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Ancient and contemporary Arabic reception of Greek tradition

• Etman, Ahmed

Both archaeological evidence and the works of classical Greek authors show that cultural interaction between Ancient Greece and Egypt was very strong. After the conquests of Alexander the Great, Egypt became the center of Hellenistic civilization and Alexandria the cultural capital of the Mediterranean. In the aftermath of the Arab conquest and the expansion of Islam, the works of Greek philosophers and scientists have been translated into Arabic, thus enriching the spiritual universe of the Arabic world and contributing to the réintroduction of Greek wisdom in Medieval West. In modern times, Greek and Roman studies have flourished in Egypt, where many eminent scholars and translators have kept alive the flame of knowledge of the past, aiming towards a better understanding between various cultures. Nowadays, Arab scholars, including the author, also translate ancient Greek poetry, which in the past had been neglected in favor of more theoretical and scientific texts, thus evidencing a major shift in the reception of ancient Greek tradition towards a more inclusive paradigm.

• History and Archaeology

• Ιστορία

Αποτελεί εισήγηση πού εκφωνήθηκε στήν αίθουσα Κ. Παλαμά του κεντρικού κτηρίου τού Συλλόγου, τήν 3.4.2008, κατά τήν αναγόρευση τού όμιλητοΰ σέ Επίτιμο Μέλος τού Συλλόγου.