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In the Hellenistic Period, two great kingdoms, the Ptolemaic Egypt (323B.C.-30B.C.) and Seleucids (323B.C.-164B.C.), were built by Greek-Macedonian in North Africa and West Asia respectively where they had conquered under Alexander the Great at the end of the forth century B.C. They were engaged in the continuous conflict for a long time seeking for hegemony around Mediterranean and Syria, which has been studied by many scholars in recent years. However, it seems that the relation between them is not limited to conflict, but also involved peaceful contact and friendly exchange in some fields in some times. Not all researchers have paid full attention to this point and these relations’ influences. Therefore, I plan to conduct a comprehensive study on it through making references to some works and analyzing the materials available. After the death of Alexander the Great, the generals had been fighting off and on each other for the control of the huge empire during 323B.C. to 280 B.C. Through struggles and warfare, Ptolemaic Egypt and Seleucids were the two main participants. Then, there happened six Syrian Wars between them from 274B.C. to 168 B.C. To some extent, the conflict was the main melody of the relations between two kingdoms. It should be noticed, however, that they had not been fighting every year. On the contrary, there were some relatively peaceful stages between wars. There were some communications between them in peaceful times, even in the time of wars, such as marriages, trades, exchange of religions and ideas, communication of sciences and technologies, migration and integration of different peoples, etc. Therefore, I think that the communication and co-existence were at least the harmonious voices of the relations between them, even though not the main tones, if we can regard the relation as a fair-sounding music allegorically. Finally, I will find out the changes of the politics, economic system, culture and society in these two areas and beyond in the late Hellenistic Period. Based on these, it is possible to recognize the influences of the relations between them on themselves and other neighborhood countries. I believe basically the relations laid foundation for the formation of a cultural circle of West Asia and North Africa, and foretold the coming of regional integration, and even showed some characteristics of the modern society and politics in this territory. I highly appreciate being awarded a five-month postdoctoral fellowship at the IIAS in Leiden. I can get access to the rich library collections and documentary materials of NINO and Leiden University, and have ample opportunities to discuss my research findings with some scholars in the Netherlands, especially Prof. Olaf Kaper and other experts of NINO in Leiden University. (原文载《The Newsletter of IIAS》 No. 60, Summer 2012) (责任编辑：admin) |