WI: Greco-Persians

[Ancient_Soul]

I remember reading about how Alexander (The Great) wanted to integrate the various populations of his newly formed empire. One of his methods was by marrying off macedonians to persian noblewomen with the Susa weddings. have read that he also wanted to exchange populations between Greece and Asia.

We all know that these plans were never accomplished due to his death, resulting in these macedonians divorcing their wives. My question is, had Alexander lived long enough to see his plans through, what would the culture of this hypothetical greco-persian aristocracy look like?

Also, regarding population settlement, which peoples would Alexander be most likely to settle in Greece? persians (and other iranians), anatolians, mesopotamians or a all of the above?
How would greeks react to having so-called "barbarians" settled in Greece?
how would they interact with each other, and what impact would this have on the culture of the region? (if change does occur as a direct result)

 

[SlyDessertFox]

what would the culture of this hypothetical greco-persian aristocracy look like?

I imagine something like that which existed among the Parthian aristocracy during their reign.

Also, regarding population settlement, which peoples would Alexander be most likely to settle in Greece? persians (and other iranians), anatolians, mesopotamians or a all of the above?

I'm not convinced he would do this. Alexander is very brazen but he had enough problems on his hands resettling Greek exiles in their former terriory in mainland Greece (Athens considered war over the exiles decree) and given Greece at this point has a sort of population explosion that allowed for a new wave of Greek colonization in the east to be feasible, settling other people in Greece doesn't sound all that realistic. If it did happen, however...

How would greeks react to having so-called "barbarians" settled in Greece?

Given the reaction of Greek city states to the exiles decree...badly. Very badly.

have read that he also wanted to exchange populations between Greece and Asia.

This population exchange would almost certainly be one way. You might get more cosmopolitan cities in the Greek colonies in the east than what occurred post-Alexander, and if everything goes according to plan you'd get a mixed elite, but realistically it probably won't look much different from how the two cultures mixed in the Hellenistic era IOTL. As I mentioned above, the culture present in the Seleucid and Parthian Empires is probably the best way to parse how this might lookl like under a united Alexandrian Empire.

 

[Derek Pullem]

Add in the Bactrian / Indo-Greek cultures as good examples as well.