Droysen's concept of Hellenism between philology and history

Starting from two current misconceptions about Droysen's concept of Hellenism, this text discusses two questions: which was Droysen's concept of Hellenism? Is it valid today to employ it if not as an aim, at least as a stimulus? The text investigates first the origins and main tenets of Droysen's concept, then argues for its usage with qualifications and according to some of Droysen's meditations found in his Grundriß – as analogical method to self-knowledge.