Hellenocentrism

Hatoon al-Fassi holds that hellenocentrism 'is a vision of history that views the Greek world as the centre of the civilised universe.'[2] Werner Jaeger uses the term 'hellenocentric' to illustrate the Greek influence on the progress of present European culture.[3] He argues that European history should always begin with Greece, where, he believes, the West belongs, both 'physically and intellectually'. Greece is where Europe should always return to because it is the 'hellenocentric world' that possesses 'the ideal’ and because, for Europe, both the temporal and spiritual journey begins there.[4] According to Nasos Vayenas, hellenocentrism can be understood as 'a conviction of the uniqueness of the Greek element and its superiority over everything foreign –a conviction that usually leads elevating Greekness to the level of an absolute value'.[5] Vayenas argues that it is rather a traditionalism that speaks of the discovery of a ‘silenced Greek tradition'.[6]

Heinrich von Staden defines hellenocentrism as the 'privilege' historians of science oftentimes confer upon 'the Greek science over the science of other ancient cultures.' He accuses Eurocentric historians of adopting a version of science that 'allows them to credit the Greeks with the invention of science and of 'the' scientific method'.[7][8] In Enrique Dussel's view, hellenocentrism asserts that Greece is where lies the cultural origin of the West and that Greek civilization 'owes nothing to the Egyptians and Semites', while, he argues, Greece was no more than a 'dependent' and 'peripheral Western part' of the Middle East.[9]

Lidewijde de Jong maintains that hellenocentrism is deeply rooted in European history and archaeology.[10] Peter Green argues that it has 'distorted and diminished the achievements of any civilisation' that came in contact with the Greeks and, of course, young Macedonians.[11] Han Lamers argues that proponents of a hellenocentric worldview, like George Trapezuntius, tried to 'reduce all forms of progress and decline ultimately to Greek affairs'.[12] Enrique Dussel held that hellenocentrism is the forefather of Eurocentrism.[13][14][15] In the same way, Markus Winkler argues, racism and colonialism have their roots in Eurocentric worldview which essentially emerged from ancient hellenocentrism.[16] Kang Jung In and Eom Kwanyong also refer to hellenocentrism as the archetype of 'Westcentrism' which, they argue, has adopted the Greek civilization as its 'intellectual origin' and universalized it.[17] Similarly, Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni argues that hellenocentrism paved the way for 'Westernization' as a 'process of imposing Euro-North American-centric values on other people' at the expense of their own values.[14]

• Eurocentrism
• Orientalism