Religion Past and Present

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Hellenism
(3,230 words)

[German Version]

I. Definition – II. Historical Expansion

I. Definition

Hellenism as a periodization concept goes back to J.G. Droysen, who gave a positive assessment of the amalgamation of Greek and Near Eastern cultures, seeing this as a characteristic feature of the period and as a precondition for Christianity. Thus, instead of a negative judgment of the period equaling it with a time of decline, its distinct character was highlighted in the definition of the concept. The Greek usage (ἑλληνισμός/hellēnismós, for the as…

Cite this page
Timpe, Dieter, Känel, Rudolf, Veltri, Giuseppe, Wyrwa, Dietmar and Lilie, Ralf J., “Hellenism”, in: Religion Past and Present. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_COM_09589>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004146662, 2006-2013



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