Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Alexander's conquests spread Greek culture (Hellenism) from Egypt to India. New centers: Alexandria (Library, Museum), Antioch, Pergamon. Koine Greek became lingua franca. Philosophy (Stoicism, Epicureanism), science (Archimedes, Eratosthenes), art (Laocoön, Nike of Samothrace) flourished.
Rome absorbed Greek culture (Horace: "Captive Greece took captive her rude conqueror"). Adapted Greek gods, literature, philosophy. Added Roman law, engineering (roads, aqueducts, concrete), administration.
Imperial peace enabled trade, urbanization, citizenship spread. Christianity emerged, spread via Roman roads/Greek language. Greek cities thrived as cultural hubs.
Western Empire fell (476 AD); Eastern (Byzantine) Empire preserved Greco-Roman heritage 1000 more years. Justinian's Code, Hagia Sophia, Greek fire.
Democracy, philosophy, scientific method, theater, history, art/architecture, law, language roots—foundations of Western civilization.