Hellenism

Hellenism is a term that may be used in various scholars, artists, and scientists, and many were im-
senses: it has sometimes been applied to the whole pressed by the superiority of the Greek achieve-
of distinctively Greek culture, including that of the ment. Thus people everywhere were ready to learn
days before Alexander the Great (336–323 B.C.); it the language and adopt the culture of the conquer-
is more commonly employed, however, of the civ- ing Greeks. It became fashionable to adopt the
ilization that spread through much of the ancient latest Greek fads.
world in the wake of Alexander’s conquests. We
The small city-state of earlier days seems to have
shall here use it in this latter sense.
been at the basis of the greatest Greek achieve-
I. Introduction ments. At their highest and best, Greek art and
Alexander’s conquests covered an immense area thought have never been surpassed in the minds
and brought him sovereignty over many nations. of many. Names like Plato and Phidias conjure
He proposed to solve the problems of ruling so het- up thoughts of an excellence of which any civiliza-
erogeneous a group of people and bringing coher- tion might well be proud. The little city-states
ence into his empire by eschewing a narrow nation- of ancient Greece produced a notable group of
alism and imposing a culture that would transcend outstanding men. Curiously, this did not per-
national boundaries, in which all people could be sist when Greece became one nation and devel-
at home. Basically, this meant that the Greek way oped into a mighty empire. But although the city-
of life would be extended to the non-Greeks, but in state produced the men and the ideas, it was by
the process there ensued an amalgam of Greek and means of the empire that the ideas were effectively
non-Greek ideas, so that the resulting Hellenism spread abroad among the greatest number of peo-
was far from being purely Greek. Nevertheless, ple. Many factors were involved, but we shall con-
Greek culture dominated the whole, and the result centrate only on the following.
is not unjustly called Hellenism. II. Greek Language
Sometimes Greek influence concerned more or less This was a potent force in the whole process. It be-
surface matters like the wearing of Greek dress, or came fnown in most places, with the result that it
athletic contests modeled after the Greek games. became a kind of lingua franca. It was a great con-
Sometimes it penetrated deeply into the realms venience for the first Christian missionaries that
of religion and philosophy. Hellenism was all- when they went abroad with the gospel they did
embracing. Alexander encouraged a thorough mix- not have to learn another language. All over the
ing of the conquerors and the conquered by inter- known world people were brought in contact with
marriage. He himself set the example and many of one another by the medium of the Greek tongue;
his officers and men likewise married women from a further advantage was that with Greek they had
the conquered peoples. Alexander died too soon access to the treasures of Greek literature.
to be able to accomplish his aim, but the policy of
hellenization lived on after him. III. Cosmopolitanism
We should not understand this as an unwelcome To a questioner who asked to what country he be-
policy ruthlessly enforced from above. Doubtless longed, Socrates is said to have replied, “I am a
it was this in some cases, and it was in this way citizen of the world”; and Diogenes gave his adher-
that the Jews, for example, encountered it. Yet ence to the same concept when he called himself
even they used the language and accepted some of kosmopolitex “world-citizen.” In the days of the
the ideas, although many of them rejected the reli- city-state, people had tended to confine themselves
gion and the immorality. On the whole, people ea- largely to local affairs; but with the stirring of the
gerly welcomed Hellenism. The Greeks had notable pulses brought about by Alexander’s conquests and

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Hellenism 2

the consequent contact with new lands and peoples, V. Literature

people began to look down on narrow nationalism
People were not interested only in scientific en-
and to cultivate an outlook on life that deserved
deavor, for the humanities thrived as well and lit-
the name “cosmopolitan.” This did not mean that
erature was popular. Poets like Callimachus of
on occasion there might not be a concentration on
Cyrene and Theocritus of Syracuse flourished, and
purely local issues, but it did mean that merely lo-
some poets wrote on more or less scientific themes.
cal concerns were never allowed to dominate.
Menander wrote widely acclaimed comedies.
This caused trouble for “provincials” like the Jews
Special mention should be made of the historians.
and later the Christians. When people of every na-
Hellenistic historians did not understand their task
tion other than the Jewish found it quite possible
in quite the same way as does the modern scientific
to subject local customs and ideas to cosmopoli-
historian, being more concerned with the dramatic
tan ones, it was a mystery to cultured people why
and the sensational. The abbreviator of Jason of
the Jews could not. Specifically, the Jewish and
Cyrene, who produced 2 Maccabees, tells us in well-
Christian refusal to conform to custom by accept-
known words: “We have aimed to please those who
ing a mild form of idolatry did not make sense to
wish to read, to make it easy for those who are
the Hellenists, who did not take the gods very seri-
inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers” (2
ously and could not see why these provincials did.
Macc. 2:25). This was the kind of thing at which
When we read of Jews or Christians who came into
many historians aimed, and the results were var-
conflict with those who embodied the Hellenistic
ied. Some were too concerned with the pleasant
spirit we should not understand this as a purely lo-
and let the claims of literary form override respect
cal clash. Nor, at least as far as the Hellenists were
for the facts; others were too didactic. But the best
concerned, was it a purely religious issue. For them
of them produced valuable histories, e.g., Polybius,
it represented a conflict between a small group with
who is normally regarded as first-rate. Josephus
a provincial outlook and many others who had a
is another whose history is both well known and
worldwide outlook. The cosmopolitans never could
valuable. We owe a good deal to the historiogra-
understand the obstinacy with which the provin-
phers of the Hellenistic period, even if we must be
cials clung to their narrow outlook.
on our guard against attaching too much weight to
IV. Greek Science the propagandizing and the striving for dramatic
effect that characterizes some of them.
The Greek spirit of free inquiry found outlet in
many directions, and the scientific contributions of VI. Philosophy
the age were impressive. In astronomy, the Ptole-
Philosophy was, of course, a prime interest of cul-
maic geocentric picture of the universe is notewor-
tured Greeks. The great traditions of Plato and
thy. In the pre-Ptolemaic period many Greeks had
Aristotle were continued, although perhaps the
quite different ideas, some thinking of the earth as a
best-known school was that of the Stoics. Many
sphere moving around the sun. R. H. Pfeiffer draws
were attracted by its solutions of metaphysical
attention to the work of Aristarchus of Samos, who
problems and by its offer of peace of mind. Others
gauged the sun’s volume to be three hundred times
were followers of Epicurus, though one should bear
that of the earth. He concluded from this and other
in mind that in modern times his teaching has of-
considerations that the earth rotates on its axis and
ten been misrepresented. He taught that pleasure
moves around the sun (HNTT, p. 112). With the
is the aim of life, but he did not conceive of plea-
acceptance of the Ptolemaic system, people came
sure in merely sensual terms, since he held that
to think of the earth as central to the universe and
it is virtue that enables one to enjoy true plea-
of the sun, moon, and planets as moving around
sure. Other schools also flourished and philosophi-
it. Another notable scientific feat was that of Er-
cal views varied greatly, including some that were
atosthenes of Cyrene, who calculated the circumfer-
highly skeptical. It is clear that the Greeks of this
ence of the earth at 252,000 stadia. This has been
age took great delight in wrestling with profound
worked out as 39,681 km (24,662 mi), not so very
problems and in examining critically the solutions
far from modern measurements. The mathematical
others put forward.
studies of Euclid and the discoveries of Archimedes
in the physical sciences are so well known they They were not, however, concerned with only
hardly need mentioning. It was a period when peo- purely theoretical issues. Many of them were pro-
ple were discovering a great variety of things about foundly interested in ethics and made every effort
their environment. to promote virtue. One reason why some philoso-

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Hellenism 3

phers were not interested in religion was that the ing and rising again. The ritual was accompanied
religions they knew did little to promote morality. by the myth that told of Persephone, the daugh-
It is true that the philosophers found it difficult to ter of Demeter, being carried off to the underworld
achieve the ethical standards they advocated, but by Hades, and of how eventually she was released
at least they were concerned with getting people to for more than half of each year. Some of the
lead good lives. other mysteries seem to have been of essentially the
same type, such as those of Dionysus, Adonis, and
They taught people not to be dominated by their
Osiris, though each had its own variations. Thus
passions. Detachment was a necessary character-
the Dionysian rites were characterized by a wild
istic of the wise person, and it enabled him to
ecstasy. Female devotees (the maenads) would be
rise above the promptings of his own lower nature.
caught up in a supposedly divine frenzy in which
Many saw mankind as nothing but the plaything
they tore apart living animals and ate their bloody
of a blind fate. But the philosopher did not al-
flesh.
low himself to yield to despair, aspiring, rather, to
a freedom of spirit that would enable him to rise Orphism was another religion with an air of wild-
above the circumstances of life. ness about it, though we should also notice that
it had some interesting ideas about both heaven
VII. Religion
and hell. Probably the only other such religion we
The Hellenistic world had many religions, though should notice is Mithraism. The worship of Mithras
some of the variety was mitigated by the tendency was of great antiquity in the East, but it did not
to regard a god worshiped in one place under one become important in the Roman world until the
name as identical with another god worshiped else- 2nd cent A.D. Mithras underwent many transfor-
where under another name. Thus the Greek Zeus mations during his long history, but at the time of
was identified with the Roman Jupiter. Hellenistic his popularity in the West he appears to have been
religion is of perennial interest to the Christian, for a sun god especially beloved by soldiers. It was the
some maintain that certain features of Christianity Roman legions who carried his worship everywhere.
are derived from the Hellenistic religious environ- Associated with it was the taurobolium, a rite in
ment. Traditional Greek religion, centering on the which the initiate was placed in a pit covered with
gods of Olympus, had little influence at this time, boards on which a bull was slain in such a manner
for the development of Greek thought had deprived that the blood flowed through and drenched the
the earlier myths of their credibility. This does not worshiper below. He believed that he thereby was
mean that nobody took the Olympian deities seri- filled with the strength and other qualities of the
ously; some people undoubtedly did, although for beast. Mithraism spread widely during the early
most people there was no dynamic, no conviction centuries of our era and some scholars have seen
in the official cultus. it as a serious threat to Christianity. But it faded
away before the reality and the vitality of the Chris-
It was otherwise with the mystery religions. Some,
tian faith.
like the Eleusinian mysteries, were Greek and an-
cient. But more typically, they were comparatively Various Hellenistic religions contain parallels to
recent arrivals from the East that flourished when Christian rites and teachings, which some of the
transplanted to the West. Not a great deal is known Apostolic Fathers explained as parodies inspired
about the details of these cults, for the devotees by the devil. There is no reason for holding, as
vowed to keep secret what went on and the vows do some, that the Christians borrowed from the
must have been quite well kept. It is known, how- Hellenistic cults. While there is no reason why
ever, that the members were put through a horrify- Christianity should not have taken over what was
ing initiation, which led to an experience of peace. good from any source, the facts seem to show that
The adherents were given the promise of immortal- Christianity was not inspired by the mysteries. It
ity. These cults had an enthusiasm and a vitality arose, rather, from the revelation made in the OT
that was lacking in the official Olympian religion. followed by the coming of the Son of God. Chris-
Thus they made a wide appeal and were a witness tianity brought people a real salvation, one accom-
to the unsatisfied longings of the human heart. plished by the Son of God Himself. The Hellenistic
religions witness to the deep longings and needs of
The Eleusinian mysteries go back to great antiq-
the human soul, but they cannot satisfy them. God
uity and, while not strictly Hellenistic, are typi-
in Christ does.
cal of much Hellenistic religion. They center on
the spring rites with the thought of the deity dy- Bibliography

Grace Notes, a ministry of Austin Bible Church http://gracenotes.info/

Hellenism 4

E. Bevan, Hellenism and Christianity (1921) ment (1962);

R. Bultmann, Primitive Christianity in Its Contem- E. Hatch, Influence of Greek Ideas on Christianity
porary Setting (1956); (1957); HNTT pp. 93–165;
J. Daniélou, Gospel Message and Hellenistic Cul- M. Hengel, Judaism and Hellenism (Engtr 1974);
ture (Engtr 1973);
A. D. Nock, Early Gentile Christianity and Its Hel-
F. C. Grant, Roman Hellenism and the New Testa- lenistic Background (1964).

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