From Alexander to Cleopatra

A comparative review by Ursus to "The Hellenistic World"

"Michael Grant, one of the seminal giants of classical studies, provides a thorough examination of the Hellenistic world in From Alexander to Cleopatra. While 25 years old since its original printing, the tome still serves as a comprehensive and readable survey. It is similar to Walbank?s The Hellenistic World, only larger and more detailed. Indeed, having reviewed Walbank above, I would find myself repeating much of the basic information for this review if I stuck to the standard format. Fortunately, Grant does offer at times a distinct focus from Walbank, one that I found particularly insightful: the limits of Hellenization. For those that think Alexander initiated an age where everyone in the ancient world became students of Homer and Plato, Grant offers intriguing evidence that the depth of Hellenization in the Hellenistic world falls far short of universal reach"...

Read the full review of From Alexander to Cleopatra Michael Grant.