FYROM sources : Ancient Macedonians were Hellenes

[akritas]

Individual Members and periodicals of The FYROM Academy of Arts and Sciences in various studies have accepted the Hellenic origin and culture of the ancient Macedonians.

Ivan Mikulčić states “The northern periphery of the Greek world, inhabited by ancient Macedonians and other peoples and tribes, wasn't developed for democracy as the most developed social system at that time."1


The Macedonian Heritage adds, "During the early archaic period at the Macedonian territory, the Dorian tribal groups came across over the Pindos Mountain. They established several early principalities partially by chasing away the local Paeonian tribes. Those [Dorian] tribal groups were the ancient Macedonians." 2

“The lower part of Vardar [Greek Axios] is certainly the area south of Demir-Kapija gorge that entered Hellenic cultural sphere very early and already before 600 BC the material culture is thoroughly Hellenised.”3

More over Vera Bitrakova-Grozdanova states "The Art of Antiquity left in the region of Ohrid a great number of traces of its own presence. Illyrian forts imported goods from Greek centers and imitated them in a modest fashion. Political advancement of the Macedonians and their domination enabled cultural influx that manifested itself through products of crafts and alphabet. From the times of Phillip II deeper advances in the area of Lychnidos [Lake Ohrid] are attested. Cultural influences of the Graeco-Macedonian world are present. Rich Hellenistic culture arrived at Illyrian soil."4

The publication “Arheologija” voices “Certain proto-populations occupying distinct areas of the Balkans could be distinguished on the territories of the cultural groups: in western part of the Balkans the proto-Illyrians, in the east the proto Thracians, in the south the Hellenes, in the northern part of the Balkans the proto Daco-Mysians and in the southwest of the Central Balkans the proto-Bryges.”5
No mention of the Macedonians, since they were Hellenes or Greeks.

Paeonia was located in the middle of the present day FYROM having Astibus (Štip) as its capital and Vylazora (Veles) as one of the most important cities. Fanica Veljanovska declares “Paeonians, a people who during the first millennia BC inhabited the border area between the three great paleo-balkanic peoples - Illyrians, Thracians and Greeks.”6
She mentions no Macedonians since she considers the Macedonians Greeks.

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1 Mikulčić,Ivan "Ancient towns in the Republic of Macedonia", Skopje,1999, p.9
2 "Macedonian Heritage",No 1, July 1996, p.5
3 "The Valley of Vardar in 1st millennium BC", Skopje,1982, p.2
4 "Ohrid" by Vera Bitrakova-Grozdanova ,in:"The Art in Macedonia" ,Skopje 1984, pp.85
5 "Bryges on the central Balkans in the 2nd and 1st millennium BC.” (summary)
"Arheologija" No 1, Skopje 1995
6 Veljanovska, Fanica "An Attempt at Anthropological Definition of the Paeonians", Skopje,1994

[akritas]

Vera Bitrakova - Grozdanova asserts "Greek epigraphic monuments created before definitive Roman domination of our area are to be found in modest quantity."7

Moreover, Dr. Bitrakova-Grozdanova states "Study of the inscriptions speaks about epigraphic characteristics of the neighboring Macedonian - Hellenic world".8
She also mentions "Having the central position in this part of the Balkans, Paeonia, apart from receiving influences from the Hellenic south, wasn't an exception with regard to influences from Illyrian and Thracian sphere."9

Dr. Bitrakova-Grozdanova would not have made such a statement if she did not feel the Macedonians were Greeks living south of Paeonia.

Viktor Lilčić describes life in Paeonia and the northern part of Upper Macedonia (Pelagonia) "The quantitative ceramic material used to be produced with the usual process including the labor of persons. Partly because of that, partly because of the traditions that had taken roots into our soil, which with centuries before that used to be watered with Hellenic spirit and Hellenistic way of life, the use of the building ceramics had been brought to minimum"10

Pelagonia on the other hand was the area just north of Lyngistis (Florina-Bitola) and its inhabitants were Molossian speaking Macedonians of Upper Macedonia. Statements about Pelagonia are made by Ivan Mikulčić, an excellent Archaeologist, the first to concur that the ancient Macedonians were Greeks.

Mikulčić states, “we are not to be amazed that in the archaeological material of Pelagonia we have a rarely great wealth of reflections of all pronounced cultural events in the relations between middle-Danubian and Graeco-Aegean world.”11
Also, he determines “in a such great chronological distance in the life of ancient Pelagonia two stages are visible: development and existence in the frames of Hellenic culture and later the Roman one”12
“Even in the last decades of 5th century stabilization in all spheres of social life is established. As first sign of the new time import from Graeco-Macedonian south appeared as well as fortified settlements that later grew into urban centers with character of economic and religious nuclei of the region.”13


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7 Bitrakova Grozdanova,Vera "Hellenistic Monuments in S.R.Macedonia", Skopje,1987,p. 130


8 Bitrakova Grozdanova,Vera "Hellenistic Monuments in S.R.Macedonia", Skopje,1987. p.103
9 Bitrakova Grozdanova,Vera "Hellenistic Monuments in S.R.Macedonia", Skopje,1987 p.134
10 Lilcic,Viktor "Building ceramics in the Republic of Macedonia during the Roman Period: Scupi, Stobi, Heraclea Lynkestis, Styberra", Skopje, 1996, pp. 120
11 Mikulčić,Ivan, Pelagonija, Skopje,1966, pp. 2
12 Mikulčić,Ivan, Pelagonija, Skopje,1966, p.4
13 Guide to the archaeological exhibition", Skopje,1996, pp. 54

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

Very worthy research there Akritas.

[akritas]

Philip
we (the Greeks) must understand that some shollars in the FYROM are not follow hard and extremistic lines (Uranio Toxo, Donski, Illyev, Stefov e.t.c.) in order to expand their nationalistics ideas such as Macedonia unification or human rights.