Demetrius suggested to Ptolemy Philadelphus about 250BCE to invite some seventy Jewish scholars to come from Judea to Alexandria and translate the Scriptures of their people. These seventy men translated the Hebrew Pentateuch or Torah into Greek. Later, the books of the prophets and other parts of the Hebrew Bible were also translated into Greek. This is known by its Latin name Interpretatio Septuaginata, the interpretation of the seventy, or simply the Septuagint. This was the Bible later used by Paul of Tarsus.
Ptolemy I wrote a history of Alexander. The original was destroyed, but it was quoted extensively by the historian, Arrian, whose works we still have.
Although Callisthenes was not alive to chronicle the events after Alexander's death, others did. They did not see Alexander's death as being the end of an age. Rather, they saw this as the start of new times in which Greek culture and science expanded into areas that Alexander had opened. Even though Greek freedom died, Greek civilization was alive and thriving. The vast Empire broke down barriers to communication, trade, and immigration. Greeks moved by the hundreds of thousands into Asia Minor, Palestine, Egypt, and across Asia even to Bactria and India. Greek spirit, energy, and arts spread from southern France and Sicily all across Alexander's Empire. Greek letters and learning had never won such a vast conquest.
In the closing pages of the chapter, a new power was growing in the West, Rome. She engaged in a death struggle with Carthage, and some of the Greek and Macedonian cities, unwisely supported Carthage. While Rome was occupied by campaigns against Hannibal, the Achaean League revolted against Roman authority. The Romans sent an army and a fleet, which overcame all Greek forces and captured Corinth, the capital of the League. Like Alexander's lesson against Thebes, the Romans decided to show the Greeks a lesson by destroying this rich city of trade. Corinth was burnt to the ground, all its men slaughtered, and its women and children sold into slavery. Works of art by the shipload were sent back to Rome. Greece and Macedonia were made one province under a Roman governor and Greek independence ended.
Greece never returned to its former character after Alexander's death. It continued to be dominated by Macedon until conquered by Rome. Greek culture was spread more widely, but was adulterated by other cultures. Those alien cultures also entered into the life of the Greek mainland.
However, Greek civilization did not die; it only migrated to Rome and to Western Europe, as it did throughout the East to India. It lives on today in the great works of Plato and Aristotle, of Hippocrates and Archimedes, of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and the great Homer. Her gifts of science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and of government of laws derived from the people have created the rich tapestry of human civilization. We must overlook its faults and weaknesses -- -- the suicidal wars, inhuman slavery, subjugation of women, loose morals, class conflicts and its tragic failure to unite and promote order and peace.
Even though the Greece and Athens of Pericles and Socrates are gone, their requiem is sung by the whole of humanity and will never be forgotten.
Chronology of Events
All dates are BCE
386 Foundation of Plato’s Academy
382 Birth of Phidias
371 Battle of Leuctra
378 – 354 Second Athenian Empire
356 Birth of Alexander
356 – 346 Second Sacred War
351 Demosthenes philippics
347 Plato dies
342-338 Aristotle tutors Alexander
338 Battle of Chaeronea
336 Assassination of Philip
335 Alexander destroys Thebes
334 Foundation of Aristotle’s Lyceum
334 Battle of Granicus
333 Battle of Issus
332 Alexander founds Alexandria in Egypt
331 Battle of Gaugamela
323 Alexander dies
322 Aristotle and Demosthenes die
313 Ptolemy moves capital to Alexandria
309 Phidias returns to Athens
307 Phidias dies
List of Historical Characters in Alphabetical Order.
All other Characters are Fictional
Aeschines – Athenian orator and ally of Phocion
Alexander the Great – Son of Philip of Macedon
Antigonus – general and successor of Alexander
Antipater - Philip’s general and ruler of Macedon in Alexander’s absence
Aristocus – an ally of Demosthenes
Aristotle – philosopher
Bessus – general of Darius
Callisthenes – historian, nephew of Aristotle
Cassander – son of Antipater and later King of Macedon
Cleander – general of Alexander
Cleitus – friend of Alexander
Cleopatra – daughter of Attalus, wife of Philip
Craterus – a senior general of Alexander
Darius – The Great King of the Persian Empire
Demetrius – Poliocretes – son of Antigonus
Demosthenes – Athenian orator
Demetrius Phalerum – ruler of Athens under Cassander
Dinocrates – architect of Alexandria
Epaminondas – Theban general and leader
Hephaestion – Alexander’s closest friend and companion
Hermeias – Aristotle’s father-in-law
Hyperiedes – ally of Demosthenes
Isocrates – philosopher, teacher of rhetoric
Lysimachus – boyhood friend, general and successor of Alexander
Olympias – wife of Philip of Macedon, mother of Alexander
Parmenion – Philip and Alexander’s general
Pausanias – assassin of Philip
Perdiccas – successor of Alexander
Philip – Alexander’s physician
Philip – King of Macedon
Philotas – son of Parmenion and commander of the Companions
Phocion – Athenian political leader and retired general
Plato – philosopher
Ptolemy – general of Alexander and King of Egypt
Pyrrho – cynic philosopher
Roxana – princess and wife of Alexander
Seleucus – general and successor of Alexander
Speusippus – philosopher, successor of Plato
Theophrastus – Aristotle’s successor at the Lyceum
Xenocrates – Plato’s successor at the Academy
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