What were the chief characteristics of Hellenistic culture?

Answer 1

One of the factors that defined the Hellenistic period was the decreased importance of Greece proper (the territory of modern Greece) with an increase of importance on Hellenistic "culture" in the various foreign colonies. In fact, the centers of Hellenistic culture during the period were not even in Greece, they were, respectively, Alexandria, in Egypt, Antioch, in Syria and Pergamum in Anatolia (modern day Turkey). The term "Hellenistic", by the way, refers to the spreading of Greek culture over the non-Greek peoples that were conquered by Alexander the great. Hellenistic culture can best be described as a mixture of Greek culture and the cultures they dominated (i.e.: Near Eastern culture). The four main dynasties that came out of the Hellenistic period, post-Alexander the Great, were the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt based at Alexandria; The Antigonid dynasty in Macedon and central Greece; the Attalid dynasty in Anatolia based at Pergamum and the Seleucid dynasty in Syria and Mesopotamia based at Antioch.

Hellenistic art perfected the art of "sculpture in the round", meaning sculpture that can be viewed from all sides. Some of the more famous pieces of Hellenistic art are Laocoon, the Venus de Milo and the Gaul Killing His Wife. The Hellenistic period saw the export of Greek art all over the Mediterranean and North Africa, which really solidified and codified the Greek tradition. The Hellenistic period began with the conquest and colonization of foreign lands to be brought under the mantle of Greek control, and grew to be a tribute oriented amalgam of Greek culture and those who were being dominated. It was a period of Imperialism, militarism, and increased wealth and trade for those who lived in the Hellenistic empire. The period can be defined as a time when disparate cultures found a (sometimes forced) commonality of culture and purpose though the traditions of Hellenistic conquerors.

Answer 2

The overclass of Macedonians and Greeks adopted Greek culture. The mass of the people - Egyptian, Palestinian, Syrian, Mesopotamian etc continued their old ways.