Fragment of an Attic funerary stele

myminifactory

During the mid-fourth century B.C., Macedonia emerges as a dominant force under Philip II's leadership in northern Greece, establishing the Macedonian royal court as the pinnacle of Greek culture. Philip's military prowess and strategic thinking enable his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian empire of western Asia and Egypt within eleven years, expanding into Central Asia as far as the Indus River valley. As a patron of the arts, Alexander encourages innovation, surrounding himself with talented artists like Lysippos, who becomes one of the most influential sculptors of the fourth century B.C. Lysippos' masterpieces, particularly his portraits of Alexander, introduce many iconic features of Hellenistic sculpture, including the heroic ruler portrait. With Alexander's death in 323 B.C., his successors split the vast empire into smaller kingdoms that reshape the political and cultural landscape during the Hellenistic period (ca. 323–31 B.C.).