Greek Colonies Hellenistic Military Campaigns

Greek Colonies Hellenistic

Military campaigns of Alexander the Great led to the creation of a huge empire from Iberian Peninsula in the West to India in the East. Conquests of "barbarians" started by Alexander the Great led to penetration of Greek culture into different cultures of the East (Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Persian, cultures of Midlde Asia and India), which in most cases were less developed. Alexander the Great encouraged immigration of Greeks and establishment of new Greek colonies which had to bring development of culture, technology, education and financial prosperity to conquered peoples and unite them to Greek world. Alexander also encouraged his soldiers and officials to marry local women in order to assimilate and insure ties with local population. Empire of Alexander was divided into a number of provinces, ruled by appointed Greek governors who became autocratic rulers after Alexander's death. The period in Antique Greek history after the death of Alexander is also known as Hellenistic Age, which is characterized by a mixture of Greek tradition with different cultures of Middle Asia and Asia Minor.

Greek colonies of the Hellenistic Age were different from colonies of the earlier epoch. Institute of polis citizenship was substituted by absolute monarchy. Administrative and political functions in Hellenistic age were mostly executed by emperor's officials, polises turned into special administrative districts of Hellenistic monarchies and citizens of Greek polises were primary considered to be subjects of king. The inner administrative structure of Greek colonies in the Hellenistic world was preserved, by this autonomy was deprived of certain functions: polises had to pay different types of taxes and duties to royal treasury, a number of Hellenistic monarchy also intervened into inner life of Greek polises trying to establish centralized tools of regulation. it's generally agreed that autonomy of Greek Hellenistic colonies limited by autocratism is considered to be an opposite alternative to Asian tyranny and despotism common for all Asian Ancient civilizations, but not an "autonomy of polis" in traditional meaning.

It's also important to note that starting from Alexander the Great the concept of inherited absolute monarchies was adopted by all Hellenistic states, which also preserved traditional forms of administration, common for pre-Hellenistic states. King's power was not limited by decisions of elective councils, he autocratically appointed officials, which had supreme executive power, but legislative, military and supreme judicial power remained only in king's jurisdiction.

Greek colonies in Middle Asia were distinguished by Hellenistic sophistication and were in deep interaction with Mediterranean Greek world and India. Asian Greek polises had close diplomatic ties with Indian kingdoms and even have permanent ambassadors there. Ancient Indian art starting from the 3-century BC experienced a considerable influence of Hellenistic traditions

In general, Greek state-cities in Middle Asia had a number of typical features of Greek urban culture so that life of its inhabitants was quite similar to traditional life of Greeks in Mediterranean. Urban architecture, ethics, dress code and social relations in Asian Hellenistic colonies were quite similar to classical Greek traditions.

For example, Greek-Bactrian city of Ai-Khanoum according to Boardman had all the hallmarks of a Hellenistic city, with a Greek theater, gymnasium and some Greek houses with colonnated courtyards"(p. 201). Culture of Hellenisticcolonies as in many ways common to Greek classical traditions, but on the hand with Greek customs colonists adopted a number of aboriginal traditions. Polytheism of Greeks also experienced mixture with local religious beliefs and experienced a certain influence of Zoroastrian and Buddhist religious traditions, but Greek mythology preserved its privileges. As mythological beliefs of ancient cultures in many respects had common background, integration of religions was a common practice.

Greek colonies in Middle Asia promoted development of trade of native tribes with China and Mediterranean as they executed the role of uniting chain between different cultures of Ancient world and contributed much to the struggle against nomadic tribes from the East.