King Philip of Macedon conquered Greece in 338 BCE, paving the way for his son Alexander the Great to build a vast empire through his military conquests from 334-323 BCE. After Alexander's death, his empire split into three successor kingdoms ruled by the Ptolemies, Seleucids, and Antigonids. This period saw the spread of Greek culture and language throughout the region, as well as significant developments in the arts, sciences, and philosophy.