Western Civilization

“little poems” or idylls dealing with erotic subjects, lov-

ers’ complaints, and pastoral themes expressing his

love of nature and its beauty.

In the Hellenistic era, Athens remained the theat-

rical center of the Greek world. As tragedy withered,

writers invented New Comedy, which rejected politi-

cal themes and sought onlyto entertain and amuse.

The Athenian playwright Menander (muh-NAN-dur)

(ca. 342–291B.C.E.) was perhaps the best representa-

tive of New Comedy. Plots were simple: typically, a

hero falls in love with a not-really-so-bad prostitute

who turns out eventually to be the long-lost daughter

of a rich neighbor. The hero marries her, and they

live happily ever after.

The Hellenistic period saw a great outpouring of his-

torical and biographical literature. The chief historian

of the Hellenistic Age was Polybius (puh-LIB-ee-uss)

(ca. 203–ca. 120B.C.E.), a Greek who lived for some

years in Rome. He is regarded as second only to Thucy-

dides among Greek historians. His major work con-

sisted of forty books narrating the history of the

“inhabited Mediterranean world” from 221 to 146

B.C.E. Only the first five books are extant, although long

extracts from the other books survive. His history

focuses on the growth of Rome from a city-state to a

vast empire. It is apparent that Polybius understood

the significance of the Romans’ achievement.

Hellenistic Art

In addition to being patrons of literary talent, the Hellenis-

tic monarchs were eager to spend their money to beautify

and adorn the cities in their states. The founding of new

cities and the rebuilding of old ones provided numerous

opportunities for Greek architects and sculptors. The struc-

tures of the Greek homeland—gymnasia, baths, theaters,

and, of course, temples—lined the streets of these cities.

Both Hellenistic kings and rich citizens commissioned

sculptures. Thousands of statues, many paid for by the

people honored, were erected in towns and cities all over

the Hellenistic world. While maintaining the technical

Queen Arsino€e II.Arsino€e II, sister and wife of King Ptolemy

II, played an active role in Egyptian political affairs. Arsino€e

was the first Egyptian queen whose portrait appeared on coins

with her husband. This illustration of a gold coin from the

kingdom of Egypt in 263B.C.E. shows the queen’s portrait on

the reverse side of the coin.( Jean Vinchon Numismatist, Paris/Alfredo Dagli

Orti/The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY)

Drunken Old Woman.Hellenistic sculptors no longer tried

to capture ideal beauty in their work, a quest that

characterized Greek classicism, but moved toward a more

emotional and realistic art. This statue of a drunken old

woman is typical of this new trend in art. Old and haggard,

mired in poverty, she struggles just to go on living.(Musei Capitolini,

Rome//ªAraldo de Luca/Corbis)

Culture in the Hellenistic World 87

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