In the fourth century B.C.E., Greek culture spread across a vast area: from the lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea east across Asia Minor into India. Termed Hellenism, Greek culture and ideals blended with other cultures in these areas to produce what historians call the Hellenistic civilization. Greek theaters, temples, and libraries sprang up throughout the Mediterranean world. Greek language became the language of commerce and of intellectuals. Philosophy, art, and science flourished. Of these, science boasted the greatest advances and achievements. Hellenistic civilization held forth for roughly three centuries until Rome rose to power, absorbing Greek culture into its own. Never fully extinguished, Greek culture formed the basis of succeeding civilizations, including modern Western civilization.

One man was largely responsible for this transformation of the ancient world from North Africa to the Himalayan Mountains in northern India...