The term "Hellenism" comes from the Greek hellen - "Greek" or "Greek". The term has two values. First, it is the special period in the history and the culture of the antique states of the Mediterranean which began with aggressive campaigns of Alexander of Macedon. Secondly, Hellenism call any loan from Greek (gretsizm). Is more frequency the term it is used in the first value.
Usually for the beginning of the Hellenistic period take Alexander of Macedon's campaigns, and for the termination – conquest of ptolemeevsky Egypt by Ancient Rome (apprx. 30 g of N aa). But in art criticism of a frame of this period are narrower – from Alexander's campaigns and till 1-2nd century BC. The German historian Droyzen is considered the author of the term "Hellenism". In relation to culture the Hellenistic period in scientific literature is also called postclassical. The main line of Hellenism it is possible to call active distribution of Greek and a way of life in the territories won by Alexander of Macedon (in the states of diadokh) and also coexistence and interpenetration of two cultures – Greek and Persian. At the same time the Greek culture has sheet character, and Persian – despotic east. During the Hellenistic period the transition from a sheet system by hereditary monarchies is made. To replace a slaveholding system, small and simple on the structure, large slaveholding comes. It occurs in connection with gaining huge territories – also huge human resources are necessary now. In turn, slaveholding in so large sizes leads also to land tenure development, so, to need to win everything new east lands. Some kind of, vicious circle. At this time Athens loses the status of the cultural center – it moves to the East, to Alexandria, the city which Alexander of Macedon founds in North Africa. In Alexandria, numerous poets begin to be grouped therefore the poetry of that period is often called Alexandria though these poets have very mediocre relation to Alexandria. During this period three philosophical schools – stoical, epikureysky and skeptical are formed. Hellenism – in many respects very contradictory era. On the one hand, the person of this era is entirely shipped in life. Household subjects get and strongly set in in literature and philosophy. On the other hand, the huge value gains learning which also begins to get even into poetry, creating in it a strong formalistic current.