The Spread of Hellenistic Culture

Chapter 5 Section 5Vocabulary for Chapter 5 Section 5

Hellenistic Culture• The period of ancient Greek history between

the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire. At this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its peak in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Alexandria

• A city of northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea at the western tip of the Nile Delta. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 b.c. and became the major center for Hellenistic culture. Known famous for its extensive libraries. Its lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Stoicism

• A school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno, in the early 3rd century BC. The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.