Kayla's+Hellenistic+Art+Religion

__**Hellenistic Art and Religion**__

__**Art:**__
 * **The culture of the Hellenistic Empire was mainly influenced by the Greek culture.**
 * **During this time period women were no longer restricted to their housework and were learning how to read and write. Some women were accomplished painters, poets, and philosophers. We know this through paintings, statues, and legal codes from that age.**
 * **Learning and art flourished in the Hellenistic age partly because they were so very encouraged by Alexander the Great. There were a lot of jobs like architects and sculptors.**
 * **Hellenistic sculptures took a new and more realistic approach where they carved every bone and muscle the way it was in real life. Artists tended to prefer** **ordinary people to gods and goddesses as subjects.**
 * **The art would later be thought highly of and influence European culture.**


 * A statue of a Discus T****hrower.**


 * A statue of Aphrodite of Milos**

__**Religion:**__
 * **The religion of the Hellenistic Empire was also mainly influenced by the Greek religion. This meant that they worshiped the similar Gods and Goddesses. They were polytheists. The Greek language was commonly used to discuss religion.**
 * **Because of the spread of Greek, Middle Eastern, and Persian religions their religion was syncretistic. Syncretism was a process where more then two beliefs are merged to form a brand new belief system. An example of this was Zeus was combined with Amon.**
 * **Like in the Greek religion, oracles were frequently used to predict the future.** **Alexander the Great was thought of as being the son of a God and when he went to the Oracle of Amon he was greeted by the priest as The Son of Amon. This greeting showed that he had a lot of power and stature. Comparing himself to a God also helped him gain favor in Egypt, where the** **Pharaoh's were always thought of as related to Gods.**
 * **The Hellenistic Empire started worshiping shrines and statues to fit more into the Egyptian culture.**


 * 2nd century statue of Isis A Bust of the God Serapis**