The tendency to divide historical events into periods has given us a system and sequence of eras and stages of human history. These divisions, however, do not always reflect reality, which is complex. The authors of this collection examine societal change, focusing primarily on how moments of transformation are perceived by the community that faces them. Their research reveals some surprising results regarding the function of societal splits that are now canonical for the ancient world--especially, but not limited to, that split between the classical world and the Hellenistic world.