Belonging and Isolation in the Hellenistic World

'A solid collection on an important topic, Belonging and Isolation in the Hellenistic World is extremely comprehensive, well informed, useful, and up-to-date.' -- Nicholas Rauh, School of Literature and Cultures, Purdue University 'Belonging and Isolation in the Hellenistic World makes a significant contribution to an exciting area of scholarly exploration. Representing a mix of accomplished scholars from a variety of disciplines, this stimulating volume is an enjoyable read with gems throughout.' -- Joan Burton, Department of Classics, University of Maryland

With a range of social, artistic, economic, political, and literary perspectives, the contributors provide a lively exploration of  the tensions and opportunities of life in the Hellenistic Mediterranean.

The Hellenistic period was a time of unprecedented cultural exchange. In the wake of Alexander’s conquests, Greeks and Macedonians began to encounter new peoples, new ideas, and new ways of life; consequently, this era is generally considered to have been one of unmatched cosmopolitanism. For many individuals, however, the broadening of horizons brought with it an identity crisis and a sense of being adrift in a world that had undergone a radical structural change.

Belonging and Isolation in the Hellenistic World presents essays by leading international scholars who consider how the cosmopolitanism of the Hellenistic age also brought about tensions between individuals and communities, and between the small local community and the mega-community of oikoumene, or ‘the inhabited earth.’ With a range of social, artistic, economic, political, and literary perspectives, the contributors provide a lively exploration of  the tensions and opportunities of life in the Hellenistic Mediterranean.