Essay Example on Hellenistic World

Introduction

The Hellenistic world may have been seen to end with the conquest of the Greek heartlands by the Romans because of the Achaean war. The Achaean War represented a Greek uprising fronted by the Achaean League, a coalition of Achaean and some Peloponnesian states in olden Greece, matching against the Republic of Rome. This event happened around 146 BC, after the culmination of the Fourth Macedonian War. Rome managed to overcome the league easily, and as an example, they devastated the olden city of Corinth. This war came to an end after the independence of the Greeks was snatched, and Greece was made among the Roman jurisdictions of Achaea and Epirus.

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Ptolemaic Kingdom

The Hellenistic world could also have seen its end with the final defeat by the Ptolemaic kingdom. This territory was a primordial Hellenistic stated that was located in Egypt. Ptolemy, I Soter created this state in 305BC. He was Alexander’s the Great companion, and existed until Cleopatra died in 30BC. The Ptolemies are regarded as the longest and last dynasty in Egypt. Alexander the Greater triumphed in conquering Egypt that was initially under the control of Persia in 332BC in the course of his campaigns aimed at the Achaemenid Empire. Immediately Alexander died in 323BC, his territory hastily unraveled while opposing assertions by the Diadochi, his bosom cohorts and acquaintances. Ptolemy was a Macedonian Greek and one of Alexander’s reliable general and friend. He won the control of Egypt from antagonists and pronounced himself the pharaoh there.

The roman emperor Constantine the great of the capital of the Roman Empire can also be credited for the end of the Hellenistic world. Hellenistic is distinguished from Hellenic in that the first encompasses the entire sphere of the ancient Greek which refers to Greece itself. Ancient Greece had traditionally been a fractious collection of fiercely independent city-states. Greece fell under a spartan hegemony in which Sparta was preeminent but not that powerful after the Peloponnesian war took place in 431BC which was later replaced by Theban hegemony after the battle of Leuctra. After all this war Greece was left weak that no one state could claim pre-eminence hence was against the backdrop that the dominance of Macedon started. This kingdom had a king by the name Phillip II. Macedonia even though small had a well-centralized government compared to Greeks most states thus expanding the kingdom after a time since Phillip was an opportunist.

He conquered many kingdoms such as the Thessaly, magnesia, and the army of Theban and Athenian combined. Unfortunately, Phillip was assassinated planning a project concerning campaigning against the Achaemenid Empire in Persia. His plan succeeded through after his son Alexander brought it into a pass and conquered the whole of Persia and after that, the son died too thus the conquests becoming the subjects of Greece through the influence of Hellenization. As the Greek and Levantine mingled the Hellenistic culture grew fast and later became the Hellenistic period which reigned all through the 19th century. The Hellenistic period came to an end with the last conquest by Rome the Lagid kingdom of Egypt. It was characterized by the split of the former Alexander's empire which was a result of endless wars between the Diadochi and their successors.

The Effects of Punic Wars on Roman Society

The many years of fighting between Rome and Carthage are the most important in the history of those two countries. It meant annihilation for Carthage. For Rome, it implied the start of a world-territory and the emergent degradation of the politest qualities of the character of Rome. Notwithstanding the heroic tendencies that were common in the course of the lengthened struggle, notably, the uncompromising simplicity, the modest faith, the compliance to authority, which had up till then identified the people of Rome and ensured that they were truly great, were presently being ousted by features that were gradually to dwindle the prospects of the country even though it grew in material power through broad conquests. This was an indispensable change in what can best be termed as, in a general aspect, the Roman idea of life. Certainly, there are remote as well as proximate issues that slowly developed the diverse transformations during those imperial periods that can exhaustively show the effects of the Punic Wars on the fabric of the Roman society.

An outcome of the first Punic war that involved the Romans was the pivotal naval triumph against the Carthaginians. This provided Rome with total control over Sicily and Corsica. The culmination of this war witnessed the advent of the Roman growth past the peninsula of Italy. Rome was the greatest beneficiary after it acquired Sicily. After both empires wanted to conquer Sicily and Corsica and the Mediterranean it resulted in the destruction of Carthage whereby the Romans were forced to leave Sicily, and return all the captured Romans and in addition to that pay a huge amount of money and keep their quinqueremes out of roman waters. After Hannibal tried to avenge his father he was defeated because the Romans were advanced in technology than them hence unable to attack. After this, the Romans conquered the Carthaginians and forced them to give out their kingdom to the Spanish and Mediterranean and pay huge fines and told them never to go for war unless granted permission by the Romans. These wars had great effects in the fabric of the roman society since after the Carthaginians started the war, the city was burned which resulted in many of them dying. This was an advantage because the fines that Rome collected through conquests help them built their empire enhancing technology and security hence strengthening them daily and this made them understand that the ultimate authority over the military lay in the hands and power of the senate.

By taking control of Sicily, the people of Rome could utilize its range of natural resources as well as minerals to make profits. Sicily became so essential to Rome for their grains. The people of Rome came up with another system in Sicily, where the individuals neither became friends or citizens, but rather subjects. The lands that they possessed were taken away and most residents coerced into paying lofty tributes, particularly, the ones who supported Carthaginians during the first war.

Conclusion

Although displacement happened it did not stop Rome from growing because it created an opportunity that the lands became cheap at prices. The wealthier people bought the lands to increase productivity whereby businesses expanded and more lands were transformed into vineyards and olive orchards. The effect led to a rise in the use of slaves and it also led to the end of small farmers because they could not compete with the big farms. The Romans grew effectively and started investing their money abroad like in Spain, Sicily and other places. they also offered loans to other kingdoms surpassing that of the Greek economy.