At the time of his death, Alexander's empire covered some 5,200,000 km2 (2,000,000 sq mi),[203] and was the largest state of its time. Many of these areas remained in Macedonian hands or under Greek influence for the next 200–300 years. The successor states that emerged were, at least initially, dominant forces, and these 300 years are often referred to as the Hellenistic period.