Средновековие:
В периода 7-14 век след Хр., под името “Македония” се разбира днешна “Одринска Тракия”(Източна Тракия). Одринска “Македония” е била обикновенна административна единица, често влизаща в пределите на българската средновековна държава. В средновековните исторически хроники, Василий ІІ (българоубиеца), е наричан “македонец”, с което се подсказвало неговото родно място. Т.е., че той произлиза от Източна Тракия (едно село, край Одрин).В изготвената македонската историческа хронология за периода 7-14 век, се има в предвид, случилото се в земите на днешна Македония.
517 Първо нахлуване на славяни в Балканския полуостров.
518 Силно землетресение в днешния град Скопие.
597 Първо славянско нападение срещу Солун.
609 Второ славянско нападение срещу Солун.
620 Трето славянско нападение срещу Солун.
622 Четвърто славянско нападение срещу Солун.
645-647 Пето славянско нападение и обсада на Солун.
676—678 Умира Св. Димитри Солунски.
677 Солун е разтърсен от силно земетресение.
686 Прабългарски орди навлизат и се заселват завинаги в Керамисийското поле.
688 Българите от Дунавска България и свободните славяни от Източна Македония сключили съюз срещу Византия.
695 Славяните превземат Скопие (според сър Артър Еванс).
705 Византийската империя признава самостоятелността на Българската държава.
758 Македонските славяни защитават българската държава, по време на първия поход на император Константин Копроним, срещу тяхния братски съюз.
735—737 Македонските славяни се опитват да завладеят Солун.
773 (774) Владетелят на Дунавска България, хан Телериг посещава Македония.
783 Бунт на славянските племена около Солун срещу византийската власт.
789 Общ поход от македонските славяни и прабългарите, срещу племето Струмци.
837—838 Окончателното присъединяване на цяла Централна и Западна Македония към България по времето на българския хан Пресиян.
855 Свети св. Кирил и Методий съставят първата славянска азбука.860 Мисия на Светите братя Кирил и Методий при хазарите.
863 Мисия на Светите Солунски братя Кирил и Методий във Великоморавия.
867 Светите славянски първоапостоли Кирил и Методий се настаняват в Рим.
869 (14.02.) В Рим умира Свети Кирил.
873 Ръкополагане на неговия брат Методий за архиепископ във Великоморавия.
885 (06.04) Свети Методий умира.
886 Ученици на Св. св. Кирил и Методий пристигат в България.
893 Ръкополагане на Св. Климент Охридски за епископ в областите Драгувития и Велика.
904 Разширение на българската държава в македонските крайща.
904 Окончателното установяване на границите в югозападните земи (Македония) на българската държава, посредством договора с Византия.
904 Арабите превземат Солун.
907 (1 май) Смъртта на Св. Цар Борис.
910 (23.12) Умира Свети Наум Охридски.
914 Битки между Симеон, войски и гърците за завладяване Солун и Дурацо.
916 (27.VІІ) Умира Св. Климент.
919 Учредяване на българарска патриаршия и прогласяване Симеон за “Цар на Българите”.
926 Войските на цар Симеон обсаждат Солун.
930 Бунт на първородния Симеонов син-Михайл в областта на долна Струма.
963 Македонските българи под натиска на околните вражески за българите на Балканите племена, правят опит да обявят независимост под династията на Шишман Мокри.
970 В западната част на Българарската държава, продължава да функционира държавната власт, начело с братята Давид, Мойсей, Арон и Самуил (синове на известния български архонт-комит Никола).
976 Западното българско царство се преообразува като отделна държавна единица, явяваща се пряк продължител на българските държавни институции. Това е била държава, в която българите не са били бесени и не са лежали в затвори, а са били нейните ръководители. Тъкмо и заради това Самуиловата държава става голяма.
976 или 977 Мойсей, син на Шишмана Мокри и брат на Самуила, бива убит при обсадата на гр. Серес.
976 или 977 Мойсей, син на Шишмана Мокри и брат на Самуила, бива убит при обсадата на гр. Серес.980 Самуил е провъзгласен за цар на новата (западната) българска държава.
980 Учредява се Охридската патриаршия.
981 (около) Византийският цар заселва много арменци в Македония.
983—996 Самуил многократно напада северозападните (сръбски) племена, с цел да ги присъедини към западното българско царство.
983 Българският цар Самуил, завладява почти цяла Тесалия и град Лариса.
986 Преспа е провъзгласена за столица на Западната българска държава (Самуиловото царство).
986 Първа война на византийския император Василий IІ (македонец) срещу българския цар Самуил.
987—989 Цар Самуил присъединява към западната българска държава района на Драч и някои сръбски племена.
989—920 Разширение на западното българското царство в Солунско и превзимане на крепостта Верея (Бер).
990 (около) Охрид е провъзгласена за столица на Западното българско царство.
991—994 Втората война Василий ІІ (македонец), срещу цар Самуил.
995 Българските войски побеждават византийците при Солун.
996 Цар Самуил навлиза в Пелопонес.
996 Поражението на българите при р. Сперкей (Пелопонес).
998 Поход, последвал със завладяване от страна на цар Самуил на единствените славянски племена, които чак до 12 век не могат да направят своя държава-сърбите.
999—1002 Третата война на Василий II (македонец) срещу цар Самуил. Падането на Видин и Скопие под византийците.
1014 Поражението на българите при Беласица.
1014 ( 6 Х) Умира българския цар Самуил, не можещ да преживее един от най-големите варварски актове през цялото Средновековие-съзнателното ослепяване на 15 000 негови боици от византийците, по заповед на император Василий ІІ (македонец). Всички съвременници на събитието както и средновековните автори та чак и до днес, продължават да наричат император Василий ІІ-българоубиец.
1014— 1015 Царува на българския престол Гаврил Радомир.
1015 Византийският император Василий ІІ (българоубиец) превзема Мъгленската крепост.
1015 Четвърта война на Василий II (българоубиец) срещу западното българско царство.
1015 —1018 Български цар е Иван Владислав.
1018 Цяла Македония и България са окончателно покорени от Византийския император Василий II (българоубиец).
1018 Цяла Македония и България са окончателно покорени от Византийския император Василий II (българоубиец).1018 — 1040 Охрид става главен град на темата (областта) “България”.
1020 Византийският цар признава самостоятелността на българската архиепископия в Охрид.
1037 През тази година умира първия архиепископ (след падането на самуиловото царство) на Охридската архиепископия-Йоан Охридски, роден в Дебърско.
1040—1041 Българския болярин Петър Делян повдигна възстание в Скопие против византийците.
1040 —1050 След град Охрид и Скопие става главен град на темата „България".
1041 Византийският император Михаил IV потушава скопското възстание, като залавя Петър Делян и го ослепява.
1064 Куманите нахлуват на Балканския полуостров и достигат до западна Македония.
1072 — 1073 Българските боляри под водителството на Георги Войтех възстанали в Скопие против византийците.
1081 Норманите навлязат в Балканския полуостров откъм Драч (Дурацо) и стигат до Скопие.
1107—1111 Второ нашествие на норманите в Македония.
1111 Изгаряне на богомила Василий в Константинопол.
1185 Нормански морски пирати превземат Солун и го опустошават.
1186 Братята Петър и Асен, вдигат бунт и създават т.нар. ІІ българска държава, със столица град Търново (дн. Велико Търново).
1195 Българският цар Роман и брат му Петър навлизат в Македония, и с помоща на местното българско население прогонват византийците от Серско.
1197—1203 Добромир Хриз става войвода на Струмица.
1198 Поход на византийците, срещу Добромир Хриз.
1203 Цар Калоян присъединява Македония към българската държава.
1204 При 4-ия кръстоносен поход латините завземат Цариград и си разделят Византийската империя. Македония се пада на Бонифации, монфератски маркиз, който се прогласил за Солунски крал.
1204—1222 Град Солун е управляван от латините.
1204 Кардинал Лев, легат на римския папа Инокентий, на 7/XI донесъл архиерейски митри (корони) за епископите Скопски, Велбъждски и Бранички.
1205— 1206 Цар Калоян превзема Охрид.
1207 (08.Х) Цар Калоян обсаждайки Солун бива убит под стените му.
1208 Латинците превземат град Костур и основават в него католическа епископия, подчинена на Цариградския латински патриарх.
1211 (11.02) Събор против ереса на Богомилите.
1211 Неуспешен български поход срещу латинците в Пелагонийското поле.
1217 Епирския деспот Теодор Комнин Дука превзема градовете Охрид, Прилеп и Скопие и подчинява Охридската архиепископия под византийска власт.
1223—1224 Солун бива отнет от латинците.
1240 Цар Асен ІІ става суверен на Солун и поставя за управител своя тъст кир Тодор.
1246—1257 Михаил II Асен завоюва Южна Тракия и Източна Македония от никейците.
1262 Константантин Асен воюва в Македония.
1262 Константантин Асен воюва в Македония.
1263 Византийците нападат български области в Македония.
1265 Цар Константин Асен изгубва своите владения в Македония.
1377 Кръстоносците изгарят Зографския манастир в Св. Гора с 25 иноци.
1282 След като създават само преди няколко десетилетия за пръв път своя държава, сърбите през тази година завладяват един малък кът от северна Македония.
1285 Татарските орди на хан Ногай минават Стара планина, опустошават всичко българско и навлизат в Македония, която също опустошили.
1330 (28.VІІ) При Велбъжд, българската армия е разбита от сръбските войски.
1330 Град Щип падна в ръцете на сръбския крал Стефан Дечански.
1330 Град Щип падна в ръцете на сръбския крал Стефан Дечански.
1334 Сърбите завладяват Охрид.
1346 Цар Стефан Душан Силни провъзгласява град Скопие за своя столица. Там се коронясал за цар на сърби, българи и гърци.
1350 През тази година почват нападенията на османците върху българските земи.
1364 Османската империя се закрепва на Балканския полуостров.
1368 (ок.) Крал Вълкашин отново повърнал скопската епархия подведомството на охридската патриаршия.
1371 При гр. Чермен (на р. Марица) са поразени от османците, войските на автономните-но не и независими владетели на някои македонски крайща, Вълкашин и Углеш.
1372 Кралевич Марко от Прилеп става васал на османците.
1373 Турците завладяват приморието между реките Места и Струма заедно със Сер.
1374 Турците превзели Кюстендил, Сер, Кавала, Драма и др.
1374 Турците покоряват прилепското кралство и Велбъждското княжество.
1375 Турците превземат град Велес.
1378—79 Правени са обикновенни турски монети в Кратово.
1381 Градовете Битоля и Щип попадат под турско владичество.
1385 Турският военачалник Румели бейлербей Демир-Тели, покорява Прилеп и Битоля.
1389 (15.VІ) Косовският бой— своеобразен край на балканската съпротивата, срещу Османската империя.
1392 За кратко Солун е превзет от турците.
1392 Османската империя завладява Скопие.
1393 Османските войски завоюват Търново, с което се слага края на българската средновековна държава.
1384 (10. X.) Смъртта на Крали Марко и Константин при Ровини (Молдава).
1397 Св. Гора е била опустошена от испанските каталонци.
1419 В Сер бе наказан със смърт мохамеданския законоведник Махмуд Бедрик, който заедно с Муса, се беше разбунтувал против Султан Мохамед І.
1430 Опустошително земетресение в Солун, от което се възползуват турците и превземат града.
1438 Султан Мурат изпепелява Скопие.
1440 През тази година е основан от влашки планинци (овчари) град Крушово (Битолско).
1444 При град Дебър Гeорги Кастриоти (Скендербег) албански независим господар, разбива турците.
1453 Турците усвояват окончателно Цариград.
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1 comment:
LEARN TO KNOW, ALL OF YOU FYROMIAN IDIOT STEALERS, THE ONLY ONE TRUTH ABOUT MACEDONIA. MACEDONIA IS ONE AND ONLY, MACEDONIA IS GREECE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q4-QeRBuy4
There is no doupt that ancient Macedonians were Greek. It is thoroughly proved by historic documents and archaeological discoveries which can be found in history books and museums in Greece and arround the world. The most important archeological discovery in Macedonia is the tomb of King Philippos II. It was excavated in Vergina, Greece in 1978 and it proves beyond any doubt the Greekness of ancient Macedonia. All the findings are characteristic of the Greek culture and all the inscriptions are written using the Greek language. Among the discoveries of this tomb is the "Vergina sun" the symbol that FYROM attempted to use on its flag initially.
Facts which prove that ancient Macedonians were Greek people:
• Macedonians spoke a dialect of the Greek language
All the monuments and inscriptions found in the Macedonia are written using the Greek language. Take a look at the archaeological discoveries. There is no historic evidence to suggest that the Macedonians were using a different language.
• Macedonians had Greek names
All the ancient Macedonian names mentioned in history or found on tombs are Greek. All the kings of Ancient Macedonia had Greek names. Nobody discovered ancient Macedonian names ending to -ov or -ovski or whatever.
Alexander's name is Greek. The word "Alexandros" is produced from the prefix alex(=protector) and the word andros(=man) meaning "he who protects men". The prefix "alex" can be found in many Greek words today (alexiptoto=parachute, alexisfairo=bulletproof - all these words have the meaning of protetion).
Philip's name is also Greek. It is produced from the prefix Philo(=friendly to something) and the word ippos(=horse) meaning the man who is friendly to horses. The prefix "philo" and the word "ippos" are also found in many words of Greek origin today (philosophy,philology, hippodrome,hippocampus).
A detailed list of ancient Macedonian names can be found here.
• The regions of ancient Macedonia had Greek names.
The regions which formed ancient Macedonia had Greek names. Most of these names are used in Greece even today. You can see a list of the regions of ancient Macedonia here.
• Macedonian architecture was similar to the Greek architecture.
All the buldings found in the Macedonia region have many common characteristics with the ones found in the rest of Greece. Palaces, temples, theaters markets are characteristic sampes of ancient Greek architecture.
• Macedonians fought together with the rest of the Greeks.
Macedonians always fought along with the other Greek city-states against enemies from Asia.
• Macedonians took part in the Olympic games.
It is well known then ONLY Greeks were allowed to take part in the ancient Olympic games. For a list of Macedonians who participated in the Olympic Games click here.
• Macedonians celebrated the same festivals as the rest of the Greeks.
Examples of festivals which were celebrated in Macedonia as well as in other Greek states are the "Hetaireidia", the "Apellaia" and many more.
• Macedonians worshiped the same Gods as the rest of the Greeks.
Several temples dedicated to the Greek Gods have beem discovered in Macedonia and especially in Dion the religious center of ancient Macedonians. It is obvious that the Macedonias worshiped the 12 Olympian Gods as the rest of the Greeks. The Gods were "living" on Mount Olympos which happens to be located in Macedonia. How would that be possible if there was hostility between Macedonians and Greeks? This is another proof that Macedonia was considered a part of Greece.
• Are FYROM's residents Macedonians?
A quick review of the Fyromian web sites wil prove that they seem to be confused themselves:
Some of them believe they are descedants of ancient Macedonians
Some of them beleive that they can consider themeselves Macedonians since they live in a part of what used to be ancient Macedonia
Some of them believe they are Macedonians but not directly linked to ancient Macedonians
Some of them believe they are Macedonians because they are free to call themselves as they like(!!!)
The official web site of the president of FYROM states clearly that these people came to Macedonia at the end 10th century:
"The beginnings of the statehood of the Macedonian Slaves go back to the end of the 10th century and beginning of the 11t, with the creation of Samoil's state."
Link: http://www.president.gov.mk/eng/makedonija.htm
Also the first president of FYROM president Mr. Kiro Gligorov confirmed twice that they are not related to the ancient Macedonians:
"We are Slavs who came to this area in the sixth century ... we are not descendants of the ancient Macedonians."
(from the Foreign Information Service Daily Report, Eastern Europe, February 26, 1992, p. 35. )
"We are Macedonians but we are Slav Macedonians. That's who we are! We have no connection to Alexander the Greek and his Macedonia. The ancient Macedonians no longer exist, they had disappeared from history long time ago. Our ancestors came here in the 5th and 6th century (A.D)."
(from the Toronto Star newspaper, March 15, 1992)
The following questions are obvious:
Why do you call yourselves "Macedonians" and your language "Macedonian"?
Why do you use ancient Macedonian symbols if they don't belong to you?
The historic truth is that the Slavs descented into the region not before the 6th century long after ancient Macedonia was homogenized with the rest of Greece. They don't have any historical cultural or linguistic ties with ancient Macedonia and they would be realy foolish if they officialy claimed that they did. There is no historic or archaeological evidence connecting them with ancient Macedonia.
In any case occupying 25% of ancient Macedonian land does not give them the right to steal the Macedonian history and culture. The Macedonian civilization was part of the ancient Greek civilization. This is well known and recorded in history books. It is part of Greece's national inheritance and it can not be used by anyone else.
• Why FYROM should not be named "Macedonia"
FYROM's residents have no historical cultural or linguistic ties with ancient Macedonia.
The heart of ancient Macedonia was not in the teritory which FYROM occupies but in the Greek part of Macedonia were all the major archaeological discoveries took place.
The name "Republic of Macedonia implies a teritorial threat against Greece and other countries and it creates a great risk of renewed ethnic conflict in the Balkans.
The area of FYROM was never called "Macedonia" before the 2nd World War. This name was given to the Southern Yugoslavian providence by General Tito aiming to create conflicts in the region and to obtain Greek and Bulgarian teritories. Before the 2nd World War FYROM was called Vardarska.
Click here to see a map of Yugoslavia from 1937 Click here to see a Yugoslavian stamp from 1939.
FYROM's population is a mixture of many different ethnic groups. Only 60% of them are "Macedonians". There is also a large minority of Albanians (30%) and smaller groups of Serbs Turks, Greeks and others.
Ancient Macedonia and its civilization was part of the ancient Greek civilization.
Suggestions
Some suggestions for FYROM's permanent name:
The name this region used since the 2nd world war - Vardarska
The ancient name of the region - Paionia
A name which describes the country geographicaly - Central Balkan Republic
• What do the scholars say?
From "A History of Macedonia"
by Malcom Errington (Philipps-Universitat in Marburg, Germany)
University of California Press, 1993
Page 3
"That the Macedonians and their kings did in fact speak a dialect of Greek and bore Greek names may be regarded nowadays as certain."
Page 4
"Ancient allegations that the Macedonians were non-Greek all had their origin in Athens at the time of the struggle with Philip II."
From "Alexander's empire"
by John Pentland Mahaffy (University of Dublin, Ireland)
G Putnam's sons, London, 1881
Page 8
"... for with Alexander the stage of Greek influence spread across the world. "
• What do the ancient historians say?
» On the origin on the Macedonians
» On the language of the Macedonians
» On the religion of the Macedonians
» On the culture of the Macedonians
» On the geography of Macedonia
» What did the Macedonians think of themselves?
» What did the rest of the Greeks think?
On the origin of the Macedonians
The Greek origin of the Macedonians is proven by the vast majority of the ancient historians.
Diodoros of Sicily talks about the links of Alexander to the Greek mythology (Diodoros, Historical Library 17.1.5):
"On his father's side Alexander was a descendant of Heracles and on his mother's he could claim the blood of the Aeacids, so that from his ancestors on both sides he inherited the physical and moral qualities of greatness."
Herodotus confirms that the Macedonians were people of Greek origin (Histories of Herodotus Book 5, paragraph 22.1)
"Now that these descendants of Perdiccas are Greeks, as they themselves say, I myself chance to know and will prove it in the later part of my history.That they are so has been already adjudged by those who manage the Pan-Hellenic contest at Olympia. "
And later on (Book 8, paragraph 137.1) he verifies it:
"This Alexander was seventh in descent from Perdiccas, who got for himself the tyranny 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 Lebaea."
Also in the very first book of his "Histories" (paragraph 56.3 ) Herodotus states about the origin of the the Greek people :
"For in the days of king Deucalion it inhabited the land of Phthia, then the country called Histiaean, under Ossa and Olympus, in the time of Dorus son of Hellen; driven from this Histiaean country by the Cadmeans, it settled about Pindus in the territory called Macedonian; from there again it migrated to Dryopia, and at last came from Dryopia into the Peloponnese, where it took the name of Dorian."
Thoukididis also verifies that the Macedonian kings' origin was from the Greek town of Argos (Book 2, 99.3):
"The country on the sea coast, now called Macedonia, was first acquired by Alexander, the father of Perdiccas, and his ancestors, originally Temenids from Argos."
Aristotelis, the teacher of Alexander the Great says about the rivers in Macedonia (Meteorologika, Book I, Par. 13):
"Of the rivers in the Greek world, the Achelous flows from Pindus, the Inachus from the same mountain; the Strymon, the Nestus, and the Hebrus all three from Scombrus; many rivers, too, flow from Rhodope."
Finally Isocratis states (To Philip, paragraph 32):
"Argos is the land of your fathers, and is entitled to as much consideration at your hands as are your own ancestors;"
On the language of the Macedonians
The Macedonians spoke the Greek language as the ancient authors verify. The Roman writer Titus Livius says : (from "The Foundation of the City", Paragraph 31)
"The Aitolians, the Akarnanians, the Macedonians, men of the same language, are united or disunited by trivial causes that arise from time to time; with aliens, with barbarians, all Greeks wage and will wage eternal war; for they are enemies by the will of nature, which is eternal, and not from reasons that change from day to day."
Didorus of Sicily (17.67.1) says:
"After this Alexander left Dareius's mother, his daughters, and his son in Susa, providing them with persons to teach them the Greek language, and marching on with his army on the fourth day reached the Tigris River. "
On the religion of the Macedonians
The Macedonians had the same religion as the rest of the Greeks, they worshiped the twelve Olympian Gods.
Two quotes from Plutarch's "Alexander"
"Philip, after this vision, sent Chaeron of Megalopolis to consult the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, by which he was commanded to perform sacrifice, and henceforth pay particular honour, above all other gods, to Zeus;"
"He [Alexander he Great] erected altars, also, to the gods, which the kings of the Praesians even in our time do honour to when they pass the river, and offer sacrifice upon them after the Greek manner."
Diodoros of Sicily also makes clear that the Macedonnians worshiped the twelve Greek Gods:
Histories, Chapter 16, 95.2
"Along with lavish display of every sort, Philip included in the procession statues of the twelve Gods brought with great artistry and adorned with a dazzling show of wealth to strike awe to the beholder, and along with these was conducted a thirteenth statue, suitable for a god, that of Philip himself, so that the king exhibited himself enthroned among the twelve Gods."
Histories, Chapter 16, 91.5-6
"He (King Philip) wanted as many Greeks as possible to take part in the festivities in honour of the gods, and so planned brilliant musical contests and lavish banquets for his friends and guests. Out of all Greece he summoned his personal guest-friends and ordered the members of his court to bring along as many as they could of their acquaintances from abroad."
On the culture of the Macedonians
"Alexandros observed that his soldiers were exhausted with their constant campaigns. ... The hooves of the horses had been worn thin by steady marching. The arms and armour were wearing out, and the Hellenic clothing was quite gone. They had to clothe themselves in materials of the barbarians,..."
(Diodoros of Sicily 17.94.1-2)
On the geography of Macedonian
The great philosopher Aristotelis (Aristotle) considers the rivers in Macedonias as "rivers in the Greek world"
"Of the rivers in the Greek world, the Achelous flows from Pindus, the Inachus from the same mountain; the Strymon, the Nestus, and the Hebrus all three from Scombrus; many rivers, too, flow from Rhodope. ..."
(Aristotelis, Meteorology, Book 1, Par. 13)
and later on he says:
"The deluge in the time of Deucalion, for instance, took place chiefly in the Greek world and in it especially about ancient Hellas, the country about Dodona and the Achelous, a river which has often changed its course. Here the Selli dwelt and those who were formerly called Graeci and now Hellenes..."
(Aristotelis, Meteorology, Book 1, Par. 13)
What did the Macedonians think of themselves?
It is very clear from the surviving ancient sources that the Macedonians considered themselves to be Greeks.
In Herodotus (Book 9, paragraph 45.2) Alexander I , king of Macedonia says:
"... I myself am by ancient descent a Greek, and I would not willingly see Hellas change her freedom for slavery ..."
Alexander III (the Great) talking to the king of the Persians says: (Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander II,14,4)
"Your ancestors invaded Macedonia and the rest of Greece and did us great harm, though we had done them no prior injury [...] I have been appointed hegemon of the Greeks [...] "
Arrian ("Alexander the Great" 1,16,7) describes the following incident: After winning an important battle in Asia ...
"He [Alexander the Great] 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 Hellenes, except the Lacedaemonians, set up these spoils from the barbarians dwelling in Asia"
(Diodoros of Sicily 16.93.1)
"Every seat in the theater was taken when Philip appeared wearing a white cloak and by his express orders his bodyguard held away from him and followed only at a distance, since he wanted to show publicly that he was protected by the goodwill of all the Hellenes, and had no need of a guard of spearmen."
And from Flavious Josephus (11.8.5) we have the following incident where Alexander clearly considers himself a Greek:
"And when the book of Daniel was showed to him (Alexander the Great) wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended"
What did the rest of the Greeks think?
The ancient Greek people alwayws considered the Macedonians to be Greek as well. This can be easily proved because the Macedonians were members of all the Greek institutions, such as the Delphic amphictiony:
Pausanias writes in his book "Description of Greece" (10.3.3):
"The Phocians were deprived of their share in the Delphic sanctuary and in the Greek assembly, and their votes were given by the Amphictyons to the Macedonians."
and also in his book "Phokis" (8,2 & 4):
"They say that these were the tribes collected by Amphiktyon himself in the Hellenic Assembly: [...] the Macedonians joined and the entire Phocian race [...] In my day there were thirty members: six from each of Nikopolis, Macedonia and Thessaly [...] "
Aeschines (On the Embassy 2.32) gives evidence of the Macedonian king Amyntas taking part at the congress of the Lacedaemonian allies and the other Greeks:
"For at a congress of the Lacedaemonian allies and the other Greeks, in which Amyntas, the father of Philip, being entitled to a seat, was represented by a delegate whose vote was absolutely under his control, he joined the other Greeks in voting to help Athens to recover possession of Amphipolis. As proof of this I presented from the public records the resolution of the Greek congress and the names of those who voted".
Isocratis, one of the most impotant orators of ancient Greece says in his speach "To Philip" addressed to King Philip II of Macedonia (Paragaraph 127):
"Therefore, since the others are so lacking in spirit, I think it is opportune for you to head the war against the King; and, while it is only natural for the other descendants of Heracles, and for men who are under the bonds of their polities and laws, to cleave fondly to that state in which they happen to dwell, it is your privilege, as one who has been blessed with untrammeled freedom, to consider all Greece your fatherland, as did the founder of your race, and to be as ready to brave perils for her sake as for the things about which you are personally most concerned."
The Sicilian historian Diodoros says in his history about King Philip of Macedonia (Diodoros, Historical Library 16.95.1-2)
"Such was the end of Philip, who had made himself the greatest of the kings in Europe in his time, and because of the extent of his kingdom had made himself a throned companion of the twelve gods. He had ruled twenty-four years. He is known to fame as one who with but the slenderest resources to support his claim to a throne won for himself the greatest empire in the Greek world, while the growth of his position was not due so much to his prowess in arms as to his adroitness and cordiality in diplomacy.
Even the Persians considerd Macedonia a part of Greece! The Persian king Mardonius says : (From the Histories of Herodotus Book 7, Paragraph 9.1-2).
"We know the manner of their battle- we know how weak their power is; already have we subdued their children who dwell in our country, the Ionians, Aeolians, and Dorians. I myself have had experience of these men when I marched against them by the orders of thy father; and though I went as far as Macedonia, and came but a little short of reaching Athens itself, yet not a soul ventured to come out against me to battle. [...] Yet the Greeks are accustomed to wage wars, as I learn, and they do it most senselessly in their wrongheadedness and folly [...]. Since they speak the same language, they should end their disputes by means of heralds or messengers, or by any way rather than fighting; if they must make war upon each other, they should each discover where they are in the strongest position and make the attempt there. The Greek custom, then, is not good; and when I marched as far as the land of Macedonia, it had not come into their minds to fight."
Mardonius marched against the Greeks and he "went as far as Macedonia, and came but a little short of reaching Athens itself". Obviously he considers Macedonia a part of Greece!
• Simple answers to frequently used Slavic arguments
In this section we will attempt to answer a series of arguments used frequently to question the Greek identity of Macedonia.
"Greece officially denied the use of the name Macedonia after the Balkan wars."
This is a very inaccurate argument. There are several examples of state institutions and private businesses using the name Macedonia which operate in Greece since the early 1900s. These are just a few of them:
The "Macedonia" newspaper (1912)
The Society for Macedonian Studies (1939) [web site]
The museum of ancient Macedonia (1961) [web site]
The museum of the Macedonian struggle (1979) [web site]
Greece has been actively using the name Macedonia since its liberation from the Ottoman empire. If Greece's official position was to "deny the existence of Macedonia" how would it be possible for hundreds of private companies to be named after Macedonia?
"Greece has changed the "Macedonian" names of locations in the Macedonia region."
The Greek names are older than the Slavic ones and most of them have their roots in ancient Greece. The Greek names of the towns in Macedonia are also mentioned in the Bible. A characteristic example is Thessaloniki. This city was founded in 315 bc by the Macedonian king Kasssandros and it was named after Alexanders' half sister - Thessaloniki. How could the Greeks change the name from Solun (as the Slavs claim) to Thessaloniki in 1912 if that was the original name? The name Thessaloniki is even mentioned in the bible by St Paul. Why did he address his letters (epistoles) to the people of Thessaloniki and not the to the people of Solun?
What about the Greek names of towns inside FYROM used during the Ottoman times? Did Greece change them as well?
"Today's 'Greeks' and ancient 'Hellenes have no relation between them."
How is it possible for the people who live in the same region, speak the same language and have the same names and culture not to be descendants of the ancient inhabitants of the region? Similarly we could say that today's Egyptians are not descendants of ancient Egyptians and today's Chinese people are not descedants of ancient Chinese.
The name 'Greek' is in fact ancient as well as the famous philosopher Aristotelis verifies:
"...and she was not there forever, but after the cataclysm of Defkalion, which occurred in the Hellenic area, in fact, in the ancient Hellas, which was around Dodoni, and it changed many times the flow of Acheloos river. In that area live the Selloi and the ones that were once called Graecoi and are now called Hellenes..." [Aristotelis Meteorologika, I, 14]
"There is a large Macedonian minority in Greece"
There is no "Macedonian minority" in Greece because there is no such nationality. There is a small group of people who speak a Slavic dialect which is in fact different from what is claimed to be the "Macedonian language" These people are not a "Macedonian minority" as they consider themselves Greeks. There is also an even smaller group of Slav propagandists who are trying to create a Macedonian minority in Greece. Anyone who didn't consider him/herself Greek could and should have left Greece during the exchange of populations in 1919.
"One million people in Greece consider themselves Macedonians"
In the 1996 parliament elections in Greece the political party of the people who claim to be a "Macedonian minority" gained 3.485 votes (official result). In the 2000 parliament elections they didn't take up part at all. Of course there is no doubt of the integrity of the election procedures since Greece is a member of the European Union. If there was such a large number of "Macedonians" in Greece (1/10th) wouldn't be easy for them to stand up against the "Greek occupation"?
"Greece acquired illegally Aegean Macedonia in 1913"
Greece acquired 51% of Macedonia in 1913 as a result of the treaty of Bucharest. International treaties are not illegal. Furthermore Greece in 1913 was not a powerful country to acquire any land it desired. This land was "given" to Greece because it historically belonged to Greece and its residents were Greek.
"What gives Greece the right to name another country? This issue is straightforward, every country has the right to call itself whatever it wishes."
This is a misleading statement. The author knows very well why Greece is objecting to the use of the name Macedonia. In fact every country has the right to chose its own name as far as it does not belong to another country's history. The name Macedonia belongs to the Greek history. Greece has the right to protect its history and heritage.
"Saints Cyril and Methdje (or Kirl and Metodi) were not Greeks but Macedonians."
Saints Cyrilos and Methodios were Greeks born in Thessaloniki and this is well known to all Christians. Pope John Paul the B' in an official apostolic homily to the entire Catholic Church proclaimed that Methodius and Cyril "Greek brethren born in Thessaloniki" are consecrated as "heavenly protectors of Europe". John Paul B' repeated this statement in a speech delivered in the church of Saint Clements, in Rome. You can see the original document here.
"Greece stole the Macedonian history"
Greece does not 'steal' history. It has its own lengthy and respected history. It is the only thing that Greece has plenty of it. The Greek history and culture is respected by all the countries in the world. People who don't have their own history need to 'steal' someone else's...
"Linguistic science has at its disposal a very limited quantity of Macedonian words. A very limited quantity in this case is a quantity indeed, that Greeks cannot ignore."
This argument proves the Greek point that the "Macedonian language" was a Greek a dialect. There only exists "a limited quantity of Macedonian words" because the Macedonian dialect had "limited" differences from the Greek language.
How could it be possible for a separate "ancient Macedonian language" to disappeared after what Alexander had achieved?
"If Philip united and not conquered the Greeks why did Alexander leave 25.000 men of his army in Macedonia when he is about to face the strongest and most numerous army in the world?"
No sensible leader would go on a quest taking ALL his army with him and leaving his homeland unprotected!
And of course he did not leave 25.000 men in Macedonia because he was afraid of the other Greeks. Macedonia had lots of real enemies at its northern border (Illyrians, Dardanians,Paionians etc).
"If Macedonians were Greek then why only 30% of Alexander's army were Greek?"
The right question to ask is 'why as many as 30% of Alexander's army were from the rest of Greece?' After all Macedonians and Greeks were supposed to be enemies! The Macedonians 'conquered' the Greeks according to the Slavic version of the Macedonian history. The fact that a very significant part of Alexander's army were non-Macedonian Greeks shows the truth.
"Ancient Macedonians did not take part in the Olympic Games"
This is another false statement. It can be easily proved that people from Macedonia took part in the Olympic Games. For a list Macedonians who won the Olympic Games the click here.
"Ancient Macedonians fought against Greece."
This is another misleading statement. It is well known that the ancient Greek states were largely independed of each other and that often led to wars between them. Some well-known examples are the Peolloponisian was between Athens and Sparti, the Athenians quest in the island of Mitilini, the brutal war between Sparti and Thebes and many more. A war between two ancient Greek regions did not mean that one of them was not Greek.
"There are no ancient monuments written in the Macedonian language because Greek archaeologists destroy them when they are recovered."
Even if we accept that this is true it still doesn't explain why aren't there any monuments in the rest of Macedonia!
What about the ancient monuments in FYROM and Bulgaria?
What about the ancient monuments on Alexander's route in Asia?
Why aren't there any "non Greek Macedonian monuments" ?
Oh, I know why! The Greek archaeologists must have destroyed them as well !!!
"If in fact, "Macedonia is Greece", how come they feel the need to emphasize, to shout, and to proclaim over and over again? After all, we never hear them proclaiming that 'Thebes is Greece', or 'Sparta is Greece' ".
If the Salvs wanted to name heir country "Republic of Thebes" or "Republic of Sparta" who would shout out "Thebes and Sparta are Greek". But they are claiming to be Macedonians so we shout that
"MACEDONIA WAS GREEK"
"MACEDONIA IS GREEK"
"MACEDONIA WILL BE FOREVER GREEK"
• Bibliography about Macedonia
This is a list of books we recomend for further information about Macedonia and its history. The books listed below are written and published by non Greek authors and publishers so that they may not be characterised as biased.
"A history of Macedonia"
by N G L Hammond
and G T Griffith / F W Walbank
Oxford University Press, 1979
"In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great : A Journey from Greece to Asia"
by Michael Wood,
University of California Press, 1997
"A History of Macedonia (Hellenistic Culture and Society)"
by Robert Malcolm Errington and Catherine Errington
University of California Press, 1993
"Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Empire"
by A R Burn
The Macmillan Co, New York., 1948
"The nature of Alexander"
by Mary Renault
Penguin Books Ltd, 1975
"Griechische Geschichte : von den Anfanfen bis in die romische Kaiserzeit."
by Hermann Bengtson
Verlag C. Beck, Munchen, 1965
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