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After Alexander took over the Persian Empire, Greece and the his empire were divided amongst his generals who set up their own kingdoms. The city-states in eastern Europe and Asia were absorbed into these kingdoms. These kingdoms had an insatiable appetite for Greek warriors to maintain control of these kingdoms, especially in Egypt and Syria-Mesopotamia, and the Greek cities were progressively depopulated to feed this demand. Greek historian Plutarch wrote that 'you could not find three thousand men-at-arms in all of Greece' which encapsulates how the population had dwindled with the eastward movement of the Greeks. Some cities remained, but with a mixed population. Being 'Greek' came increasingly to mean those who adopted Greek culture rather than being ethnically Greek and having to prove their parentage to be accepted as a citizen of their polis at the age of 18 - the Jewish aristocracy spoke Greek and even invented an operation to restore their foreskins so that they were not derided at the public baths.

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9y ago

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