1. Syncretism—Know This!!
Definition: Merging of different beliefs, religions or schools of thought
How do you think this happens?
What are some contemporary examples?

2. Why was Alexander so Great?

3. Why was Alexander so Great?
His conquests connected the Mediterranean, Persian and Indic worlds forming Afro-Eurasia’s first ecumene.

4. While his empire was short lived and was divided politically after his death, the trade and intellectual connections it fostered accelerated the empire building and cross cultural interactions that characterized the late classical era. Alexandria became Afro-Eurasia’s most cosmopolitan city and would be until the late 400’s C.E.

5. The Hellenistic period
Hellenistic civilization represents a fusion of the Ancient Greek world with that of the Near East, Middle East and Southwest Asia, and a departure from earlier Greek attitudes towards "barbarian" cultures. In art, naturalism replaced
Idealism. Human emotion became more important.
How did Greek artistic ideas influence art & religion in the areas Alexander conquered? .

6. Persian Statuary
Ancient Persian c. 800 BCE
King Darius c. 500 BCE

7. Parthia circa 200 BCE

8. The influence of Greek art on Buddhism

9. Early Buddhists did not use images
of the Buddha. Instead they
developed an iconography to teach
Buddhist beliefs.

10. Some of the earliest Buddha’s are the so called starving Buddhas

11. Gandharan Buddhas 2nd Century

12. Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas

13. Birth of Siddhartha

14. Atlas supporting the world on a Buddhist temple
A great example of religious syncretism

15. Kushan Empire circa 300 CE & Funan Kingdom c. 500 CE

16. A Kalash Girl in Pakistan
Descendents of Alexander?