Soul Invictus

Hellenization is an oft used term to describe an adoption of Greek practice. I'm sitting here wondering how Hellenization became the moniker for this.

I never heard of a Hellene or whatever the root of the word is...

Anyone care to offer a root or source for this phenomenon?

edited to add the extra "L" in Hellene

Celsus

"Hellenic" strictly refers to the civilisation of "Hellas" from which ancient Greece traces its roots (this is the Greece of Homer). It later developed into what is termed "Hellenistic" civilisation c. Alexander the Great. Hence "Hellenisation" as Alexander's empire spread Greek influences around the world.

Joel

IIRC, a "Hellene" was someone from Hellas. Ah yes, Wikipedia to the rescue

Toto

Modern Greeks call their country Ellas, since they no longer pronounce the H. The real mystery is where the word "Greece" came from.

spin

From a Greek colony in Magna Grecia (Sicily and lower Italy) called Graecia, one of the first Greek groups that the Romans came into contact with.


spin


(This is a little why the Germans (ie Deutch) are called Allemand in French.)