Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age by Peter Green

I love big books on big topics, and this one didn't disappoint.  Green covered the spectrum of the Hellenistic era, covering the military and political progress, but more interestingly the social, cultural and religious progress as well.

The era was unsettling for most people, rocking the political underpinnings of the known world, motivating people to think more inwardly and independently.  Rather than focusing on the glory of their city-state, people tended to focus on their immediate family and their inner thoughts.  Hence the rise of Epicureanism and Stoicism.

Art focused on realistic features, including the ugly, poor and struggles of life.  

These themes and more were explored in great detail, and I'm grateful to have found such a wonderful overview of so important an era.

Now I need to decide how many specific topics of the Hellenistic I want to dive further into (art, literature, religion?) before moving squarely on to the Roman republic.