An overall History of ancient Macedonia

[Ptolemy]

The Macedonians as Greeks had the same tongue, the same sanctuaries and sacrifices to the gods, and similar manners and customs as all the Greeks[1]. The 'Old Testament', the ancient authors, contemporary researchers, innumerable inscriptions on statues, graves and stelae with Greek names and votive offerings, thousands of coins, not only in Macedonia but in the rest of Greece as well as in Libya, Egypt and Asia as far as India, categorically confirm that the Macedonians as Greeks imposed their language, that is Greek, and conveyed the spirit of Greece to the whole of the known world of the times.

The excavations which are in progress in the holy city of the Macedonians, at Dium, but also in other areas of Macedonia, Greece, Asia and Africa, prove that the Macedonians had the same gods and the same religious worship as the other Greeks. Olympus, the highest Greek mountain, considered the abode of the twelve gods, is in Macedonia.

Concerning the language and worship of the Macedonians, I shall refer to them elsewhere using irrefutable records, a large number of which are to be found as much in Macedonia and the rest of Greece, as in museums and private collections abroad. Beyond these irrefutable records, there exist facts that do not justify ignorance and do not permit the misinterpretation of Macedonian history.

One fact accepted by even Slav historians is that the establishment of the Slavs on the Balkan peninsula took place in the 6th century A.D. and that their cultural history begins during the 10th century A.D. Founders of the cultural history of the Slavs are two Greek monks from Thessaloniki, Cyril and Methodius, and the first fundamental sources of their cultural history are Byzantine-Greek.


This alone should deprive the Slavs from any historical link with the Balkan peninsula, historically before the 6th century and any cultural link before the 10th century A.D. The fact that the Macedonian Greeks performed their great deeds more than 1,000 years before the Slavs were established in the Balkans, should by itself put an end to the so-called Slavic origin of the Macedonians. There can be no discussion about any relation to the Slavs with the peoples and events which took place in the Balkans prior to the 6th century A.D., and therefore no links between Slavs and Macedonians can possibly exist, because the latter lived in this region continuously for more than 2,000 years before the appearance of the Slavs.

Macedon has played a decisive role in the evolution of world history. Great events that influenced the course of human history can be testified in this region such as the Hellenic achievements in science and the arts which marked the evolution of civilization of Greek art in Macedonia).

Thus, it was from Macedon that Alexander the Great started his great and crucial campaign, after he was proclaimed not only King of the Macedonians, but also Commander-in-Chief of all the Greeks. This title had been bestowed upon him by the Greeks except the Lacedaemonians in 335B.C. at the Congress of Corinth[2].

Alexander the Great changed the course of human history, not by his conquests since his campaign lasted a mere 13 years, but by other actions. At the beginning himself, and afterwards his Macedonian successors, established the Greek tongue as the lingua franca (Koine) of the empire and spread the elements of Greek culture. In this cosmopolitan empire of Alexander the Great, all citizens irrespective of origin, tribe, language, nationality or religion strove to acquire
the Greek language and learning and to assimilate the Hellenic spirit of education so as to be considered really civilized.

Alexander and his Macedonian successors succeeded so well in influencing the peoples of the times through Greek civilization and culture, that this period of over three centuries has been called the Hellenistic Period or Alexandrian.

_________________________
[1] "And next the kinship of all Greeks in blood and speech, and the shrines of gods and the sacrifices that we have in common, and the likeness of our way of life."
[Herodotus, History VIII, 144, 2 (Loeb, A.D. Godley)]

[2] [Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander I, 2.]

[Ptolemy]

It is well known that the 'Old Testament' was translated into Greek in order to be understood by the various nations, whose common language was Greek (Koine). Equally, the three Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles were written in Greek, while the Gospel of Matthew was translated in Greek from Aramaic at an early date. Christianity used the Greek tongue as a transmitting medium. But this language had become universal through Alexander and his Macedonian successors.


Rome deified Alexander the Great and not only followed his many-sided work that encompassed all sectors of art, science and life, but completed it transfering and consolidating the Hellenic heritage to the West.


The empire of Alexander and the Kingdoms of his successors were succeeded by the Roman Empire which was divided into a Western and Eastern part. The latter, with its capital Byzantium (renamed Constantinople) was destined to flourish for 1,100 years, or 1,000 years more than its Western counterpart. Through the cultural cooperation of the Greek Orthodox church and the Byzantine state a civilization called Christiano-Hellenic was born. Such historical facts make the alteration of Macedonian history impossible, and he who attempts it can not be taken seriously. The history of Macedonia is an integral part of Greek history and its actors were the Macedonian Greeks, from before Alexander the Great to the Greeks of the Byzantine Empire and the contemporary ones.


Another event that had its beginning in Macedonia and which affected Europe and the whole world, is that it was from Macedonia that the Apostle Paul began his missionary work in Europe. It is because of Alexander the Great and his Macedonian successors who spread abroad Hellenic culture, that Greek was spoken in Paul's home and he himself was taught Greek science. Paul started his apostolic work in Europe from Macedonia through divine promptingh. It was the voice of Europe towards Christianity [3]. Holzner in his book on Paul writes: <<...once out of Macedonia came the young hero (Alexander) with his 22 years and brought the gifts of the West, the Greek tongue and philosophy to the East. Now the West demanded the most beautiful gift of the East, the teaching of the Nazarene...>>

This event will always remind all Christians of the Greekness of Macedonia. Paul not only visited Macedonia first, but also wrote his divinely inspired epistles in Greek. Ever since the 1st century A.D. his epistles to the Philippians, that is the Greek inhabitants of Philippi, and to the Thessalonians, have been continuously read in the entire Christian world. Since 315 B.C. when Thessaloniki was built by Cassander, who gave the city the name of his wife, sister of Alexander the Great, and for the next 2,300 years, its Greek inhabitants have been called Thessalonians. Only this fact should be enough to do away with the delusion that has been formed around the subject of Macedonia. A third event that influenced the life and culture of Eastern Europe and which also had Macedonia as its starting point, is the conversion of the Slavs to the Christian faith through the Greek Orthodox Church. As it was mentioned earlier, during the 9th century A.D., two Greek Thessalonian monks, Cyril and Methodius, taught the Greek-based Cyrillic script to the Slavs and enlightened them regarding religion.

So the cultural history of the Slavs, founded on Byzantine Christiano- Hellenic culture, begins from this period. Even this event which affected almost half of the inhabitants of Europe, including the eastern and southern Slavs, owes its existence to Macedonia, to the Greek Macedonian monks and to the Byzantine Greek culture.

Certain Slavs maintain that Cyril and Methodius were Slavs. The Skopians maintain an even stranger and more untruthful theory, that is, that Cyril and Methodius as Thessalonians were 'Macedonian Slavs' and consequently, the Skopians as descendants of these Macedonians enjoy the privilege of having enlightened their compatriots.

These theories received a powerful slap from the Slav Pope John Paul II, who on the 31st of December 1980, and through an official apostolic circular (Egregiae Virtutis) addressed to the entire catholic church, as well as with a letter to the President of the Greek Republic, Constantine Karamanlis, proclaims that Cyril and Methodius, 'brother Greeks, born in Thessaloniki' are consecrated 'divine protectors of Europe'. The Pope repeated his proclamation on the 14th of February
1981 in the church of Saint Clemens in Rome.

The Pope apart, other Slavs, politicians and historians accept the Greekness of Methodius and Cyril. For example, the Czech Byzantinist Fr. Dvornik, the Serb historians of ancient Serbian literature, P. Popovitch, Dj. Sh. Radovich and Dj. Trijunovich. Also the Slovenian historian and professor of the University of Ljubljana, B. Grajenauer [4], and the Serb Professor V. Bogdanovich, who in his opus 'The History of Ancient Serbian Literature writes(2): <<Cyril and Methodius were born
in Thessaloniki and in their lineage they are not Slavs but Greeks>>.

The falsification of Macedonian history until World War II was mainly the work of Bulgarian historians of the pre-war regime. This line was followed even after World War II by the Bulgaro-Macedonians of America, with the result of creating sharp conflicts between themselves and our compatriot immigrants from Macedonia

_________________________
[3] A.A. Tachiaos, <<E ethnicotes Kyrillou kai Methodiou kata tas Slavicas pegas kai martyrias>>, Heortios tomos Methodiou kai Kyrillou, Thessaloniki 1968, p.88 (The nationality of Cyril and Methodius, a study based on slavic sources and testimonies).

[4]Belgrade 1980, p.119

[Ptolemy]

At the end of World War II, with the proclamation of Yugoslavia as a Federal Socialist Republic, the 'Socialist Republic of Macedonia' with Skopje as the capital was created in the south part of the country. Up to this time (1944) this region was known as Southern Serbia or as Vardarska Banovina. With this new administrative arrangement appeared for the first time in the Balkans a 'Macedonian State', even if it was only in the form of a federation. Thus, the falsification of the history of Macedonia took on a new form and new entanglements were created, which are bound to affect future international relations in this section of Europe.


Before I occupy myself with the manner in which the new Macedonian problem was created, I wish to cite certain historical records and texts and mention a few characteristic archaeologic finds. These historical and archaeological records to which I make special references are authentic and irrefutable. But it is not only these. Innumerable archaeologic finds that testify to the Greekness of Macedonia are found either 'in situ' in Macedonia, or in museums and their storehouses, as much in Macedonia and the rest of Greece as in the museums and private collections that exist abroad. To these must be added all those that are continuously discovered over the whole extent of the empire of Alexander the Great in Asia and in Africa, and which prove the Greekness of the civilization that he and his successors instituted and disseminated.

[Ptolemy]

THE ROOTS AND HELLENIC DESCENT OF THE MACEDONIAN GREEKS

Mythology
^^^^^^^^^
Concerning the roots and Greek descent of the Macedonians, there is an enormous documentation furnished by the ancient authors, as well as by the events themselves, regarding the participation of the Macedonians in the life of Greece and their role in the history of the Greek nation. Naturally, it would not be possible to include all this in a book that has be written with a specific aim. But everything I cite below, should be enough I believe, to convince all those of good intentions who have been led astray by the counterfeiters of history.


The role of Macedonia in Greek civilization starts in mythology. The abode of the twelve gods was located on Olympus, and on the second in importance mountain of Macedonia, the Pieria, King Pieros introduced the worship of the Muses and gave them the names of his daughters. According to mythology, the Muses left Pieria as birds and established themselves on Mount Helicon. That is why they were renamed Heliconians from Pierians. The conviction of the ancient Macedonians and of the other Greeks that the domicile of the twelve gods was the Macedonian Mount Olympus, and that the nine Muses who were the daughters of King Pieros lived also on the Macedonian Mount
Pieria, constitutes a proof that the first Greek tribes lived in Macedonia. There they worshipped their gods and from there they moved towards the south in search of vital space. Therefore Macedonia must have formed a most important part of Greece. Otherwise it would seem inconceivable that the Greeks believed their gods inhabited a non-Greek land.


According to Hesiod, Macedon (the progenitor of the Macedonian people) and Magnetas (progenitor of the Thessalian people), were the children of Zeus and Pandora, daughter of Deucalion, and had their homes on Mounts Pieria and Olympus(1). Hellene was the son of Deucalion. The historian Hellanicus wrote at the end of the 5th century B.C. that Macedon, the ancestor of the Macedonians, was the son of Aeolus and that the Macedonians, like the Thessalians, spoke the Aeolian tongue, i.e. a dialect of the Greek language.

[Ptolemy]

THE DESCENT OF THE MACEDONIAN KINGS

Two different opinions are expressed regarding who was the first king of the Macedonians. Herodotus mentions as first king, Perdiccas: <<...this lexander was the descendant of the seventh generation from Perdiccas, who obtained the kingship in this manner. Three brothers from the descendants of Temenos from Argos took refuge in Illyria, Gavanes, Aeropos and Perdiccas, (and from Illyria they moved to upper Macedonia)... and arrived in the city of Lebaea... and they reached another part of Macedonia, living near the Gardens... and above the gardens there is a mountain called Vermion>>(2).


The historian Theopompus mentions as first king of Macedonia, Caranus, brother of the king of Argos, Pheidon, who abandoned Argos and went to Macedonia, where he met people of the same tongue and became their king sometime in the 9th century B.C. Caranus founded his capital at Aegae, today's Vergina. According to an oracle from Delphi, he followed a troupe of goats and where it stopped he founded his capital and called it Aegea, which is Greek for goats. Coins of the Macedonian dynasty show a seated goat on one side

Herodotus mentions Perdiccas as founder of the dynasty. But this does not preclude to have been preceded by Caranus, also an Argeian, since the Dorians of the Peloponnese who were a wandering people that prevailed in Greece, were composed of a mixture of tribes including the Greek tribe called Macednon.


It is generally accepted that the Macedonian dynasty descended from the royal family of Argos, whose ancestor was Heracles. For this reason the historians call the kings of the Macedonian dynasty Argeians and Temenians, that is, descendants of the king of Argos, Temenos. Regarding the descent of the royal house of the Macedonians from Heracles (Hercules), the following sources and many other texts may be mentioned.


- In the enormous palace of the Macedonian kings that was uncovered in the area of Vergina (Aegea), one find mentions, HRAKLH PATRWW which mean 'To the head of the race, Heracles'. The inscription has been already made known by Professor Andronikos and it is found in his workshop at the archaeologic site of Vergina.

- On a tripod from the Vergina excavations, which is kept at the museum in Thessaloniki together with other finds, there is the following inscription: PAR HREAS ARGEIAIS EMI TON AE0LON, that is to say, 'I am from the Heraean Games of Argos'. Professor Andronikos in a lecture published under the title 'The Finds from the Royal Tombs at Vergina', mentions that the tripod dates from the period 460-450 B.C., that it presumably belonged to Alexander I, king of Macedonia, and that it was a family heirloom.
It is attested, says Professor Andronikos, that the Kings of Macedonia also presided, at the Heraean Games of Argos, for example Demetrius the Besieger and Philip V.

- Isocrates in his speech addressed to Philip II, in which he urges the Macedonian king to accept for the sake of all the Greeks the post of commander-in-Chief in the war against the Persians, says that, <<... The Thebans honour the chief of your race (Heracles)>>(1). Also in the royal tombs of Vergina, the shield of Philip II was found on which the club of Heracles is pictured as emblem.

- The coins of Macedonia bore the figure of Heracles .

- On Delos island, Antigonus Gonatas, 3rd century, B.C. king of Macedon, set up statues of the kings of the Macedonian dynasty, where first of all he placed Heracles.

_________________________
1. Isocrates, To Philip XII, 32.

2. <<This Alexander was seventh in descent from Perdiccas, who got
for himself the despotism of Macedonia in the way that I will show.
Three brothers of the lineage of Temenus came as banished men from
Argos to Illyria, Gauanes and Aeropus and Perdiccas and from Illyria
they crossed over into the highlands of Macedonia till they came
to the town of Lebaea... So the brothers came to another part
of Macedonia and settled near the place called the garden... above
it rises the mountain called Bermius>>. Herodotus VIII, 137, 11 &
138, 2-3 (Loeb, A.D. Godley)

[Ptolemy]

- On the origin of the royal house of Macedon and its descent from the Temenids of Argos, the opinions of most historians and men of letters of the times, such as Herodotus(1), Thucydides(2), Isocrates(3), generally coincide.


The Argeian kings of Macedonia and their mythical ancestors are: Heracles, Illus, Cleodaeus, Aristomachus, Temenos, Kissius, Thestius, Merops, Aristodamidas, Pheidon, Caranus, Koinos, Tyrimmas, Perdiccas I at the beginning of the 7th century B.C., Argaeus, Philip I, Aeropos I, Alcetas, Amyntas I from about 540-498 B.C. when the first historical records appear, Alexander I from 498-452 B.C. when these records become more numerous.


Alexander I, who was famous for his politeness, dignity and love for his country, Greece, was honored by a special decree, received the titles of Philhellene, protector and benefactor, and his statue was set up at Delphi. These titles were bestowed on Alexander I because he was the first Macedonian king to show a great interest in the affairs of the rest of Greece. Being separated from the rest of Greece by inaccessible mountains that made communication very difficult, the inhabitants of Macedon could not actively participate in the political and social life of the other Greeks. For this reason they were not very well known to the rest of the Greeks, and until the time of Philip II they had no serious military conflicts with them.
The favorable disposition of Alexander I and his interest to help in the defence of the rest of Greece against the Persians, contributed to his being awarded all these titles by the more southern Greeks. Besides, the title of Philhellene which meant patriotic, was given to Greeks and particularly to those who did not limit their activities and their thoughts to the narrow parochial horizon of the city or country they were born or lived in, but who showed aspects of panhellenic thinking. Isocrates says: <<And in what other manner they could appear braver or more philhellenic than those, who endured with patience so as not to become the causes of slavery for the rest of the Greeks>>(4)Plato also refers to Greeks who were characterized as Philhellenes(5. Late, Alexander I who was fond of the arts and a friend of Pindar, took part in the Olympic Games. The involvement of the Macedonians
in the public affairs of all the Greeks reached a peak during the times of Philip II and Alexander the Great.

Perdiccas II, 452-413 B.C., offered his hospitality to Hippocrates. Archelaus I, 413-399 B.C., organized the army and the communications in his country, transfering the capital from Aegae to Pella. In his court lived the tragic poet Agathon, the epic poet Choerilus of Samos, the dithyrambic poet Timotheus of Miletus, the dithyrambic poet Melanippides of Melos, and Thessalus the doctor who was one of Hippocrates' sons. Euripides composed his tragedies 'Archelaus' and 'Bacchae' at the court of Archelaus, and lived and died in Macedonia(6)Archelaus instituted games at Dium, during the 9-day course of which the tragedies of the ancient Greek poets were presented.

Orestes from 399 to 397 B.C.
Aeropos II from 397 to 394 B.C.
Amyntas II from 394 to 393 B.C.
Pausanias during 394-3 B.C.
Amyntas III from 393 to 370 B.C.
Alexander II from 370 to 368 B.C.
Perdiccas III from 368 to 360 B.C.
Philip II from 360 to 336 B.C.


Philip's accession to the throne of Macedonia constitutes a landmark in the history of the entire Greek nation. As a hostage in Thebes from 368-365 B.C., he came to know the generals Epaminondas and Pelopidas, the orator Isocrates and the philosophers Aristotle and Plato. He organized the army and he became the founder of the political greatness of Macedon, even though he inherited a broken up country reduced to chaos by defeat. The transformation of Macedonia and its predominance in the Balkan and Greek space were the results of the will, genius and activities of Philip. During his 25 years in power, Philip never ceased to dominate and exert a decisive influence on events. With his will and his actions he took the history of the
world onto new paths. At the time of Philip, the Macedonian peasants and the army spoke a Greek dialect with a heavy accent, just as they do today in the countryside of Macedonia. Philip is considered the father of the idea of Europe, that is of European unification, because he was the first to unite the Greek city-states.

Alexander the Great from 336 to 323 B.C.
Antipater from 323 to 319 B.C.
Cassander from 319 to 297 B.C



_________________________
1. <<Three brothers of the lineage of Temenus came as banished men
from Argos to Illyria, Gauanes and Aeropos and Perdiccas>>. Herodotus
VIII, 137, 1 (Loeb, A.P. Godley).


2. <<The country by the sea which is now called Macedonia... Alexander,
the father of Perdiccas, and his forefathers, who were originally
Temenidae from Argos>>. Thucydides II, 99, 3 (Loeb, C.F. Smith).


3. <<Argos is the land of your fathers>>. Isocrates, To Philip XII, 32
(Loeb, G.Norlin).


4 <<And yet how could men be shown to be braver or more devoted to
Hellas than our ancestors, who, to avoid bringing slavery upon the rest
of the Hellenes, endured to see their city made desolated...>>.
Isocrates, Panegyricus, XXVII, 96 (Loeb, G. Norlin).


5 <<And won't they be Philhellenes, lovers of Greeks, and will they
not regard all Greece as their own...>>. Plato, The Republic V, 470e
(Loeb, P. Shorey).


6 <<Euripides himself went to king Archelaus and lies buried in
Macedonia>>. Pausanias, Attica II, 2 (Loeb, W.Jones).

[Ptolemy]

HISTORICAL SOURCES ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


The first historical accounts of Macedonia are given by Homer, who mentions in the 'Iliad' the names of various Pelasgian and Greek tribes that lived in Macedonia. He also furnishes information on physical geography: <<...(Patroclus was the first to cast his bright spear).. and smote Pyraechmes who had led the Paeonian chariot-lords out of Amydon, from the wide-flowing Axius>>(1).


Strabo mentions that Abydon was found on the bank of Axius, the same city called Amydon by Homer, and that from there the Paeonians went to Troy(2). He also mentions Asteropaeus, son of Pelegon, who came from Paeonia of Macedonia(3). Strabo equally says that, << of course Macedonia is a part of Greece>>(4).



Herodotus writes: <<The descendants of Perdiccas are Greeks, as they themselves desire, and as I know myself>>(5). He says also that the Greeks have always spoken Greek throughout their country:
<<I believe myself that the Greek peoples, ever since they appeared, have always spoken the same tongue>>(6). According to Herodotus, a part of the Macedonians immigrated to Doris, where they mixed with other Greek tribes; later they invaded the Peloponnese and took Argos, when these conquerors took the name of Dorians: <<... At the time of King Deucalion they inhabited Phthiotis, and in the reign of Dorus, son of Hellene, the country known as Histiaeotis in the neighbourhood of Ossa and Olympus... they settled in Pindus and were known as Macedonians; thence they migrated to Dryopis from where they came to the Peloponnese, where they got the present name
of Dorians>>(7). Since that time, the conquerors of the Peloponnese began to migrate all over Greece, resulting in the extension of the Greek nation. In this chapter, Herodotus refers to the Lacedaemonians who are of Dorian origin, and who belong to the Greek nation and took part in many migrations(8). Finally, refering to the naval battle of Artemisium, he writes: <<... there took part the Lacedaemonians with 16 ships, the Corinthians... the Sikyonians... the Epidaurians... the Troizenians... the Hermionians, all of which except the Hermionians were of Dorian and Macedonian extraction and had recently come from Erineus, Pindus and Dryopis>>(9).

Aeschylus in his 'Suppliant Maidens' shows the king of Argos, Pelasgus, boasting that his race rules even beyond Pindus and Dodoni to the pure waters of Strymon(10, thus including Macedonia as well.


Thucydides mentions that the Macedonians are composed of various Greek
tribes under different kings, who lived in Pindus and western Macedonia:
<<The Lyncestians and Elimiots are also Macedonians as are other nations
in the interior...who are allies and dependants of the Macedonians... they became kings in this country after defeating and driving the Pierians from Pieria...they lived beyond the Strymon at the foothills of Mount Pangeaum, and the country between the lower slopes of Pangaeum and the sea is still called the Pierian Gulf>>(11)

When Persian ambassadors arrived in Macedonia to visit his father Amyntas who was king at the time, Alexander I said to them: <<Tell the king who sent you that a Greek governor of Macedonia received you well>>(12) This same Alexander, son of Amyntas, said to the Athenians: <<I am myself a Greek by descent and I have no wish to see Greece exchange her freedom for Slavery>>(13)


Polybius says that, <<The oath which Hannibal gave to the ambassador Xenophanes of Cleomachus, an Athenian sent by King Philip...in the name of all the gods, protectors of Macedonia and of the rest of Greece>>(14)The expression 'Macedon and the rest of Greece' as well as 'the Macedonians and other Greeks' is found also in other writers.


Philip II in 337 B.C. as well as Alexander the Great in 335 B.C. were proclaimed by the Congress of Corinth, that is by representatives of all the Greeks except the Lacedaemonians, as commanders-in-chief of all the Greeks (15) Alexander the Great expressed his disatisfaction for the non-participation of the Lacedaemonians in
the panhellenic campaign against the Persians, in the following triumphant manner after the victorious battle of Granicus: <<...and he sent to Athens 300 suits of armor to be dedicated to Polias Athena, commanding that the following epigram should be inscribed: 'Alexander son of Philip and the Greeks except the Lacedaemonians from the barbarians who live in Asia>>(16). Alexander does not distinguish among Macedonians, Athenians, Corinthians, etc., but mentions,
'Greeks except the Lacedaemonians'.


After the battle of Issus, Alexander sent a letter to Darius which said, <<...your ancestors after they arrived in Macedonia and the rest of Greece treated us badly...and I after I was appointed commander of the Greeks...>>

_________________________
1. <<And he smote Pyraechmes that out of Amydon led Paeonian
horsemen from Axius' watery vale>>. Homer, 'Iliad' 16, 287
(Loeb, A.T. Murray).

2. <<The Axius empties between Chalastra and Therma; and on this
river lies a fortified place which now is called Abydon, though
Homer call it Amydon, and says that the Paeonians went to the aid
of Troy from there, from afar, out of Amydon, from wide-flowing
Axius>>. Strabo, VII, Frg.20 (Loeb, H.L. Jones).


3. <<...from Paeonia in Macedonia>>. Strabo, VII, Frg.39
(Loeb, H.L. Jones).


4. <<Macedonia, of course, is a part of Greece>>. Strabo, VII,
Frg. 9 (Loeb, H.L. Jones).


5. <<Now that these descendants of Perdiccas are Greeks, as they
themselves say, I myself chance to know>>. Herodotus V, 22, 1
(Loeb, A.P. Godley).

6. <<But the Hellenic stock, as to me seems clear, has ever used the
same language since its beginning>>. Herodotus I, 58, 1
(Loeb, A.D. Godley).


7. <<For in the days of king Deucalion(2) it inhabited the land of
Phthiotis, then in the time of Dorus son of Hellen the country called
Histiaean, under Ossa and Olympus; driven by the Cadmeans from this
Histiaean country it settled about Pindus in the parts called Macednian;
thence again it migrated to Dryopia, and at last came from Dryopia into
Peloponnesus, where it took the name of Dorian>>. Herodotus I, 56, 3
(Loeb, A.D. Godley).
(Translator's notes: 1. Deucalion and Pyrrha were the survivors
of the Deluge as known to Greek legend. 2. The localities mentioned
in the story of the migration into the Peloponnese are all in northern
Greece).


8. <<The Hellenic stock has wandered often and afar>>.
Herodotus I, 56, 3 (Loeb, A.D. Godley).


9. <<The Peloponnesians that were with the fleet were...the Lacedaemonians
...the Corinthians...the Sicyonians...the Epidaurians...the Troezenians...
the people of Hermione three; all these, except the people of Hermione,
were of Dorian and Macedonian stock and had last come from Erineus and
Pindus and the Dryopian region>>. Herodotus VIII, 43 (Loeb, A.D. Godley).

10. <<For I am Pelasgus, offspring of Palaechthon, whom the earth brought
forth, and lord of this land; and after me, their king, the race of
the Pelasgi, who reap the fruits thereof, is fitly named. Of all the
region through which the pure Strymon flows, on the side toward the
setting sun, I am the lord>>. Aeschylus, The Suppliant Maidens,
250-255 (Loeb, H.W. Smyth).

11. <<For the Macedonian race includes also the Lyncestians, Elimiotes,
and other tribes of the upper country...They defeated and expelled from
Pieria the Pierians, who afterwards took up their abode in Phagres and
other places at the foot of Mount Pangaeus beyond the Strymon (and even
to this day the district at the foot of Mount Pangaeus toward the sea is
called the Pierian valley)>>. Thucydides II, 99, 2-3 (Loeb, C.F. Smith).


12. <<Tell your king who sent you how his Greek viceroy of Macedonia has
received you hospitably...>> Herodotus V, 20, 4 (Loeb, A.D. Godley).


13. <<For I myself am by ancient descent a Greek, and I would not
willingly see Hellas change her freedom for slavery>>. Herodotus IX,
45, 2 (Loeb, A.D. Godley).


14. <<This is a sworn treaty made between us, Hannibal...and Xenophanes
the Athenian...in the presence of all the gods who possess Macedonia and
the rest of Greece>>. The Histories of Polybius, VII, 9, 4
(Loeb, W.R. Paton).

15. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander I, 2.

16. <<He sent to Athens three hundred Persian panoplies to be set up
to Athena in the acropolis; he ordered this inscription to be attached:
Alexander son of Philip and the Greeks, except the Lacedaemonians, set
up these spoils from the barbarians dwelling in Asia>>. Arrian I,
16, 7 (Loeb, P.A. Brunt).

[Ptolemy]

THE PARTICIPATION OF MACEDONIANS IN THE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL LIFE OF GREECE


The Macedonians were members of the Delphic Amphictyony (i.e. League of Greeks) and as it is well known only Greeks were members of aphictyonies. Pausanias says, <<...they relate that Amphictyon himself united in a common council the following Greek tribes...the Macedonians among the Amphictyons...In my time Amphictyons were thirty. The regions of Nicopolis, Macedonia and Thessaly, each sent six representatives>>(1. Philip as well as Alexander the Great had been appointed protectors of the Delphic Oracle by decisions of the Delphic Amphictyons, equivalent to delegates nowadays.


Pausanias mentions the Philippaeum of Olympia: <<Within the Altis is the Metroun, and so is a round building called the Philippaeum... It was built by Philip after the fall of Greece at Chaeronia. Here are statues of Philip and Alexander, and together with these of Amyntas, Philip's father. These works too are by Leochares, and are of ivory and gold as are the statues of Olympias and Eurydice>>(2).
Pausanias mentions also various offerings and statues made by order of various people, and related that, <<Of the Macedonians there are dedications from the inhabitants of Dium, a city under the Pierian Mountains, statues depicting Apollo holding a stag>>(3).

In the Olympic Games where only Greeks could take part, Macedonians
participated. Specifically:

- Alexander I the son of Amyntas took part in the 496 B.C. games and came first in the running event, after he had been adjudged and pronounced a Greek(4).
- In the 99th Olympiad, when they added contests of chariots drawn by foals, it was won by a woman from Macedonia. Pausanias actually says: <<It is related that victor for the chariot and pair was Velistiche, a woman from the seaboard of Macedonia>>(5).
- Archelaus took part in the Olympics of 408 B.C., and at Delphi he won the contest of 4-horse drawn chariots.
- Philip II won events in three Olympics: in 356 the equestrian event, in 352 in the 4-horse chariot race, and in 348 in the chariot and pair.
- In the 69th Pythian Games, Ptolemy took part.
- Cliton the Macedonian won the stadion race in 328 B.C.
- Damasias from Amphipolis won the stadion race in 320 B.C.
- Lambus from Philippi won the 4-horse chariot race in 304 B.C.
- Antigonus the Macedonian won the stadion in 292 and 288 B.C.
- Seleucus the Macedonian was the winner in the stadion race in 268 B.C.(1).

Another characteristic of Macedon's position in Greece is that Alexander
the Great was worshipped as a god.


Three ancient theatres have been already discovered in Macedonia. One at Dium of the 5th century B.C., one at Vergina (Aegae of the 4th century B.C., and one at Philippi. In all these theatres Greek tragedies were presented. In the theatre of Dium that is similar to that of Epidaurus, 'Bacchae' and 'Archelaus' were given their first performances, and according to one view, 'Iphigenia in Aulis' by Euripides. The theme of the tragedy 'Archelaus' was the known tradition relating the immigration of the Argeian Temenid prince to Macedon and the foundation of the house of Aegae. These tragedies, just as all the others which appeared in these theatres, were composed in Greek and it was obvious that they were addressed to Greek viewers, the Macedonians. Of course, up to now no falsifiers of Macedonian history or their attendants have dared to support that even then there was
simultaneous translation from Greek to Macedonian . Naturally, the Macedonians with their peasant and pastoral life, their continuous struggles against barbarians, the disturbances caused by the succesion to the throne, and their isolation from the rest of Greece maintained their manners and customs, but at the start they had no memorable cultural development. The difference was particularly marked when compared to the advanced culture of Athens, but which was developed undisturbed thanks to the sacrifices of the Macedonians in their struggles against the barbarians.


<<It may be considered beyond dispute today>>, writes Professor A. Daskalakis in his book(6), <<that if the Macedonians had not actually served as a rampart against every barbarian incursion south of Olympus, Hellenism would not have remained undistracted during so many centuries, in order to lay the foundations of the precepts of freedom, and to achieve the brilliant creations of thought and art inherited by contemporary humanity>>. In Macedonia, rapid cultural progress dates only from the time of Philip II and is of course due to the efforts of Alexander I Perdiccas and Archelaus. Dimitsas mentions in his book(1) that, <<Macedonia from the 5th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., has shown forth 100 scholars and scientists, writers in all the branches of Greek literature...[and that he classified them] in 13 philosophers, 14 poets, 24 historians, 5 orators and sophists, 16 philologists, etc. Their works have been lost in the great wreckage of Greek letters>>.
He mentions also that, <<Aemilius Paulus took out of Macedonia the very
well stocked library of Perseus, out of which was composed the first library in Rome according to the testimony of Isidoros>>.

_________________________
1. <<They say that these were the clans collected by Amphiktyon himself
in the Greek assembly...The Macedonians managed to join and the entire
Phocian race...In my day there were thirty members: six each from
Nikopolis, Macedonia, and Thessaly...>>. Pausanias, Phokis VIII 2 & 4
(Loeb, W. Jones).


2. <<The Mother's sanctuary is inside Altis, and so is the round
building called the SANCTUARY OF PHILIP...Philip built it after the
fall of Greece at Chaironia...Philip and Alexander are there, and
Philip's father Amyntas, all by Leochares in ivory and gold like the
portraits of Olympias and Eurydike>>. Pausanias, Eleia XX,
9-10 (Loeb, W. Jones-H.A. Ormerod).


3. <<The Macedonians of Dion gave the Apollo grasping at the deer>>.
Pausanias, Phokis 13, 5 (Loeb, W. Jones).


4. <<But Alexander proving himself to be an Argive, he was judged to
be a Greek; so he contended in the furlong race and ran a dead heat
for the first place>>. Herodotus V, 22, 2 (Loeb, A.D. Godley).


5. <<Belistiche, a woman from the coast of Macedonia, won with the pair
of foals...at the hundred and twenty-ninth Olympics>>. Pausanias,
Eleia VIII, 11 (Loeb, W. Jones-H.A. Ormerod).

6. 'O 'A0lhtismos sthn 'Arxaia 'Ellada, Ekdotiki Athenon, p.289.

7. A. Daskalakhs, 'O 'Ellhnismos ths 'Arxaias Makedonias.

[Ptolemy]

THE MACEDONIANS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT


The Old Testament also contains irrefutable and comfounding textual evidence for all those who alter the history of Macedonia. The Prophet Daniel, about 200 years before the birth of Alexander the Great, predicted that <<The king of the Medes and of the Persians will be vanquished by a Greek king, and that this first and great king will be succeeded by four kings from the same kingdom>>. The book of Maccabees I begins with, <...Alexander son of Philip the Macedonian defeated the king of the Persians...previously he reigned in Greece>>. There are also many other passages in the 'Old Testament' that refer to 'the Macedonian Greeks and descendants of Alexander the Great'.


THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF MACEDONIA


In 1979 there began in Macedonia more systematic excavations with adequate financial means. Most of the sites have been virtually plundered by invaders and antiquities smugglers. Outside the destruction and pillage carried out by the Galatians in 274 B.C., Macedonia was also plundered by the Roman generals Flamininus in 196 B.C., Aemilius Paulus in 168 B.C. and Metellus in 147 B.C. It is said that out of the 100,000 statues that the Romans took out of Greece, 15-20 thousand came from Macedonia. Flamininus as well as Aemilius Paulus celebrated 3-day triumphs in Rome, with carriages full of statues and heirlooms from Macedonia. Plutarch describes how the processions were divided in three days. The first day, two hundred and fifty carriages transported statues, pictures and colossi. The second day, carriages transported the most beautiful and luxurious Macedonian arms, followed by three thousand men, each carrying four containers with silver worth seven hundred and fifty tritalants, etc., etc. The third day followed
one hundred and twenty oxen with golden horns and children that carried gold and silver libation vessels, etc.(2)

It is reported that when the Romans conquered Macedonia, the treasures they took away covered their public expenses for a number of decades and that is why no new taxes were imposed.

The antiquities smugglers continued the destruction stealing an enormous number of precious finds. Out of the over 50 Macedonian tombs that have been found to this day, of dimensions ranging from 3x3 to 10x4.5 meters, only these of Philip and the one beside it that belongs to a royal prince have been found unlooted. The pilfering of antiquities from Macedonia continued for centuries. The Venetian consul in Thessaloniki, writes A. Vakalopoulos(3), in a report dated April 25, 1741 addressed to the Doge, denounced the export commerce of antiquities by Franks of every nationality. In order to transport the marbles, they chartered whole ships paying considerable sums.

In spite of the above, thousands of items are to be found in the museums of Macedonia or in the storehouses for study and classification Many thousands have been stolen and an unknown number are scattered all over the land of Macedonia but also over Asia and Africa.


In the museums of Macedonia and their storehouses there are to be found at this moment 61,696 finds that may be specifically attributed as follows:


Cavala Museum, including finds from Philippi, Amphipolis, etc. 10,671
Thessaloniki Museum, including Dium, Kilkis, Polygyros,
Thessaloniki and its surroundings 12,500
Sindos finds 1,172
Not reported yet the last finds from Dium -
Thasos Museum 11,169
Pella Museum 22,276
Verroia Museum 3,075
Kozani archaeologic collection 942
Florina Museum 289
Edessa 300
Eordaea, Aravisos, Liani 302


Total 62,696


Systematic excavations are carried out at Pella, Dium, Vergina, Amphipolis. In the other areas, particularly of Western Macedonia, the excavations are very limited. Only the recorded archaeologic finds are included in the numbers given above, because there is a number of them not yet recorded in the museums archives. Macedonian archaeologic finds are to be seen as well in other museums of Greece.

A proportion of 25% of the finds of the Cavala area are Roman, and a very small number of Roman finds may be seen in the other Macedonian museums. The rest belong principally to the period from the 6th century B.C. to the end of the Hellenistic times. All these finds are similar to the equivalent ones which have been found in the rest of Greece and are to be seen in its museums. If to this number are added, a) these destroyed by invaders, b) all these looted by the Romans, c) all these found in various museums of the world, private collections and antiquities smugglers, and d) what is still hidden under Macedonian soil but also under the soil of the countries conquered by Alexander the Great, this treasure flood of the Macedonian Greeks should put into disorderly retreat the deniers of the Greekness of Macedonia.

In order to widen our knowledge of the ancient Macedonians, certain finds from the archaeological sites of Dium, Vergina, Pella and Sindos will be mentioned, as well as certain facts from areas of northern Macedonia, regions included in today's Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

_________________________
1. G. Dhmhtsas, 'H Makedonia en li0ois f0eggomenois kai mnhmeiois
swzomenois.


2. <<Three days were assigned for the triumphal procession. The first
barely sufficed for the exhibition of the captured statues, paintings,
and colossal figures, which were carried on two hundred and fifty chariots.
On the second, the finest and richest of the Macedonian arms were
borne along in many wagons...after the wagons laden with armour
there followed three thousand men carrying coined silver in seven
hundred and fifty vessels, each of which contained three talents and
was borne by four men, while still other men carried mixing-bowls of silver,
drinking horns, bowls, and cups...On the third day there were led along
a hundred and twenty stall-fed oxen with gilded horns...boys attended
them carrying gold and silver vessels of libation. Next, after these,
came the carriers of the coined gold which, like the silver, was
portioned out into vessels containing three talents; and the number
of these vessels was eighty lacking three>>. Plutarch's Lives, Aemilius
Paulus 32, 4-9 and 33, 1-3 (Loeb, B.Perrin).

3. 'Ap. Bakalopoulos, 'Istoria ths Makedonias, 1453-1853.

[Ptolemy]

DIUM

Together with Aegae (Vergina) and Pella, that is, the old and new capitals of ancient Macedonia, Dium of Pieria has been an important centre for Macedonians, who there, at the roots of Olympus, had founded their great sanctuary. The permanent establishment of the Macedonians in Pieria took place around 1,000 B.C. Outside the intensive excavations carried out by Professor Pantermalis of the University of Thessaloniki, and the important deductions he has already made public, it is expected that a great deal of information will be obtained regarding the history of the area during the period 1,000-600B.C., from the excavations taking place at a cemetary very
close to Dium, where grave objects have been found dated to the early iron age. Dium with an area of 1,500 stremmata (about 400 acres) is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites of Greece. The up to this day excavations have disclosed that the temples of Dium are not found within the city, but outside its enclosure. Together with the theatre and the stadium they constitute a unified architectural whole, that is, a solution
evolved through townplanning, something quite customary in the great public assembly places of the Greek tribes, as for example at Olympia. The conclusion seems to be that at Dium were published, that is raised, stone stelae with inscriptions, the texts of which concerned important political and administrative acts of the Macedonian kings, a kind of Government Gazette, such as the treaty between Philip and the Lysimachians. This inscription is
now found in the Museum of Dium. On the fifth line one can read the name of Philip V and on the seventh the term 'treaty' and the name 'Lysimachians'. The treaty is dated to 200 B.C. The text of a letter of the same king, that solves certain boundary problems between Thessalian cities, has been inscribed on the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus (Ph.10, p.130). A part of the inscription may be seen at the Museum of Dium. On the fourth line there is the date of the inscription attributed to the 16th year of Philip's reign and the word 'building site' (or plot, or lot).


The content of these stelae became readily known to the Macedonians
when they assembled to celebrate for 9 days the Olympic festivities at Dium. Here at Dium, Archelaus established splendid games to honor Olympian Zeus and the Muses. Philip here celebrated his great victories, while from here Alexander started triumphantly his great campaign after sacrificing to Olympian Zeus.

The mounted statues of the Companions who fell at the battle of Granicus, the work of Lysippus, were raised at Dium on Alexander's instructions, where the portraits of the members of the Macedonian Dynasty were also found. During the excavations at Dium, sacred buildings and offerings which are dated to the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 5th century B.C. have been unearthed. Clay offerings prove that the rites of worship of the Macedonians coincided with those of the Southern Greeks since archaic times.

A Temple of Demeter has been uncovered where the following epigraphical
material came to light:

- Dium Museum: the base of a statue from the temple of Artemis Isis found in 1980, bearing the inscription, AN0ECTIA...OPLIOU APELEU0ERA IOUKOUNDA AFRODEITHI UPOLUMPIDIA KAI KOLWCI (Anthestia of (P)oplios freed woman (dedicates) to Aphrodite, the Pleasant, worshipped at the foot of Olympus, and to the statues).

- Dium Museum: a statue of Aphrodite Hypolympidia, that is, Aphrodite worshipped at the foot of Mount Olympus.

- Dium Museum: an inscription on a grave stele of the 4th century A.D.,
from which it appears that even during the Christian period, there are to be found names such as MAKEDONIC(Macedonian)

- At the temple of Demeter clay figurines of the 6th and the beginning of the 5th century B.C., which prove that similar type offerings to the gods were made by all Greeks, of the south and of the north (Macedonians).

- Dium Museum: an inscription on a grave stele of the 4th century B.C.
reading, ARISTOTIMA SWSO (Aristotima daughter of Sosos). Also at the Dium Museum, the base of a state, in the inscription of which the name of King Philip (V) is mentioned

- An inscription on a grave pillar. It is one of the most beautiful examples of Greek inscription in Macedonia, dated to about 400 B.C.: 0EOTIMOS PARMENIWNOS

- A complex of hot baths came to light that takes up an area of about
4,000 square meters (over 40,000 sq.ft), with a mosaic floor, basins with marble lining and a section of the heating system, as well as luxurious rooms with colonnades and mosaic floors. Also, an equally admirable system of water supply and drainage through clay, lead and built conduits. At this site in 1977, the statues of Asclepius' children were found with their inscribed names, that is, Podaleirius, Machaon, Hygeia and Panacea, as well as fragments from the statues of Asclepius, Apollo, the small curative demon Telesphoros and Heracles.

Dium flourished during the Roman occupation. There is a Roman as well as a Greek theatre and in addition an Odeum. Dium continued to flourish even when Christianity prevailed. In the 4th century A.D., the first Christian basilicas were constructed and Dium became the seat of a bishop. During the 5th century A.D. after a severe earthquake Dium was abandoned. This is shown by the fact that no newer buildings were found, while the destruction caused by the earthquake is quite clear. Dium constituted a place of worship for the Macedonians, and the archaeologic finds disclose as if in relief, its
one thousand year old history (from 500 B.C. to A.D. 500) that shows a
life of Macedonian grandeur, a life of Greek grandeur.

VERGINA


In Vergina, Professor Manolis Andronikos made one of the most important
archaeological discoveries of our century. He found and uncovered the tomb of the king of Macedonia, Philip II. This discovery which brought to light dazzling finds, became famous all over the world. The tomb was found intact, containing a large number of items: gold wreaths, golden chests with the bones of Philip and his queen, the royal diadem and many other things one can see in the Thessaloniki Museum and the exhibition on Alexander

In the workshops of Vergina, the conservation of Philip's ritualistic shield is carried out, a unique work of art, perhaps the most impressive of the lot. Its framework consists of wook and leather and on its external surface made out of gold and ivory is pictured a young man taking hold of a woman. Perhaps it depicts Achilles and one of the Amazons. In the interior of the shield there are pieces of cloth in gold with victories, lions, gold links, ivy leaves and the emblem of the Macedonian Dynasty, the club of Heracles in relief.


Also found were gold leaves, ivory worked in relief, portraits of historical persons, among which, these of Alexander and Philip. Also a Dionysus with a Silenus, a Muse playing the lyre and a Pan playing the flute, and follow a bearded man and a woman. This last is the most beautiful carving in ivory
that we possess.


Equally, old pieces of glass were found, and the Corning Center of Glass in New York has confirmed that the Macedonians had a technology capably of making transparent glass since the 4th century B.C.

A tripod exhibited in the Thessaloniki Museum bears the inscription, PAR' HREAS ARGEIAIS EMI TON AE0LON (I am from the Heraean Games of
Argos).


In the same area, the palace of the Macedonian kings has been uncovered,
which is the largest known building of the Hellenistic times. The edifice covers an area of 17 stremmata (over 4 acres). Among the palace finds is one already mentioned earlier, bearing the inscription HRAKLH PATRWW meaning 'to the head of the race, Heracles', according to the well known tradition that the Macedonian kings descended from him. This find was uncovered by Professor Andronikos in 1966.


Since 1981 the excavations are opening up the walls of the acropolis. Up to now, about 300 meters of walls have been exposed, one gate, the foundations of towers, and water pipes running parallel to the walls. The foundations of houses of the Hellenistic times that have been uncovered, allow us to verify the large extent of the city.

Vergina (Aegae), the first Macedonian capital, did not lose its importance after 413 B.C., when Archelaus I transfered the capital to Pella, because he commanded that the Macedonians should be buried in the former, where of course the tomb of Philip II was found. This is confirmed by the fact that Ptolemy Lagus, first Macedonian king of Egypt, convinced the Macedonians who had undertaken to transport the corpse of Alexander the Great to Aegae, to surrender it to him in order to be buried in Memphis. Later the corpse was moved and was buried elsewhere (1).

The excavations discovered in the embankments that covered the tombs, pieces of grave stelae with over 70 names of Macedonian soldiers. Recently the ancient theatre was also discovered where Philip II was assassinated, and which is considered the most important discovery after his tomb.



_________________________
1. <<Ptolemy then persuaded a contingent of Macedonians to hand over the dead body of Alexander, which they were mustered to escort to Aigai>>.
Pausanias, Attica, 3 (Loeb, W. Jones-H. Ormerod).

[Ptolemy]

With the formation of the 'Socialist Republic of Macedonia' within the Yugoslav Federation, the indispensable state agencies and national vehicles were created, such as, a 'Macedonian' Government, a 'Macedonian' parliament, a 'Macedonian' capital (Skopje), a 'Macedonian' Secretariat of External Policy and National Defense. At the same time a local idiom composed mainly of western Bulgarian words with additions of Greek, Albanian, Turkish, Vlach(Aromun) words, was submitted to 'scientific' elaboration and in 1945 it was named the "Macedonian" language. The
most important reasons which contributed to the formation of the Slavic idiom go back to the Byzantine period, when a number of Bulgarian prisoners was transported for the purpose of work to the large Byzantine estates. During the subsequent Turkish. The covers of the book of F.Papazoglou where there is the map of ancient Macedonia.


ANTIQUITE VIVANTE |
Monographies |
No.1 |
|
Les Cites Macedoniennes |
A I Epoque Romaine |
|
Par |
Fanoula Papazoglou |
|
Redacteur |
Mihail D. Petrusevski |
Professor a l Universite |
de Skopje |
|
Skopje 1957 |


The map shows the frontiers of ancient Macedonia with elliptical marks...
Skopje is found outside the borders of ancient Macedonia and was the
capital of Dardania. (From Les cites macedoniennes a l'epoque romaine,
by F.Papazoglou, Skopje, 1957).


occupation many poor Slavs moved to the northern areas of Greece to find
work, a move facilitated by the absence of specific borders in the Greek peninsula. The problem of communication was solved by the use of Greek, Bulgarian, Turkish, Albanian and Vlach words. This constituted a common means of communication for all of them. The Greek population, however, was obliged to use this idiom not only for communication purposes, but mainly to avoid the forced recruitment of Greek children by the Turks (an action called in Greek paidomazwma and which was perpetrated mainly against Greek children) and also to evade the hatred of the Turks. But the Greeks maintained their national conscience. Later the Bulgarians enriched and used this idiom for their own aims. The Yugoslavian Constitution recognized this idiom first in 1945, as an official language on an equal status with the other official languages of Yugoslavia, i.e. Serbocroatian and Slovenian.


In the ecclesiastical sector, the Yugoslav Government in 1968 accepted
the petition of the 'Macedonians' and proclaimed the Independent Macedonian Church, in spite of the existence of the Serbian Patriarchate
and its reaction. Thus, after securing three of the ingredients of the new 'nation', that is a separate country, a specific language and an independent church, there began the struggle for the creation of an historical substratum. Hundreds of scientists toiled for four decades, simultaneously circulating books and magazines, in order to convince the mass of the people that there is a Macedonian nationality. It was announced first that from an historical and ethnologic point of view, Macedonia is Slavic, second that through the foundation of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia the first step was taken for the rehabilitation of the Macedonians, and third that Macedonia of the Aegean and Macedonia of Pirin are expected to follow suit.


It is characteristic of this situation that in 1973 a large size picture book was circulated in many languages, which shows 'the immigrants' from the other two sectors of Macedonia 'who have not been liberated yet', to nostalgically visit the free Macedonia of Skopje. This book, "Macedonian Vistas", has the name of two Ministers in its editorial board and is still circulated in the bookshops of Belgrade and Skopje.

In the historical sector, dozens of researchers were sent to east and west gathering in a few years hundreds of thousands of microfilms from national, private and church archives, which concerned Macedonia. This material was submitted to rigorous rehashing. Thus in the publication from the Turkish archives of the material which refers to the area of Skopje-Monastirion, they commit the wilful or planned error to give to their relevant works general titles that cover the whole extent of Macedonia, according to A.Vakalopoulos
In 1960 the writing of various monographs was started while in 1969 the well advertized 3-volume "History of the Macedonian Nation" was put in circulation.

Since it is well known, however, that the Slavs arrived in the Balkans
in the 6th century A.D. and the editors of the history could not ignore the widespread legendary fame of ancient Macedonia (even though a few proposed even that), they came to support that the Macedonians are not a Greek tribe but rather related to the Illyrians and the Thracians, while their kings were not Hellenes but philhellenes, who simply favoured the development of relations between their country and the Greek nations of the south.
These claims and arguments have no historical foundation, of course,
but they are repeated continuously in order to achieve the brainwashing
of the public to which they are addressed.

[Ptolemy]

DISTORTION OF EVENTS AIMING TOWARDS THE FALSIFICATION OF MACEDONIAN HISTORY


Political expedience and aspirations of another time, the period of great conflicts between the nations of the Southern Balkans (from about the middle of the 19th to the first decades of the 20th century), had led even the Bulgarians at the time to falsify certain historical facts about Macedonia.


After World War II conditions changed. The first perpetrators, that is the Bulgarians, recognized how unrealistic their efforts were and they abandoned them. But in southern Yugoslavia the establishment of the 'Socialist Republic of Macedonia' constituted fuel for new activities aiming at the appropriation of the name and of the cultural history of Macedonian Hellenism. It is worth
the trouble to examine a little more carefully a few of the most striking counterfeiting efforts of the historians of Skopje. Especially regarding the argument of a particular 'Macedonian' language, it is sufficient to note that the language of the Macedonians was Greek, and for this reason no Slavic tongue may be put forward as the language of the Macedonians. Is it
necessary to be reminded that the entire opus of the Macedonian philosopher Aristotle was written in Greek, and that the language of the innumerable Macedonian inscriptions preserved in museums and excavation sites is also Greek? In 1892, Dimitsas published his book under the characteristic title, 'Macedonia through speaking stones and preserved monuments'. I was particularly impressed by the title and content of the book, because I had said many times both verbaly and in writing, that the answer to the falsifiers
of Macedonian history will be given by the stones themselves, that is,
the inscribed marbles, which fortunately for the counterfeiters do not get
angry but only speak. Dimitsas collected and published in two volumes,
1,409 Greek and 189 Latin inscriptions from the 6th century B.C. to
the 18th century A.D. According to Dimitsas these inscriptions are
not even one half of those preserved, and he took them from 120 publications, mainly foreign monographs, records of travel, etc. In the periodical "The Ancient World" published in Chicago (October-December 1981, p.120), it is mentioned that since Dimitsas' time the number of Macedonian
inscriptions must have tripled. It should not be forgotten that the deeds of Alexander the Great and his successors, which were responsible for the achievements of the Hellenistic period, a time marked by significant progress in all sectors, was based on the prevalence of the Greek language and spirit as it is also incontestably witnessed by the 'Old' and 'New Testaments'.


But even if we accept that the Macedonians spoke another non-Greek
dialect, how is it possible that it should have disappeared so suddenly and radically, that not a single text or inscription remained, and why didn't this language prevail, if the Macedonians were proud of their descent? Pausanias says about the Ptolemies, <<that the kings of Egypt were delighted to be called Macedonians, which of course they were>>(1). During the period of the Ptolemies even the Jews spoke Greek in Egypt, and the Library of Alexandria was full of Greek books.


The Skopian historians base their contention regarding 'Macedonian language' on the information that before a battle Alexander spoke to the Macedonians in the Macedonian tongue. But the infantry of the Macedonian army consisted of mountaineers and peasants who for the most part were illiterate. When he clashed with the Macedonians at Opis, Alexander told them: <<Philip found you nomands and poor, most of you dressed in skins, feeding a few sheep on the hills...>>(2) It was therefore natural that their speech had some characteristic local accent, and that Alexander spoke in their idiomatic way to move his compatriots. But this does not mean that the Macedonians had another language. Even today in many areas of Western Macedonia, a local accent hinders understanding. Greek politicians of Pontic origin (Greeks from the Black Sea) address their compatriots in the Pontic dialect in order to induce enthusiastic responses. But doesn't the
same happen with Greeks of other regions such as the Corfiots, Cretans,
other islanders, etc.?

One can find such dialectic-idiomatic differences within the same language in every country all over the world.
Western Macedonia: Thrw ikeinon toun mamarito pou karkalwse na thraei
ikeinh.
I am looking at that clod who is dumfounded from
gazing at her.
Poios 3erei pws tsalntize to kefali ths ermhs ths
manas mas kai ebane tis fwnes stakoute na Bgoun
oi kalikantzaraioi.
Who knows what buzzed in our mother's head when
she shrieked, 'Stop, the Christmastide sprites
are coming out'.
Pontianc tongue: Amon hlos efwta3es sebkioulim ki amon aerof
edebes as na kaloterna se rasopa epideues giarim
aman.
You shone like the sun my love, and passed like the
wind, and before I could take a good look at
you, you crossed the mountains, oh, oh.


Taouteftesten
[All ranks] Dismiss!


It is well known that every area has its particular accent and many words are not understood in other areas, as it happens for example between Sicily and Northern Italy, Southern England and Wales, Bavaria and Northern Germany, etc. It is also well known that all languages adopt foreign words. Thus for example, all European languages have a large number of Greek words.


And while this argument is widely used, another passage is passed over in silence, a passage from which it is quite clearly deduced, also from the conversation of Alexander as it happens, that the tongue of the Macedonians was Greek. Specifically, Plutarch mentions that when Alexander chose 30,000 young Persians and enrolled them in his army, he commanded that <<they should be taught Greek letters [language] and trained in Macedonian arms>>(1). If the Macedonians spoke another language, he would have certainly said that they should be taught the Macedonian tongue and not Greek, because this would have been the medium of communication, both during training and in the conduct of war. It is also deduced from a report of Livy, that the Macedonians had the same language as the other Greeks where he describes the Assembly of the Greeks in Aetolia in 200 B.C. when there were to be found representative of <<the Aetolians, Acarnanians, Macedonians, peoples
of the same language>>(1). Finally, if the Macedonians did not speak Greek, surely they would have faced Demosthenes' criticisms, who as ambassador of the Athenians had visited Macedonian twice. On the contrary, it is said that he was so dazzled by the riches and grandeur of Philip's palace in Pella, that he interrupted his speech twice and finally completed it with the consent of Philip.

These constitute unalterable historical testimonials. Which irrational and untrue contention can overturn the historical fact, that only in the 10th century A.D. and thanks only to the two Greek monks, Cyril and Methodius, the Slavs acquired writing and began to develop their written tongue? All their cultural development was based on Greek culture. The Skopian idiom was named the 'Macedonian' language only in 1945, and only since then date the efforts to improve it and impose it as a distinct Slavic language.



During the Byzantine period the name Macedonia does not specifically define the area known under this name in antiquity, and it was used without taking into account the ancient geographical and historical meaning of the word Macedonia since a part of Thrace was also called by the Byzantine Greeks Macedonia. The Skopians later argued that when the Slavs occupied Macedonia, they were called 'Macedonian Slavs'. But aside from the fact that this term came into use much later, the same argument should apply to when the Slavs occupied Thessaly, Peloponnese, etc., that is to say, they should have been called Thessalian-Slavs, Peloponnesian-Slavs, etc. The artful attempt to acquire the name Macedonians is in effect quite obvious.

Regarding the Middle Ages and in order to by-pass the past and build a future, but mainly in order to acquire a historical title to the Macedonian area, they maintain that the infrastructure and population of the kingdom which Samuel established for 18 years with Achris as capital was Macedonian. They say in addition that
first, Samuel was a Slavomacedonian (certain historians today accept that he was an Armenian), second, that as a ruler of a state which included Macedonia
he was himself a Macedonian, and third, that the state he established was the first Macedonian State.


The Archdiocese of Achris was re-baptized Macedonian, since it was founded on Macedonian soil. Thus by extention, they argue, Methodius and Cyril as Thessalonians are Macedonians, and consequently the church of Achris (read Skopje) is the religious centre of the Slavs. Concerning Methodius and Cyril, it is sufficient to recall the letter of the Pope already mentioned in a previous chapter.

As for Samuel, he was a Bulgarian tsar and not a Macedonian, and the state he founded was a Bulgarian one. It is for this reason surely, why the Byzantine emperor Basil II who crushed Samuel, is known in history as Basil Bulgaroktonos, Basil the Bulgar-slayer. Otherwise he would have been called Basil the Macedonian-slayer!

This fact is pointed out by many historians, among them Vasiliev who writes that the fight of Basil against the Bulgarians was very tough hence he was called Bulgaroktonos. Levtchenko similarly writes: <<One of the Bulgar boyars, Samuel, son of Count Sisman, managed within 10 years to liberate Bulgaria by the Danube and to occupy parts of Macedonia and Thessaly... Basil II took the name Bulgaroktonos for his exploits and cruelty during the war. By 1018 he had finished with
Bulgaria>> (p.241). Yianis Kordatos in his book, "Introduction, Fourish and Decadence of Byzantium" (p.170) writes: <<Basil II attacked the Bulgarians and he was named Bulgaroktonos>>.

One more piece of evidence which defies the Skopian theories that Samuel was a Macedonian and not a Bulgarian is the following. An inscription from Monastirion ated to 1017 has been preserved, where John the nephew of Samuel and son of his elder brother Aaron is mentioned. There John is called categorically, 'Boulgaros to genos', 'of Bulgarian descent'. That is to say, he himself determined his own and his family's national descent. This inscription is published in the book of Gordana Tomovic, 'Morfologija Cirilickin Natpisa na Balkann, Belgrade 1974, p.33

[Ptolemy]

Dimitsas in his book on inscriptions mentions that since 358 B.C. when there are some historical records and during the Roman period, the inhabitants of Achris (the ancient lake Lychnetis) lived a Greek life, spoke and wrote Greek, and worshipped Greek gods, just as the rest of the Macedonians and Greeks. All the monuments are Greek, and there are no Bulgarian or Serbian ones.

Keramopoullos in his book "The Tombs of Trebenitse" (p.490), mentions that all the inscriptions of Achris of the Roman and Byzantine periods which refer to private persons are all Greek, and are related to people with Greek names only. On one inscription found, the god of Lychnetis mentioned is Heracles Megistos.


Until the year A.D. 1,000 Achris constituted a part of Byzantium. In A.D. 1,000 Samuel made it the capital of his Bulgarian state, which lasted until 1018 when he was utterly defeated by Basil II the Bulgar-slayer and his kingdom was abolished. Ecclesiastically, Achris was recognized as an Independent Bishopric because the Byzantine Emperor Justinian came from this area, but in 1767 this recognition was repealed by a decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As Dimitsas mentions, in the church records there was a Codex of the Bishopric, with entries of 144 official documents. This proves that the Greek tongue was not abolished even during the Bulgarian
occupation (Ph.70-74, pp.186-190).

Regarding the struggles of the Macedonians against the Turks, the Skopians admit that the Slavophone inhabitants of Macedonia developed a powerful Greek conscience and also took part in the wars of liberation. And since they cannot ignore the revolts of Naousa and Chalkidiki, they advance the argument that the heroes of these wars were 'Macedonias' and not Greeks. Thus for example Markos Botsaris is called by the Skopians historians Marko Botchvart from Perlepe. They have equally endeavoured to misrepresent the Greek revolutions in Macedonia which broke out in the years 1845, 1868 and 1878, in the course of which the Macedonians fought for the liberation and incorporation of Macedonia into the Greek kingdom. Thus they attempt to present the revolt of 1878 as a simple incident provoked by 'adventurers'
from Athens.

This had started at Litochoro and soon spread to Florina, Kozani, Kastoria, Monastirion during which a provisional government of Macedonia was established. Of course, they pass in silence the fact that the principals involved in the revolt of 1878 were Macedonian Greeks, such as Stephanos Dragoumis, Pantazides, the university professor, Chalkiopoulos, etc. They also make a distinction between the struggles of the Verhovists and these of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO, see page 79). They argue that the struggle of the Verhovists who demanded the direct
incorporation of Macedonia into Bulgaria, was the result of the Greater-Bulgaria policy of Sofia, while the struggle of IMRO was that of the Macedonian people. Thus the activities of the Bulgarian armed guerillas called Commitadjis appear as a struggle of 'Macedonian' national revival. The revolution of Ili-Den is equally included in this effort of advertizing the
'Socialist Republic of Macedonia'.

On the 20th of July 1903, day of the feast of Prophet Elias (hence the name Ili-Den), in the areas of Monastiri, Achris, Kleisoura and Kastoria, revolutionary activities broke out organized by the Bulgarian comitates. Grain was burned, sabotage to bridges and railway lines was carried out, and attacks were made against isolated Turkish guards. According to the records presented in the book, "The Macedonian Struggle and Events in Thrace", of the Army Historical Department of the General Staff of the Greek Army, and also from other historical sources, IMRO issued an order for the people to
take up arms, to move towards the mountains, and to avoid by all means any conflicts with strong Turkish contingents. The force of the Commitadjis who saw action over the entire Macedonia up to Adrianoupolis, was 2,600 men out of which 1,600 of IMRO, distributed in small groups in various areas. In the revolt around the area of Serres, Verhovists also took part, entering from Bulgaria and in fact wearing Bulgarian uniforms with Bulgarian insignia. The
Turks reacted with cruel reprisals against the Commitadjis and the civil population. At the end of August the revolution came to an end. On the 6th of September 1903, Austria and Russia informed the other powers of the Berlin Treaty that they had to intervene in Constantinople and Sofia, in order to avert a conflict between Turkey and Bulgaria, because Turkey considered Bulgaria responsible for these revolutionary activities. Demonstrations took place in Sofia against the Turks, and demands were sent to the European powers requesting their intervention in order to obtain Turkish reforms. This revolution of Ili-Den is seriously propounded abroad today by the 'Socialist
Republic of Macedonia'. In America there are even organizations, newspapers and other manifestations with this name.

In contrast to Ili-Den, the Macedonian struggle (1904-1908) was based on the patriotism and sacrifices of the Greeks of Macedonia, and it was the greatest moment of the modern history of the Macedonian Greeks. The death of Pavlos Melas, which shook the whole nation was the starting point. It was carried out by the entire Greek nation united, which fought to preserve the Greekness of Macedonia and to safeguard the area from which the Greek spirit, language and art were transmitted to the rest of the world. This struggle is passed in silence by the Skopians for obvious reasons.

[Ptolemy]

PELLA

The second capital of the Macedonian state, which played an important role in the history of Greece and of the entire world, was built by King Archelaus (413-399 B.C.). Alexander the Great was born in Pella in the year (356 B.C.), and there Aristotle taught him politics and philosophy. The city became the centre of Hellenism in the times of Philip and Alexander and succeeded athens and Sparta.


Before excavations at Pella had begun, a grave stele was found dated to the 5th century B.C. that carried the figure of a warrior and which was transported to the Constantinople Museum. Special significance is attributed to this fact, because it shows that grave stelae were raised even to honor simple citizens.


Substantial excavations began since 1958, and it was confirmed from the start that the city had been planned according to the well known Hippodamean system of right-angled square blocks. The form of the buildings was the typical form of the Greek house. Public squares, straight lined streets, and pipes of a modern system of water supply and drainage were found (Ph.46, p.163).

On the 30th of October 1982, the Ephor of Antiquities for Edessa, Mrs Siganidou, announced the discovery of the whole complex of the ancient market, agora, which occupies an area of 65,500 square meters (well over 600,000 square feet), with external dimensions of 255 by 235 meters (circa 800 by 750ft.). The market consists of an enormous square that is surrounded on all four sides by porticoes. The stylobate, with Doric columns, that has been uncovered over its whole extent, measures 200.15 by 180.5 meters. Behind the portico opens a double row of rooms, measuring 5 by 5 meters, which served as workshops and trade stores.


The market forms part of the town-planning design of the ancient city, which was traversed across its breadth by a large avenue of 15 meters. An organized system of large well built drainage conduits and a system of water supply have been ascertained at many points. On the south side of the market, three sewers or conduits have been found, two of which were particularly large, 0.8 m. in width and 1m. in depth, that conveyed water towards the south under the buildings. On the east side was found a clay pipe for drinking water. Hundreds of remarkable objects were also found, such as figurines of large size and many types, matrices for figurines, pots and coins.

The market of ancient Pella occupies an area as large as an ancient city. It is a gigantic unified construction, and all the finds justify the dominating position of Pella in antiquity in all sectors of life. Among the wonderful finds at the Pella Museum, is included a marble dog of the 5th century B.C., two statues of Poseidon and Athena, weights and measures for the measurement of trade goods, coins, and many objects in gold, silver, glass, etc.(Ph.47 and 48, pp.163-164).

In Pella were also found many roof-tiles that bear various inscriptions, such as, PELLHS, of Pella, which shows the place of manufacture. Other roof-tiles bear the inscription BASILIKOS, royal, while the names on others indicate who gave the order (Ph.17, p.136).

An important discovery was that of the mosaic floors. Seven mosaic compositions were found, out of which one represents the abduction of Helen by Theseus (Ph.33, p.150). Another floor mosaic with inscription shows a deer hunt. On the upper side it bears the name of the craftsman: GNWSIS (Ph.49, p.166).

In spite of the great destruction and plunder of Pella by the Romans, many finds have been uncovered with are exhibited in the Museum, or are being classified in the workshops. The excavations are continued and it is hoped that many more finds will see the light of day. In the Thessaloniki Museum, the walls of a three-floor building with wonderful decorations are exhibited. Similar walls were also found in Pompei, which was built after more than two centuries, walls that perhaps had as prototype the equivalent works of Pella
(Ph. 50-52, pp.167-169).

SINDOS


In the industrial area of Thessaloniki in 1980, the accidental discovery of an extremely important ancient Macedonian cemetary, brought to light finds of great archaeological significance, which are dated from the 6th to the middle of the 5th century B.C. The numerous clay pots and figurines from which the chronology of other funeral goods was fixed. These are customary grave objects for the rest of the Greek world too. Under the supervision of the archaeologist Mrs Despoine, the remains of pottery workshops and four kilns were also discovered (Ph.15 and 16, pp.134-135).


Within the intact graves clay pots were found, lekythoi, kylikes, omphalos type phialae and cauldron-like pots. In the graves where men were buried, iron swords with gold decoration at the hilt, spear points, knives and helmets were found. In the female graves, ornaments, silver and copper clasps, fibulae, ear-rings and bracelets, necklaces, chains, gold pendants, etc., etc.

Of the about one thousand objects found, more than one third are
of gold and they are exhibited in a special exposition at the Thessaloniki Museum. Five gold funerary masks are included among them out of which one is dated to the last decade of the 6th century B.C., while another dates from around 530 B.C. (Ph.19, p.138).

The large number of gold objects confirm the testimony of the written
tradition, that this area was rich in gold. The river Gallikos, the ancient Achidoros, was known as gold bearing even in antiquity.

A very important find is a gold male ring dated circa 480 B.C. that carries the inscription DWRON (gift) in the Ionic alphabet (Ph.18, p.137)

[Ptolemy]

THE CULTURAL PRESENCE OF HELLENISM IN NORTHERN MACEDONIA, IN THE REGIONS OF TODAY'S YUGOSLAVIA AND BULGARIA.


From archaeologic evidence it appears that the cultural presence of Hellenism was particularly intense in areas which today belong to southern Yugoslavia and southwestern Bulgaria. Outside the testimony which Dimitsas describes in his book, and what I shall mention below, there are also other pieces of evidence with which I have not concerned myself. These areas comprised the northern sections of ancient Macedonia, as it is shown by monuments and Greek inscriptions from the time of Philip II to the prevalence of Christianity.

The map of S.Dull with the borders of ancient Macedonia, the centres of worship and ruins in 'Northern Macedonia'. Skopje is shown outside the borders of ancient Macedonia. The map is also published in the 20th volume (K') of Macedonica, p.546.



a. The worship of Greek deities ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Professor Th.Petsas in a book review which appeared in the second volume of Makedonika, refers to the study of Siegrid Dull entitled, 'Die Gotterkulte Nordmakedoniens in romischer Zeit'. Miss Dull had initially the intention to occupy herself with the worship of the Macedonians in general, before and after the Roman occupation. Finally she limited herself to the gods of the parts of Macedonia now belonging to Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, during the years of Roman domination. She necessarilly refers to the pro-Roman period, since all the roots reach back to the Hellenistic times and beyond.


This study is based on inscriptions and archaeologic evidence, and a selection of coins that furnish information regarding this worship. It is there mentioned that all inscriptions are in Greek, and that it is difficult to find idiomatic expressions not found also in the rest of Macedonia and Greece. Finally, that Olympian gods and demigods were present in these areas, that is, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Heracles, Hermes, Hestia, Poseidon, Zeus and Hera. Of the minor deities, there are Asclepius with Hygeia and Telesphorus, the Dioscouroi, Sotera, Pluto and Persephone,
followed by the deified Fates, Nemesis, Victory and Fortune. Thus according to S.Dull, the following deities were worshipped in these places (see map, p.41):

At Bella Crkva (Bucin), the ancient city of Alcomenae, a fort of the Macedonian kings, Artemis, Hermes, Zeus Agoraeus and Hera were worshipped. At Monastiri, where the adjoining Lygestic Heracleia was found, which was built by Philip II before 350 B.C. and where the walls of the acropolis, the ancient theatre, two palaeochristian basilicas and mosaics of the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. are preserved, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Pan, Heracles, Hermes, Hestia Boulea, Poseidon, Zeus, Asclepius, Telesphorus, the Dioscouroi, Dike, Nemesis, Fortune and the Nymphs were worshipped. At Cepigovo Trojarst (Novo Selo), where the ancient Stevera was found, a city at the centre of Pelagonia, its foundation going back to archaic times and which is mentioned by Strabo, Artemis, Heracles Kynagidos, Poseidon, the river god Erigon, the Nymphs, Zeus, Asclepius, the Dioscouroi, Fortune and Cybele were worshipped. An inscription from Pelagonia reads: [AR]TEMIDI KUN[AGW]GW [KUNHGH] KAI TH POLEI...HMERAS KB KAI EBIWSEN EN PELLH.


At Gradska Rosoman (Dolivo Civero), where the ancient Stoboi were found, an important city at the confluence of the rivers Erigon and Axius, were worshipped Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis (Ephesia, Locheia), Dionysus, Heracles, Zeus, Asclepius, Hygeia, Telesphorus, the Dioscouroi, Pluto, Nemesis, Veltrix Augusta, Victory, Fortune, the Nymphs, Sarapis, Cybele, Fortuna, the Lares and Dolechenus.

Greek deities were worshipped also in the cities of Bac, Bansko, Crniliste/Srse, Demir-Kapija, Drenovo, Doliste (Korke), Prilepec, Stuvica, Volkovo, Grmadiste, Kavadarci (Begniste), Rosana, Vutuja, Marko Varos, Murkovi Kuli, Mojno(Puturus), Orehovec, Pletvar, Podmol, Snoloval, Treskall, Vladilovci, and Velesa.

In the region of today's Bulgaria were worshipped: At Gorna Gradelnica Iledence(Hiljadnica), Apollo, Artemis Sotera, Epicoos, Dionysus Lenaeus and Pan. At Laskarevo, Artemis. At Levunove (Meleniko), Artemis, Dionysus and Asdoule. At Muletarovo, Aphrodite, Urania and Artemis. At Piperica, Artemis and Heracles. At Sandanaki, Artemis, Athena, Heracles, Zeus with Hera and
Aetes, Victory, Urania and Fortune. At Slivnica, Artemis.

b. The tombs of Trebenitse
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In the year 1918, during the execution of some work in the area of Lake Achris by the village of Trebenitse and near the shores of Lake Lychnites, the Bulgarian army discovered seven tombs, which were excavated under the supervision of Professor Charles Skorpil. Every tomb contained a copper helmet, iron sword, spear, copper shield and many ornaments, pots and other items. The finds, clearly of Hellenic style, were transported and kept in the Bulgarian National Museum at Sofia. Through these finds the funerary customs of the Macedonians were revealed and showed their connection and relation with the ones of southern Greece (Ph.20, p.139).


Ernest Fabriceus, tutor of the Director of the Sofia Museum, Filov, in a letter to Mr Keramopoullos, author of a publication on the subject(1),

_______________________________
1. Keramopoullos, The Tombs of Trebenitse, p.104.


assured the latter that the tombs of Trebenitse are the graves of the masters of Lychnis, the rulers of the Eghileis (Ph.21 and 22, pp.140- 141).


The views of E.Fabriceus and Keramopoullos that the tombs of Trebenitse belonged to the rulers of the land, were confirmed by a newer excavation that was carried out by a Yugoslav archaeologist in 1932.


The most important find is that mentioned in the illustrated volume of the 1979 edition of 'Yugoslavia: Republics and Provinces', page 225: <<in the richly ornamented royal tombs of Trebenitse, there is a golden mask of the 4th century B.C., that shows the influence of Mycenaean art>>. According to Mr Keramopoullos, these graves have made ancient Macedonia known to us as much as the graves of Mycenae the Mycenaean civilization(1). In addition, they constitute an important piece of evidence in the determination of the extent of the Macedonian state towards the north, as well as its dominance over other peoples, according to the testimony of Thucydides, who summarizing the history of Macedonia before his time says:
<<To Macedon belong the Lyncestians [who lived around today's Florina],
the Elimiots [who lived to the north of the Kamvounia Mountains] and other peoples further up, who are all allies and subjects of the Macedonians, but have their own kings>>(2).

Besides, it is well known as Mr Kanatsoulis says in his book(3), that out of the six divisions that composed the most powerful and effective body of the Macedonian army, the phalanx of pezetaeroi, the three came from northern Macedonia, the areas of Elimiotis, Oresteias and Lyncestis together with Tymphaea. The generals in charge were also from northern Macedonia, men like Craterus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy and others.

THE MISINTERPRETATION OF DEMOSTHENES' POSITION AGAINST THE MACEDONIANS


Outside of what I have already written regarding the Greekness of the Macedonians, and the view of the historian Beloch that, <<the purest

____________________
1. Keramopoullos, The Tombs of Trebenitse, p.104.
2. <<For the Macedonian race includes also the Lyncestians, Elimiotes,
and other tribes of the upper country, which, though in alliance with
the nearer Macedonians and subject to them, have kings of their own>>.
Thucydides II, 99, 2 (Loeb, C.F. Smith).
3. D. Kanatsoulhs, 'H Dutikh Makedonia kata tous arxaious xronous, p.13.

Greek tribe must be the Macedonians, with the physical characteristics of the Indoeuropean Greek race>> (blonde hair, tall stature) (1), I shall explain how the phrase of Demosthenes in connection with the Macedonians has been misinterpreted. I believe that this misunderstanding was perpetrated by the enemies of the Macedonians and has been adopted in good faith by others, without examination of the actual meaning of the words in the speech of Demosthenes.


Before I come to Demosthenes, however, it is necessary to show what was the situation in Greece at that time, in order to explain,
a) why the Macedonians and the Epirotes were called by these names,
while other Greek peoples such as the Athenians, Thebans, Thessalians, etc., were also called Greeks, and

b) what is the reason for the enmity towards Philip of only certain political orators such as Demosthenes.


Ancient Macedonia, like other areas of ancient Greece, constituted a separate state and in this case a kingdom. Corresponding states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Corfu, Thasos, etc. The political difference between Macedon and the city states of southern Greece, a difference already in existence in the 5th century B.C. and something that was taken seriously at the time, was the Macedonian form of government, that is to say a kingdom. The other Greek city states had either a democratic or an oligarchic form of government, while the Spartans preserved the institution of the double kingship, with all the limitations imposed upon it by the power of the ephors.

The distinction between Macedonians and Greeks which appears in the ancient writers is due to the following reasons. Until the 7th century B.C. every Greek people was called by its own name, such as Thessalians, Boeotians, Aetolians, etc. In the 7th century the name of Greece is generalized starting from Phthiotis. That the space inhabited by the Greek peoples was later named Greece, is clear also from Herodotus: <<At that time, Argos was the first city among these which are found in today's Greece>>(2).

In the beginning the Macedonians comprised many kingdoms, such as the Lyncestians, Elimiots, etc., their extent defined by physical boundaries. Around 700 B.C. the Macedonian State was formed, where central

___________________
1. Keramopoullos, ibid.
2. <<Argos, which was about that time preeminent in every way among
the people of what is now called Hellas>>. Herodotus I, 1, 2
(Loeb, A.P. Godley).


authority was exercised by the kingdom of Aegae, forming a kind of federation with other kingdoms.

Because the Macedonians, just as the Epirotes, lived in areas removed
from and of difficult access for the other Greeks, caused by the high mountains interposed, they could not directly participate in the feverish political and national life of the southern Greeks during the classical period. Removed and isolated they preserved like the Epirotes their own name, while in southern Greece the general name Greeks prevailed, together with the particular names of their tribes. The geographical position of Macedonia, its distance from the intellectual centre of Athens and the lack of communication, caused the rest of the Greeks to consider the Macedonians before the time of Philip II, as not belonging from a political viewpoint to Greece proper, while simultaneously they disliked their political system.


The fact that in the space of ancient Greece there were many city states made no difference. Their citizens were Greeks because they had the same language (Greek), the same gods (the twelve Olympians) and the same religion. They fought between them, but they regularly united against a common danger. Then, particular conceptions and political passions were put aside and a panhellenic conscience prevailed all over Greece. It is what characterizes today's Greeks as well, and constitutes one of the most significant proofs of the continuation of the Greek people. The modern Greeks have the same virtues and vices as those of their ancestors. As for the particular names of the tribes, they are still in use today to denote the
inhabitants of a specific geographical area of Greece.

The continuous historical presence of the Greek tribes in Greece does not permit any other people to be arbitrarily called Greeks and the citizens Athenians, Peloponnesians, Macedonians, Thessalians, etc. The participation of Alexander I in the Olympic Games was an important event of panhellenic significance for the contact and communication between the Macedonians and the other Greeks, an event decisive for the destiny of Hellenism. The intellectual and artistic world of southern Greece that was more developed did not remain indifferent when this opening towards Macedonia took
place and thus a multitude of artists, wise men and scientists found a response in the Macedonian republic.

This assimilation was completed in the 4th century B.C. The enormous economic boom and the capable leadership of the Macedonians contributed towards significant changes resulting in innovations and creations in every kind of art and craft, especially in metallurgy, painting and architecture, which became models even for the Romans as it is evident in the art works found in Pompei.

[Ptolemy]

The successors of Alexander the Great gave a new impetus and created
centres of science, art and learning renowned up to our days. This great transposition of the centre of Hellenism towards the north starts at the time of Philip II. His victories and the simultaneous decadence of the other Greek city states, created a psychological climate of envy and displeasure among the other Greeks and particularly the Athenians, where the public opinion of Greece was formed(even then!), against these politically and intellectually unknown Macedonians. All the accusations regarding the 'barbarism' of the Macedonians do not originate from philosophers, historians, poets or other writers, but from political orators and especially Athenians.


Demosthenes, the principal adversary of Philip, addressing the Athenians said: <<...are not all our strongholds in the hands of this man, and if he becomes master of this land shall we not suffer the worst?... Is he not an enemy? Doesn't he possess our lands? Is he not a barbarian? Does he not deserve the worst epithets?>>(1)

In his great anger Demosthenes talked exactly as they do all who abuse someone with a great many ornamental epithets - is he not this one? is he not the other? what more can one say? I think that Demosthenes used the phrase 'is he not a barbarian?' only to abuse Philip and this view is strengthened by the fact that in another speech, the 'Second Olynthian', Demosthenes praises the Macedonian state, saying: <<Surely this Macedonian power and rule was of no small help against the Olynthians during the generalship of Timotheus; again it was equally so when it allied itself with the Olynthians against the Potideans; and now when the Thessalians are ailing and troubled it helped the struggle against the house of the tyrants>>(2). Besides, Demosthenes would never accuse

_____________________
1. <<Has not enemy already captured all our strongholds, and if
he becomes master of Chalcidice, shall we not be overwhelmed with
dishonour? Are not those states actually at war which we so readily
engaged in that event to protect? Is not Philip our enemy? And in
possession of our property? And a barbarian? Is any description
too bad for him?>> Demosthenes, Third Olynthiac, 16
(Loeb, J.H. Vince).
2. <<Yes, the power and sovereignty of Macedonia is indeed, as an
adjunct, no slight contribution, as you found it when on your side
against Olynthus in the days of Timotheus. On another occasion in
dealing with Potidaea, the Olynthians found its co-operation of
some value; and lately it came to the help of the Thessalians in
their factions and feuds against the ruling house>>. Demosthenes,
'Second Olynthiac', 14 (Loeb, J.H. Vince).

body as a barbarian (non-Greek), because the same accusation, a barbarian descent, was leveled against him. Says Aeschines in his speech 'Against Ctesiphon': <<...the slanderer [Demosthenes] was born...and from his mother he is a Scythian barbarian, Greek only in speech...>>(1)

Demosthenes spoke with anger and passion against Philip. This may be gathered from a letter of Isocrates towards Philip II, where he calls Demosthenes and the other orators who were against Philip,
'raging demagogues'(2). Isocrates also tells Philip that, <<...all the Greeks will be grateful to you, these who are directly affected and the descendants of the others, because through you they will get rid of barbarian tyranny and receive Hellenic attention>>(3). We should not ignore the fact that both Demosthenes as well as Isocrates were orators, and in this capacity they often misused their freedom by indulging in verbal hyperboles. Equally, Isocrates makes a clear distinction between Macedonians and barbarians,
as it is apparent in another point in his speech, saying: <<And I say that you must benefit the Greeks, reign among the Macedonians, and rule more barbarians>>(4). This same Isocrates elsewhere in his speech writes: <<...and you as if born free ranging, consider the whole of Greece as your country, just as the man who gave you birth>>(5).

In 217 B.C. Agelaus from Naupactos speaking at a meeting where Philip V and the representatives of his allies were present, expressed the

______________________
1. Aischines, 'Against Ctesiphon, 172.
2. <<...the ravings of the platform orators...>> Isocrates, 'To Philip',
129 (Loeb, G. Norlin).
3. <<...all men will be grateful to you: the Hellenes for your
kindness to them and the rest of the nations, if by your hands
they are delivered from barbaric despotism and are brought under
the protection of Hellas>>. Isocrates, 'To Philip', 154
(Loeb, G.Norlin).
4. <<I assert that it is incumbent upon you to work for the good
of the Hellenes, to reign as king over the Macedonians, and to
extend your power over the greatest possible number of the barbarians>>.
Isocrates, 'To Philip', 154 (Loeb, G. Norlin).
5. <<It is your privilege, as one who has been blessed with
untrammelled freedom, to consider all Hellas your fatherland,
as did the founder of your race>>. Isocrates, 'To Philip', 127
(Loeb, G.Norlin).

wish that the wars between Greeks should stop(1). Polybius says, <<At that time you were rivals as to leadership and glory of the Achaeans and the men of the same race, the Macedonians, and their leader Philip>>(2).


______________________
1. <<I shall report the speech that Agelaus of Naupactus made before
the king and the allies at the first conference. 'It would be best
of all if the Greeks never made war on each other'...>> 'The Histories
of Polybius, V, 103, 9 (Loeb, W.R. Patton).
2. <<Then your rivals in the struggle for supremacy and renown were
the Achaeans and Macedonians, peoples of your own race, and Philip
was their commander>>. 'The Histories of Polybius', IX, 37, 7
(Loeb, W.R. Patton).

[Ptolemy]

THE EMPIRE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
IN ASIA AND AFRICA

The empire of Alexander the Great and his successors survived for centuries. Throughout its extent, Greek was the official language and the Greek spirit and letters prevailed. For this reason the time span which covers this survival has been called the Hellenistic Period.


In Africa (Egypt, Libya up to Ethiopia) and Asia as far as India and areas of the Soviet Union, there exist architectural remains and innumerable Greek finds of the period. In these areas, no extensive excavations by foreigners have been permitted yet, and we do not know the cultural inheritance of Greece to all its extent. Asia Minor in particular, outside the many Greek archaeologic treasures found there (Pergamum, Ephessus, etc.), is also the place where all the Greek philosophers, etc., mentioned in the accompanying map, as well as the Church Fathers indicated, were born and lived during the
continuous presence of Hellenism there for millenia and until about 60 years ago (1922).

In the Scythian treasures exhibited by the Russians in Athens, the existence of a Hellenic-Scythian style is obvious, something which was developed at the border areas of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union during the Hellenistic period. In 1976 in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thessaloniki, an exhibition of popular art items of the Soviet Republic of the Ukraine took place. Together with the various items, photographs from Kiev were shown in which one of a large golden quiver or gorytus was included, similar to the
one found in Vergina. When I mentioned this fact to the Assistant Minister of Education of the Soviet Union who was present at the opening of the exhibition, he replied that the Scythian quiver of the photograph had been made by Greeks. I think that our archaeologic schools could encourage the writing of studies having as subjects the various finds in these countries, from the up to the present excavations of the Hellenistic period. Generally, I
shall not refer to these areas of Alexander's empire, but I shall give the testimony which I gathered myself from a recent visit to Kuwait.


KUWAIT

In this country of rich petroleum reserves and impressive progress in all sectors, I experienced a pleasant surprise as a Greek, because I found out that there are archaeologic sites and finds of the period of Alexander the Great and his successors. The archaeologic sites and the museums I visited are on the island of Failaka, which is at an hour's distance from Kuwait by ferry-boat. A museum with finds from Failaka is to be found also in the city of Kuwait.

The island of Failaka was also used by the admiral of Alexander the Great, Nearchus, who carried out an exploratory marine journey sailing along the shores of India to the Persian Gulf, thus establishing a new commercial sea-way. When Nearchus described Failaka Island to his sovereign, Alexander called it 'Icarus'(1). In the excavations which took place in 1960, carried out by a Dutch archaeologic team, a marble slab was also found with an inscription which begin with (Ph.23, p.142):

ANA3AR[XOS TOIS EN]IKA[RWI] OIKHTAIS XAIREIN
............................................
IKADIWN ANA3ARXWI XAIREIN SPEUDEI
O BASILEUS PERI IKAROU THS NHSOU


On Failaka Island there is also a temple dedicated to Artemis (Ph.24, p.143). Another marble slab carries the inscription (Ph.25, p.143):


SWTELOS A0HNAIOS KAI OI STRA[TIWTAI...] DISWTHRI POSEIDWNI
ARTEMIDI SWTEIRAI.


Many pots of the Hellenistic period, heads of statues of Alexander the Great, statuettes of Aphrodite, etc. were also found (Ph.27, p.145). Many coins of the period of Alexander the Great, of Antiochus, and tetradrachms of wide circulation are found now in museums. A few coins were cut at the time of Antiochus III (223-187 B.C.). On the one side they depict Antiochus (his name is inscribed) and on the other Apollo (Ph.26, p.144). On other coins, Heracles with the skin of the Nemaean lion is depicted on one side and Zeus on his throne on the other. There are also coins with the portrait of Alexander.
According to the book on 'Greek Coins from Failaka', published by the Ministry of Information of

_______________________
1. <<This island, according to Aristobulus, Alexander commanded to be
called Icarus, after the island in the Aegean sea>>. Arrian, Anabasis
of Alexander VII, 20, 4 (Loeb, P.A. Brunt).

Kuwait, the great number of gold and silver coins of Alexander is due to the fact that because of their high quality they constituted the best means of payment in international commerce for many hundreds of years. I was also informed that the countries in the area of the Persian Gulf are full of Greek antiquities, inscriptions and coins of Alexander the Great and his Macedonian successors.

THE KINGDOM OF BACTRIA


During excavations which lasted for 15 years, French archaeologists have brought to light a city of the Kingdom of Bactria, which developed in the valley of the Oxus River (today's Amu Daria). This centre of Hellenic civilization that was formed by the conquests of Alexander the Great, covers the lands which today belong to the Soviet republics of Turkmenistan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, and to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of the finds coming continuous to light, one coin of King Eucratides and a mosaic with the emblem of the Macedonian dynasty were published in the Newspaper 'Kathimerini' of April 25, 1982 (Ph.28 and 29, p.146).


ALEXANDER THE GREAT

General
^^^^^^^
In this work I am not writing the history of Alexander the Great. I shall cite, however, certain pieces of information that partly illuminate my subject and I shall mention in summary his great civilizing work. Alexander the Great was born a mortal, acted like a superman and died like a demi-god; this is the characterization attributed to perhaps the most impressive historical figure. After death he passed into the legends of most peoples, and for this
reason over 20,000 books have been written about him, while the study of his deeds continues. For most people and even for the Greeks, Alexander the Great was the greatest military commander of all times, who created an enormous empire in a very short time for this period and the existing technical and economic means. But even as a military commander he showed features not found in anyone till now. He was invincible. He never fought defensively being always on the attack. The most important thing is that not only he was not hated by the peoples he conquered, but on the contrary
he was loved and was worshipped like a demi-god. He is loved till today, and for the peoples and countries that he conquered it constitutes an honour to claim that they are descendants of Alexander the Great.


This last characteristic is not accidental. It is due to his liberal and creative policies, which resulted in the cultural progress of the peoples he conquered. He won their confidence by considering them all equal. He proved this by marrying the daughter of Darius and at the same time he gave to marriage one hundred Persian maidens to one hundred of his officers(1).


Holzner writes in his book 'Paul' that Alexander based his plan for the conquest of Asia on the spread of Greek education, the Greek tongue,

______________________
1. Plutarch, De fortuna Alexandri I, 7. --p57--


Map of the dominion of Alexander the Great. Shown are his victorious march and the new cities (Alexandrias) founded. (From Macedonia, 4,000 Years of Greek History and Culture, Ekdotiki Athinon, Athens 1982, p.132)


Greek communal life and the Greek city state. Greek became the language of education and civilization. The whole of Asia read Homer and Persians, Susians and Gedrusians knew the tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides.


The 'Old Testament' was translated into Greek in the 2nd century B.C. because the Jews of Egypt knew only Greek due to the Greek settlement under the Macedonian Ptolemies. The same situation existed in most of Asia. The First Book of Maccabees was translated from Hebrew into Greek, but the Hebraic text has not survived. The Second and Third books of Maccabees were written in Greek. Alexander the Great is mentioned also in the 'Old Testament' where his illustrious personality is described.


RELIGIOUS SOURCES ON ALEXANDER


Old Testament. Maccabees I ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The First Book of Maccabees begins with the world dominion of Alexander the Great. The text mentions that, <<Alexander son of Philip of Macedon after his victory came out of the land of the Chitim and crushed Darius the king of the Persians and the Medes, and reigned in his place after he had already become ruler of Greece>>(1). <<...and he crossed to the ends of the earth... and the land was peaceful under him>>(2). <<...he became the
ruler of countries, of nations and of kings>>(3). <<After this he fell in bed ill and knew that he will die>>(4). <<And he called his glorious friends, and the companions of his youth and divided his kingdom while still alive>>(5). <<..Antiochus...became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks [Seleucids]>>(6).

____________________
1. <<After Alexander son of Philip, had defeated Darius, king of
the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as a king (He had
previously become king of Greece)>>. Maccabees 1 (1, 1).
2. <<He advanced to the ends of the earth...the earth became quiet
before him>>. Maccabees 1 (1, 3).
3. <<And ruled over countries, nations and princes>>.
Maccabees 1 (1, 4).
4. <<After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying>>.
Maccabees 1 (1, 5).
5. <<So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been
brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them
while he was still alive>>. Maccabees 1 (1, 5).
6. <<Antiochus...began to reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh
year of the kingdom of the Greeks>>. Maccabees 1 (1, 10).