The Hellenistic Period: Historical Sources in Translation (Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History, 1)

This book presents in translation 175 of the most revealing documents that have survived on stone and papyrus from the Hellenistic period. Presents over 150 sources in translation. Captures the political, social, economic and religious dynamism of the Hellenistic kingdoms and cities. Covers the entire Hellenistic world, with extensive coverage of the Ptolemaic kingdom. "Thousands of documents surviving on stone and papyrus help us to understand the complex society that took shape after the death of Alexander the Great. This book presents some of the most revealing of these documents in translation, allowing readers to form a direct impression of life in the Hellenistic world." "The book contains 175 documents capturing the political, social, economic and religious dynamism of the Hellenistic kingdoms and cities. It covers the entire Hellenistic world and draws extensively on the papyrus remains of the Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt, which allow an unequalled depth of insight into daily life at every level of society."--Jacket Following his victory over the Persians in the cavalry battle at the Granikos River in May 334, Alexander proceeded south in Asia Minor and, after his arrival at Ephesos, set about the liberation of the Greek cities (Arrian 1.18.1-2; on Alexander's actions and policy here see A. J. Heisserer, Alexander the Great and the Greeks [Norman, OK, 1980], especially chapter 6).