The Hellenistic Age

Alexander's empire became three major Hellenistic kingdoms—Egypt under the Ptolemies (323–30 B.C.), Syria under the Seleucids (312–64 B.C.), and Macedonia and Greece under the Antigonids (276–168 B.C.). Greek culture flourished in the new Hellenistic cities such as Antioch in Syria, and Alexandria in Egypt.

In Greece itself the cities gradually aligned themselves in two federations—the Aetolian League in the north and the Achaean League in the Peloponnesus. Athens and Sparta remained independent of the leagues.

In Italy Rome had become the leading power. It conquered Greek cities of the Italian mainland and went on to take Sicily. In Syracuse the scientist Archimedes invented several war machines for the defense of his city, but it fell to the Romans in 211 B.C. After becoming entangled in three major wars involving Macedonia and the Greek city-states, Rome formed most of the Greek states into a protectorate in 167 B.C. After another war, Rome turned the protectorate into a province in 146 B.C.