Chronology:

323: Death of Alexander in Babylon. Perdiccas proclaimed "regent" on behalf of the half-witted Philip III and the infant Alexander IV.

322: Antipater of Macedonia crushes rebellion of Greek cities. Oligarchy installed at Athens; Demosthenes executed.

322: Ptolemy, satrap of Egypt, hijacks Alexander’s funeral procession and diverts the body to Alexandria. Wars of the Diadochi ("Successors") begin.

321: Perdiccas killed in unsuccessful invasion of Egypt.

317: Olympias (mother of Alexander) kills Philip III; is soon killed herself.

c.310: Alexander IV murdered; rival generals and satraps now call themselves "kings."

301: Battle of Ipsus: Seleucus crushes Antigonus the One-Eyed, with elephants obtained from India.

301-283: Colorful but ultimately unsuccessful career of Antigonus’ son, Demetrius the Besieger.

281: Seleucus defeats Lysimachus in battle, ending the Wars of Succession. Alexander’s empire permanently divided.

Major kingdoms:

Ptolemies: Ruled Egypt, Palestine (in third century), some Mediterranean islands. Capital at Alexandria. Ptolemy I (d.282) founds Library at Alexandria. Last Ptolemaic ruler: Cleopatra VII (d. 30 BC).

Seleucids: Ruled Syria, Mesopotamia, parts of Asia Minor, Iran (until second century). Capitals at Seleucia-on-the-Tigris, Antioch in Syria.

Antigonids: Ruled Macedonia and parts of Greece.

Attalids: Ruled Pergamum in Asia Minor.

Graeco-Bactrian kingdom: Ruled Afghanistan, parts of Central Asia and Gandhara (northwest India).

Philosophical movements:

Stoics: (from stoa, the "painted porch" in Athens). Zeno 353-263. You can’t change life, so learn to live with it.

Epicureans: Epicurus 341-270. Life is random and meaningless, so learn to enjoy it.

Cynics: (from kunoi, "dogs"). Diogenes (c.400-325). Reject civilized life and live like animals!

Euhemerism:  From Euhemerus (c.300-280).  Argument that the Greek "gods" were originally mortal kings or heroes, and later deified.

Religious Terms:

Syncretism: fusion of different religious traditions to create new gods and new cults, e.g. the Graeco-Egyptian god Serapis created by the Ptolemies.

Diaspora ("scattering"): Jewish communities outside Palestine.

Septuagint: Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, made under patronage of King Ptolemy II (282-246) in Alexandria. Name means "Seventy," the number of scholars traditionally supposed to have been involved in the project.