Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Under Alexander and his successors, new Greek civic centers arose throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia, and the political structure of the oikoumenē , the “inhabited world,” changed drastically, as the competition between poleis and regional leagues became subordinated to a competition between imperial states ruled by Greco-Macedonian kings. Once a balance of power had been reached, these rulers turned toward the project of transforming their courts and capitals into fully Hellenized centers, replicating the traditional Greek city for those living in diaspora and showcasing their power and refinement to the world, eager to prove their right to represent and manage Hellenic culture. Local elites followed suit, for very similar reasons. In their eagerness to establish Greekness abroad, the Hellenistic rulers and cities could be said to have created a sort of virtual reality whereby all could have the experience of living, if not in Greece, at least in an idea of Greece. Alexander led the way toward the creation of this Virtual Greece when he paid his respects at Troy on his way to do battle with the Persians. He self-consciously assumed the role of a new Achilles, heralding a return to an age of heroes (Erskine). In its modern use, virtual reality involves interaction with a computer-simulated environment. The Hellenistic Virtual Greece was a political game played ... log in or subscribe to read full text