EPL On The Edge
On The Edge is a speaker series featuring cutting-edge research presented by scholars and researchers from Edmonton's academic community. Presented by the ß÷ßäÉçÇø's Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), these sessions take place monthly at the Strathcona Library Branch. All are welcome to attend and explore the forefront of academic discovery with us!
"Hellenism: The Wildflower of History"
This talk discusses the ways in which cultural identities shifted over the course of the Hellenistic period (323 BCE - 32 BCE) in the wake of the Greco-Macedonian conquests. It focuses on how Indigenous populations retained and exercised agency in forming their own social and political networks and uses these observations to challenge previous assumptions about identity formation in the Hellenistic period. It additionally discusses the intersection of sociology and archaeology, the historical context of Greco-Macedonian expansionism, and how “invented traditions” could be manipulated to create specific political narratives. It hopes to demonstrate that cultural transference — in this context — was shaped by continuous, reciprocal exchanges between neighbouring states and powers, and that this allowed for the creation of hybrid forms of governance that combined both Greek and Indigenous elements. In doing so, one might reintroduce the Indigenous actors to the conversation of culture.
Date/Time: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 | 7 - 8:30 p.m. MT | Online (Zoom)
About the Presenter:
Shyler Hendrickson is a second-year MA student in the Ancient Societies and Cultures program. Studying under Dr. Frances Pownall, his research specifically focuses on the Hellenistic period, where he blends different historical and sociological methodologies to study how group identity formed in Hellenistic Cappadocia in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. Shyler's thesis discusses how Indigenous populations in Anatolia were able to negotiate complex foreign political structures in order to retain a far greater level of autonomy than has been previously assumed, in the wake of the Macedonian conquests of Alexander the Great.
Contact Us
Jay Friesen, Ph.D.
Educational Curriculum Developer
Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
Email: jayf@ualberta.ca