Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms that dominated the Hellenistic world, ~300 B.C.
The Rise and Conceptions of Hellenistic Alchemy
The word Alchemy first appeared in documents dated around 400 A.D. as khemia. Several possible origins from which the word may be derived, e.g.
Egyptian kmt or kemi 'the black land;
Greek chyma melting and casting metals
Chinese kemi gold making
Arabic al-chemy or alchemy where a prefix 'al', meaning 'the', is added.
The practical aspect of alchemy, however, had probably developed from ~600 B.C. by the artisans and craftsmen. It was entirely technical practice.
Under the Ptolemies' patronage, all natures of learning flourished and Alexandria had become the greatest centre of Hellenistic culture.
The great library and museum of Alexandria had attracted philosophers and scholars from all the world. Different ideas met and mingled, forming new concepts, philosophies, and religions.
The fusion of three separate ideologies, i.e. Greek philosophy; eastern mysticism; and Egyptian technology, gave rise to Alchemy (รสายนเวท).