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

Why was Alexander so Great?

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

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.

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? .

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

Parthia circa 200 BCE

The influence of Greek art on Buddhism

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

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

Gandharan Buddhas 2nd Century

Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas

Birth of Siddhartha

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

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

A Kalash Girl in Pakistan Descendents of Alexander?