 122, 2002 David Brewer.Encyclopedia of Greece and the Hellenic Tradition; History Today, Vol. 51, September 2001 Read More