The Greeks in Asia

August 10, 2015
In spite of Alexander the Great's conquests in the Mediterranean and beyond, the Greeks were not empire builders, claims art historian Boardman (The Greeks Overseas). Rather, as he elegantly demonstrates in this richly illustrated chronicle, the Greeks left their cultural, literary, religious, and artistic marks on every culture with which they came into contact. Examples abound. Greek engravers in Persia developed a new "scaraboid" shape for seals, which came close to being portraits of the heads of various figures, and Persian buildings also displayed Greek style "egg-and-dart" moldings even as Greek art itself moved from away from this style. Coins in Greek kingdoms in the east often featured the head of the emperor and the figure of Zeus on its reverse; the legends on Greek coins often featured the word "savior," while Indian coins referred to their kings as "maharaja." Greek influence also extended to the Indian theater, where theatrical masks and fragments of a Greek play have been found. According to Boardman, there is a good chance that depictions of the life of Buddha in reliefs and on stage were influenced by the classical Greek model of theater. Boardman draws on art, architecture, and archaeology to offer a fascinating, if not entirely innovative, glimpse into the interaction of Greek and Asian culture.

June 1, 2015

Boardman's (emeritus, classical art and archaeology, Lincoln Coll., Oxford Univ.; coauthor The Oxford History of Greece and the Hellenistic World; The Oxford History of the Roman World) numerous works on Greek art, jewelry, and sculpture have become standards in their field. A particular interest in Greeks in the East was brushed upon in the author's earlier volume The Greeks Overseas, and Boardman now presents a focused exploration of how the spread of Greek populations to Asia affected the existing civilizations in numerous regions including modern-day China and India. Each chapter begins with a brief summation of Greek and Macedonian contacts and expansion into Persia (now Iran), Central Asia (primarily Kazakhstan), India, and Western China, followed by a rigorous analysis of Greek influences in each region's art, coinage, and jewelry, with frequent references to particular relics. The result is an in-depth and fascinating look at the results of the mingling of ancient cultures. VERDICT Novices to the subject might find themselves a bit at sea given the breadth of information here, but Boardman's wealth of knowledge and numerous excellent photographs make this a fine work for student and specialist alike.--Kathleen McCallister, Tulane Univ., New Orleans

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