THE AUTHENTIC HISTORY
OF THE MACEDONIANS
GLORIOUS
MACEDONIA
RESEARCH –
STUDY
By A. KRASSANAKIS
Translation
in English
By Art Perdikis
|
|
THE ORIGIN (NATIONALITY) , THE LANGUAGE,
THE STATE AND WORLD-WIDE CONTRIBUTION
OF THE MACEDONIANS
 |
|
ΑΘΗΝΑ 2004
|
|
PART I
ORIGIN, NATIONALITY, LANGUAGE
AND THE
NATION (CITY-STATE) OF THE MACEDONIANS
|
||
|
A.
THE ORIGIN AND THE NATIONALITY OF THE MACEDONIANS
THE MACEDONIANS ARE
DORIANS,
HENCE AUTHENTIC, PURE
GREEKS/HELLENES
1. The
ancient historian Herodotus (A, 57 - 58 in cross-correlation with G, 43 and other)
reports that the Macedonians are Greeks and specifically from Dorian origin,
the same sect/race with the Spartans, Corinthians and others, the same nation
that in Peloponnesus it is called “Dorian” and in Pindos it is called
“Makedno (Macedonia)”.
The ancient historian Herodotus also reports that initially all the
world was the residence of barbarians, and that afterwards the Dorians
broke-away and created a separate nation, the Greek nation, and subsequently
joined this nation all the Pelasgoeans (sects/races of the Pelasgoeans, who
were the Dorians, Iones or Athenians, the Aeoleans or Thessalians and the
Achaeans or Argoeans), and also several other barbaric sects (races), i.e.:
“Later (the king
of Lydia)
started forth to examine who between the Greeks were the most powerful, that
he could make friends with. And while researching it, he found out that the
Spartans (Lakedaimoneans) and Athenians stood apart from all others, the
first among the Dorians, and the second among the Iones. Because these
nations (races) were the most known, indeed from the old years, the last one
Pelasgoean, and the first Greek.
The Athenians had never left Attica,
their original place of inhabitance, while the others had migrated from place
to place. Because, as long as Deukalion reigned they lived in Fthiotida,
while in the years of Doros’s reign, the son of Hellene, they lived in the
slopes of Ossas and Olympus, the country
that is called Istiaiotida. And since, having been driven out from Istiaiotida
by the Kadmeans, they lived in Pindos under the nation named Makednon. From
there again they migrated and went to Dryopida, and from there they finally
moved to the area where they now occupy, that is to say in Peloponnesus,
and they were named the Dorian nation. “The Greek nation since its creation,
has always spoken the same language, that is my conviction, since however
separated from the Pelasgoean, which was weak and small in the beginning, it
later grew larger and multiplied in nations as it was mainly joined by the
Pelasgoeans and also by several other barbaric races. Finally, I believe that
the Pelasgoean nation because previously was barbaric, it never gained
greatness” (Herodotus A, 57 - 58).
“The Greek fleet in the Battle of Salamis consisted of
the following: From Peloponnesus the Lakedaimoneans/Spartans with 16 ships,
the Corinthians with an equal number of ships, which is what they also
contributed to the battle of Artemision. The Sikyoneans with ten ships, the
Epidaureans with ten, the Troizeneans with five, the Ermioneans with three.
All these, except the Ermioneans belong to the Dorian and Makednon/Macedonian
nation, who came to Peloponnesus from
Erineon and Pindos, and the last one from Dryopida. The Ermioneans are true
Dryopeans, who were driven away from the land called Dorida by Hercules and
the Maleans. From the Peloponnesians, the above were all the races that
contributed to the fleet (that is to say the Greek fleet in the Battle of
Salamis)”, (Herodotus, H 43).
2.
The ancient writer Stravon (Geographics 7), in regard to the nationality of
the Macedonians, clearly reports that the Macedonians are Greeks, i.e.:
«Εστίν
με ουν Ελλάς και η Μακεδονία, νυνί
μέντοι τη φύσει των τόπων ακολουθούντες και τω σχήματι χωρίς έγνωμεν από της
άλλης Ελλάδος τάξαι και συνάψαι προς όμορον αυτής Θράκης…» (Στράβων Γεωγραφικά, 7).
3. The ancient writer Apollodoros (C 8) reports that the Macedonians are
from Pelasgoean origin. Specifically he reports that the children of Zeus and
Niobi were Argos
and Pelasgos, and that from them all the Peloponnesians and others were named
Pelasgoeans. He also reports that son of Pelasgos was Lykaonas, the king of
the Arcadians, who with several different women had 50 sons: Thesproto, Makedno,
Mainalo, Fthio, Lykio, Orchomeno… and thus, the Pelasgoeans spread
throughoutn Greece
and in other lands as well, i.e.: «επανάγωμεν δε νυν πάλιν
επί τον Πελασγόν, όν
Ακουσίλαος
μεν Διος λέγει και Νιόβης, καθάπερ
υπέθεμεν, Ησίοδος δε αυτόχθονα. τούτου
και της Ωκεανού
θυγατρος
Μελιβοίας, ή
καθάπερ
άλλοι λέγουσι νύμφης Κυλλήνης, παῖς Λυκάων
εγένετο, ός
βασιλεύων
Αρκάδων
εκ πολλών γυναικών πεντήκοντα
παίδας
εγέννησε)·
Θεσπρωτός,
Μακεδνος…”
(Apollodoros, C, 8, 1)
4.
The ancient writer Appian reports that: “The Macedonians boast about their Argoean origin”,
(Appian from Macedonia
2).
5. The vice regent (and later king) Amyntas
of Macedonia proclaims to the king of Persia Farnabazo through those he has
sent to ask him for land and water as symbols of subjugation, the following: “to your king who has
sent you here make it known that one Greek (Hellene), the regent of
Macedonia, has treated you extremely well and with great care… ( Herodotus,
book E, 20).
6. The king of Macedonia Alexander A, son of Amyntas, goes to Athens and
makes a speech (as a Greek himself) warning the Athenians and the other
Greeks (Athenians and Spartans) concerning the intention of the Persians to
invade Greece. They at once, upon hearing this, hastened to
the outpost where they found Alexander, who addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, that which
I am about to say I entrust to your honour; and I compel you to keep it
secret from all except Pafsanias, so that it may not be used against my own
destruction. Had I not have greatly at heart the common welfare of all Greece, I would not be making this speech; but
I am myself a Greek by descent, and I would not willingly or otherwise see Greece
comprise freedom for slavery…. (Herodotus Book 9, 45)
7 The Old testament (Daniel G and Maccavian Ch. 1, 1 - 10) clearly
report that Alexander The Great and the Macedonians are Greeks. (For more see
later)
ALEXANDER’S
LETTER
TO
THE PERSIAN KING DARIUS
(In this letter, Alexander the Great explains who he
is and his army’s nationality, and the exact reasons for his military
campaign against the Persian King Darius)
“Your ancestors invaded Macedonia
and the rest of Greece
and committed horrific crimes, pillages and disasters to our people without
any provocation or wrongdoing from us at all. Now, that I have become king of
all Greeks, I have come to Asia in order to
avenge your unprovoked crimes and disasters you have committed against us....
In addition, you have helped the Perinthians, who unjustly wronged my father,
while Ohus sent his army to Thrace,
which was territory in our possession. Furthermore, my father was
assassinated by a conspiracy that you organized, as you yourselves have
advertised and propagated throughout the world...... I have therefore,
undertaken this military campaign against you, because you started the
animosity...." (Arrian B 14, 4).
THE
MACEDONIANS
AND
THE OLYMPIC GAMES
The Macedonians participated in the Olympic
Games, competition allowed only for Greeks, while the day that Alexander The
Great was born Parmenion defeated the Illyrians in a big battle, i.e.: “In regard to
Alexander’s origin from his father’s side that he was descendant of Hercules
by way of Karanos, and that from his mother’s side he was descendant of
Aiakos, by way of Neoptolemos, these are henceforth accepted facts…. And to
Philip II, who had just conquered Potidea simultaneously came three messages.
First, that the Illyrians were defeated by Parmenion in a big battle, second,
that he had won in the horse-riding event in the Olympic Games and third, the
birth of Alexander, (Plutarch, Alexander 1 - 3).
Macedonian Olympic champions: King Alexander
A’, in the 80th Olympic Games, 460 B.C. ran the Stadium and came-in second by
the slight margin of the chest. King Archelaos Perdikas, competed in the 93rd
Olympic Games, 408 B.C. and won in Delphi in
the tethrippon event. King Philip B΄won three times in Olympic competition:
In the 106th Olympic Games, 356 B.C. won the horse race. In the 107th Olympic
Games, 352 B.C. he ran and won the tethrippon event. In the 108th Olympic
Games, 348 B.C., he won the synorida event. Kliton won the Stadium event in
the 113th Olympic Games, in 328 B.C. Damasias of Amfipolis ran the Stadium
event and won. In the 115th Olympic Games, in 320 B.C. Lampou the Filippisios,
was the winner in tethrippon. In the
119th Olympic Games, in 304 B.C.Antigonos ran the Stadium event and won. In
the 122nd Olympic Games, in 292 B.C. and the 123rd Olympic Games 288 B.C.
Selefkos ran the Stadium event and won. In the 128th Olympic Games, 268 B.C.,
he won over a woman athlete from Macedonia in the event
‘syromenon’. The writer Pafsanias reports: “Winner they say in the ‘synorida’
event was declared a woman athlete from Velestich from coastal Macedonia”.
Similarly biographer Plutarch reports that
Philip II, father of Alexander The Great, engraved in the currencies the
victories of his chariots in Olympia (see Plutarch Alexander 4), as well as
that Parmenion, Philip’s general and Alexander The Great, won in horse racing
in the Olympic Games (see Plutarch, Alexander 3).
THE
GREAT FLOOD (CATACLYSM)
AND
THE BROTHERS: GRAIKOS, HELLENE, MAKEDON,
AND MAGNIS
The ancient writer Hesiod (Catalogue of Women or Eoiae), who is one of the most ancient writers of the world, reports that Graikos,
Hellene, Magnis and Makednon, that
is to say the ancestors of current day Hellenes or Greeks are brothers, the children of Zeus and Pandora, daughter of Defkalion, the only person that survived
with his wife the great flood (cataclysm) that occurred during his reign (the
flood of Defkalion), which is identified with that of Noah by the Jews and
according to the Pario Chronicle the flood of Defkalion occurred in 1265
before Diognetus = 1529 B.C., “and the daughter in
the house of the noble Defkalion, Pandora with the king of the gods Zeus,
heavily engulfed in love with the god of the sky and thunder gave birth to
the joyful Graikos. Herself again conceiving with Zeus gave birth for the
thunderbolt god two sons, Magnis and Makedon the delightful, who lived in the
slopes around the mountain ranges of Pieria and Olympus.
Magnis had two sons, Diktis and Polydektis, while Hellene, the bellicose king
had three sons: Doros, Xouthos and the delightful Aiolos .....” (Hesiod, Catalogue
of Women or Ioiai 1-6,”)
Τhe Pario Chronicle and the ancient writers
Aristotle (meteorological 1352
a), Apollodoros (A 7,3) report that the naming terms
Greeks and Greece initially were Graici and Graecia – Greece - Greeks (Latin
Graecia – Graeci, Greek Γραικία – Γραικοί) derived from the name of the first
brother with the name Graikos (Graecus, Γραικός), and subsequently Hellas –
Hellenes (Greek Ελλάς, Έλληνες), derived from the name of the other brother
named Hellene (Greek Ελλην), because this name came to symbolize ‘more powerful’.
Τhe
Pario Chronicle also reports
that in 1521 B.C. Hellene, the son of Defkalion, reigned in Fthiotida and
then renamed Hellenes all those who previously were called Graikoi.
THE
MACEDONIANS
AND
THE EGYPTIANS
The ancient writer Diodoros reports that the
Egyptians claim that the Greeks just as the rest of the other people of the
world are descendants of the human couple that was created first in Egypt, as
well as that the country from Pontus up to Attica, Peloponnesus, etc., hence
the country that today is called Greece, was called by the Egyptians
Macedonia, a name taken from Macedon, the son of the king of Egypt Osiri and
Isida, that is to say Macedon, who became king of this country when it was
conquered by the Egyptians during the reign of Osiri. That is to say, the
Egyptians say something that is roughly the same that is being said by the
Jews (that is, their descendants are all the other nations), and
simultaneously correlating Greece with Macedonia, or simply calling Macedonia
what we call Greece, i.e.: “The Egyptians claim
that during the genesis (creation) of life, the first people were created in
Egypt and from there they spread in the various places of the world (planet),
and this because the climate in Egypt is temperate and also due to the
natural fertility of the areas around Nile….”. Diodoros Sikeliotis, (Book 1,
10)).
“Osiri’s sons were Anoubios and Macedon, who
were known for their bravery. They wore elements of skin from animals on
their equipment. Anoubios wore dog-skin and Macedon wolf-bust... Osiris while
touring the world passed from Pontus
into Europe. In Thrace he killed the king of the
barbarians Lykourgos, who opposed him in his actions, while Maronas who was
old was spared and left to supervise the culture of plants that had imported
in his country which was named Maroneia. He left his son, Macedon, as king in
the country which was named after him Macedonia,
while to Triptolemo he assigned the oversight of agriculture in Attica .....”. Diodoros Sikeliotis, (Book 1, 18-20).
B.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE ANCIENT MACEDONIANS
The
ancient writers, Greeks and Romans, report that the ancient Macedonians were
Greeks and spoke Greek, i.e.:
"While
there (in India),
Nearchus’s sailors saw a stranger who wore the Greek mantle, behave like the
Greeks and spoke Greek. The first Greeks that saw him said that they were surprised,
overtaken by emotion and that they all cried. To them, it was such an
unexpected event after having suffered so many hardships, to meet another
Greek and to hear the Greek language. They asked him where does he come from
and who is he? He told them that he had come from the camp of Alexander and
that the camp and Alexander himself are not far from here. Upon hearing this,
applauding and shouting they all went to Nearchus”, Arrian's, (India 4, 33,
page 195).
“…the
Aetoleans, Akarnaneans and Macedonians, were people who spoke the same
language, and who from time to time were united or separated due to
insignificant causes and events that occur in the course of human events..."
Livius, (History of Rome, book XXX paragraph ΧΧΙΧ).
The Aetoleans and Akarnaneans were undeniably
Greek races. In one other circumstance Livius writes: “… General Paulus sat
in his official seat surrounded by a crowd of Macedonians… his statements
were translated in Greek and were repeated by the interpreter Gnaeus
Octavius…”. Livius, (History of Rome, Book XLV, paragraph XXIX). If the crowd
of Macedonians in this gathering did not speak Greek, then why the Romans
felt the need to translate the statements of Paulus in Greek?
It is
noted that:
a)
That the Macedonians were Greeks and that they spoke and wrote always Greek.
Irrefutable proofs are also the Macedonian signs (i.e., see here the
Macedonian inscription from the hommages of Macedonians in Athena Poliada, as
well as, the Macedonian currencies), i.e., see here the currency of Philip
and Alexander, to which as we see, the Macedonians not only spoke and wrote
Greek, but had also the same religion, as well as the same customs and traditions
with the other Greeks, since after all in the Macedonian currencies we see
the star and sun of the Dorians, and other..(compare for example with the
currencies of Itanos, Lyktos, Ierapytnas, and others of Crete).
b)
Because ancient Greece was not a united, single state, but many
“city-states”, each one of them had also developed its own language which
today it is called dialect - the reason for which the ancient writers report,
for example: “Alexander spoke Macedonian”, “Macedonian language” “ Greek
language” (= the common language) and others, but also for example: Philip
the Macedonian, Minoas the Kretan, Apollodoros the Athenian, and others.
c) Roughly, the ancient Greek
dialects-languages were: Dorian (spoken by the Spartans, Macedonians, and
others.), Ionean (spoken by the Athenians, the islanders, and others.), and
Aeolian (spoken by the Thessalians, and others). Something that is in effect,
to a limited degree, even today. A difference, for example, in the language
of the Macedonians from other Greek dialects (languages) is said to be the
following: “ the [Delfians do not use the letter B in place of F, as the
Macedonians do that says [Bilippos], [Balakros] and [Beroniki], and instead
of the letter P they naturally say “patein” “batein” and “pikron” “bikron”.
“Obysous” (= the month of oracles), therefore, is “Opysous”.
C.
THE COUNTRY (NATION) AND THE CAPITAL OF THE MACEDONIANS
The
ancient writer Thucydides (E and Z) reports that Macedonia
distinctly differentiated into two large geographic regions (sections), Upper
and Lower Macedonia. The ancient writer Xenophon (Greek E)
reports that the largest city of Macedonia was Pella and, historian Herodotus
calls Macedonia the country that lies beyond lake Prasiada and Dysodous
mountain, that is, the country that is
bordered from the North by the river Penaeus and mount Olympus. The first
Capital of the Macedonians was Edesa, until Perdikkas, 7th century B.C.,
founded one other in Aiges (= Vergina). From there in the 5th century B.C.
the seat (capital) was transferred by Archelaos to Pella. Today (continuing from the Byzantine
period) capital of Macedonia
is Thessaloniki.
The ancient writer Skylakas (Greece’s Tour),
in regard to the country of the Macedonians, reports: «Από
δε Πηνετού ποταμού Μακεδόνες
εισίν έθνος και κόλπος
Θερμαίος.
Πρώτη πόλις Μακεδονίας Ηράκλειον,
Δίον, Πύδνα πόλις Ελληνίς. Μεθώνη πόλις Ελληνίς και Αλιάκμων ποταμός, Αλωρός
πόλις και ποταμός Λυδίας, Πέλλα πόλις και βασίλειον εν αυτή και ανάπλους εις
αυτήν ανά τον Λυδίαν. Άξιος ποταμός, Εχέδωρος ποταμός, Θέρμη πόλις. Αίνεια
Ελληνίς, Παλλήνη άκρα μακρά εις το πέλαγος ανατείνουσα, και πόλεις αίδε εν τη
Παλλήνη Ελληνίδες. Ποτίδαια εν τω μέσω το ισθμόν εμφράττουσα, Μένδη, Άφυτις,
Θραμβηϊς, Σκιώνη, Κανάστραιον της παλλήνης ιερόν ακρωτήριον. (Σκύλακας,
Περίπλους- περί Μακεδονίας)
Provinces of Macedonia: Almopia, Bisaltia, Botiaia, Elimia, Eordaia, Idonis, Imathia, Kristonia, Lygkistis, Mygdonia, Odomantiki, Oresteias, Paionia, Pelagonia, Pieria, Sintiki, Chalkidiki.
Cities of Macedonia: Aigai, Pella, Bergina, Orestis, Argos, Orestikon, Heraklia, Dion, Thessaloniki, Amfipolis, Philippoi, Methoni, Pydna, Antigoneia, Gariskos, Olynthos, Aiani, Eratyra, Gortynia, Atalanti, Eidomeni, Gortynia, Arnissa, Apollonia and others.
Mountains
of Macedonia: Olympus, Askion, Bermion, Vernon,
Boion, Boras, Barnous, Kerkini, Messapion, Pieria mountains and others.
It is
also noted, that:
1) Herodotus reports that in Macedonia
apart from the Macedonians there also lived certain other races, such as the
Paiones and others: “Xerxes passing-by near the areas inhabited by the
Paioneans, Dobiraeans and the Paioplaeans, who lived North of Pangaiou,
proceeding West until arriving to the river Strimon and the Idonikian city
Hiona, which was then governed by Vogis”. According
to Homer, the Paioneans were also of Pelasgean origin, hence Greek races,
i.e.: “The bow-bearing Paioneans, the
Pelasgeans’s divine race”, Iliad, (K
450-455). However, the Paioneans during the
Persian wars, because they sided with the Persians, left from fear of
reprisal by the Macedonians and went to Asia Minor, in order to have the
protection of the Persians. In Macedonia
also lived the Agrianeans, who helped Alexander The Great in his campaign in Asia and that today it is believed that they are the so
called «Pomakoi».
2) Neighbors of the Macedonians were the
Thraceans (Greek race), the Skytheans (region of current day Romania) and
Illyrians (= the races North of Hepeiros).
THESSALONIKI, THE CURRENT CAPITAL OF
THE MACEDONIANS
( THE
NAME AND ORIGIN
OF THESSALONIKI)
The ancient writer St. Vyzantios reports that the
founder of Thessaloniki is King Philip II of Macedonia,
the father of Alexander the Great. This report is confirmed and validated by
a base of an ancient statue that has been found in Thessaloniki with the
inscription “ THESSALONIKI PHILIP’S QUEEN”, as
well as from the etymology of the name “Thessaloniki” (Thessalo = Thessalian
and niki = Victory, thus Thessaloniki or Τhessalonikeia,
meaning victory over the Thessalians).
King
Philip II of Macedonia, as
it is known from history, defeated during the III Sacred War
(355-352 B.C.) the Thessalian Army, and had a daughter (half-sister of
Alexander the Great) whose name was Thessaloniki,
a name apparently given to her due to her father's victory over the
Thessalians.
In addition, the ancient writer Stravon reports that
Kassandros in 316 B.C. united and gathered the people of the various
districts of the Thermaic gulf into a single city which he named after his
wife’s name Thessaloniki,
who was the half-sister of Alexander the Great.
Therefore, Thessaloniki
according to these two reports was built during the period of Philip's
daughter Thessaloniki,
and after the Macedonian victory over the Thessalians (352 B.C), and specifically
sometime between (352–316 B.C.).
D.
ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAME “MAKEDNOS” AND “MACEDONIA”
The name “Macedonia”, from which derived:
Macedon(ios) = Macedonian, Macedon (Greek Μακεδονία > Μακεδον(ίος) – Μακεδών), such as: Magnis,
Maketis and other, etymologically derive from the Dorian root «mak-» from which derive
the following: makos or in the Ionian dialect “mikos” (= length, long )
and magnus (= big = long, such as
macaroni, spaghetti and other), as well as the compound words: Macedonia,
makednos … In Odyssey (G' 106) it is reported as “οία τε φύλλα μακεδνής
αιγείρειο”, where the word “μακεδνης = makednis” reveals the adjective “makednos,
that is translated into ‘evmikei’, that is to say with ‘makos’ or (in the
Ionian dialect) «mikos”, meaning ‘length’ and consequently “Makednos” meaning ‘maketis
(evmikeis = tall’, referring to men and Macedonians = ‘evmikeis = tall men,
and thus “Macedonia” = the long
country.
Specifically, the name “Maked(a)nos” is a compound word, derived from
“makos” and “έd(a)nos” or “ed(a)nόs”.
The word “makos” or mak(r)os or (in the Ionian dialect) mikos” = length, long
(Latin maks > max = Greek megas or
magnis); from which derive: big, more,
major, magnus, grand, such as macaroni (spaghetti)… However, different is the
word: “makkos” with two ‘kk’ or contemporarily “makos”. The word “edanos”
Iliad (N, 172) with the tone in the suffix it means pleasant, “ednon” = sweet, savory, odoriferous and
other, from “edos > idy (ηδύς) ” and “idos, idomai” = pleased, satisfied.
With this etymology “makednos” means maketis = (long, tall) and edanos
(sweet, likeable, beautiful) meaning man. The word “ed(a)nos,” with the tone
in the first syllable means either the nation (derivative: “seat, capital”),
Dorida, cradle of the Dorians or the gift - the gifts (from ‘edna’,
‘ednaomai’-‘omai’, ‘ednoo’-‘o’ = gifts, I give away), hence “ednoi” -
mak-ednoi = Dorians - it is reminded that the Macedonians are of Dorian
origin.
With
this etymology “makednos” = maketis = (long, tall). Dorian (that is, “Dorians
trichaikes) and Macedonia
= the great Dorida.
|
|
PART II
THE EMERGENCE OF THE
MACEDONIANS,
THE PAN-HELLENIC ALLIANCE
AND THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN
ASIA & AFRICA
|
|
1. THE EMERGENCE OF THE MACEDONIANS
Following the defeat of the Persians through
the united (common) military campaign plan (League Of Corinth or Pan-Hellenic
League), Thoukydedis, (A 17) reports that, the Pan-Hellenic union of the
Greeks that had been created for the campaign against Persia was maintained
only for a short period of time and soon thereafter the city-states began the
long-lasting civil conflicts (Peloponnesian War, Voiotian War, and others),
frequently with the participation of the Persians, for the purpose of gaining
primacy, that is to say for who will gain control (hegemony) over the other
city-states. Initially, the Greeks were divided into two groups (sides). On
one side the Spartans and their allies and on the other the Athenians and
their allies, whereby sometimes one side would win and other times the other.
Taking advantage of this situation, a new Greek power emerged, that is, the
organized military city-state (kingdom) of the Macedonians, which until then
was being developed and organized secretly in the background. Specifically,
according to the ancient writers:
In 359 B.C., the king of the Macedonians
Perdikas III was killed in battle against the Illyrians and succeeding him to
the throne was Philip II (359-336 B.C.), who with his son Alexander III
planned to make Macedonia
the greatest single power in the world.
In 357 B.C. Philip II occupied Amfipolis and
Pydna.
In 356 B.C. Philip II defeats and drives away
the Illyrians. Isokrates, in his “ On Peace” speech, describes the
Pan-Hellenic Plan. The same year Alexander III is born. The same year Philip
occupied Potidea and the gold mines of Thrace and shortly thereafter suppresses
the Illyrian, Paionean and Thracian revolts and thus ensures the safety and
integrity of the northern borders of the kingdom. That is the reason that,
when during the Second Sacred War (355-346 B.C.) the Fokeians invaded
Thessaly, he accepted the invitation of the Thessalians for help, because
this was an opportunity for him to intervene in the affairs of Southern Greece. Hence, upon driving away the invading
Fokeians, he became the principal leader of all Thessaly and simultaneously
was seen in the eyes of the Greeks as the guardian and protector of the
sacred Delphi.
In 357 B.C. Philip II while attempting to
befriend the king of the Molossans of Hepeiros married his niece Olympia.
In 352 B.C. Philip II campaigned in Thrace
and all the way up to Propontis, and in 349 B.C. occupied Olynthos, despite
the disapproval and reaction of the Athenian Orator Demosthenes. The
non-intervention of the Athenians though rendered him principal leader in the
entire Chalkidiki. After this success, he negotiated and concluded with the
Athenians the “Filokrateio Peace” accord (346 B.C.), and immediately
afterwards he occupied Fokeida.
In 344 B.C. the Thessalians elected Philip II
as their sovereign leader and shortly thereafter Messinia, Megalopolis, Argos, Ilida, Evia, Hepeiros and Thrace became
his allies.
The Third Sacred War (339 B.C.) gave Philip
II the opportunity to occupy Amfissa and Elateia and thus making clear his
intention for a new and final confrontation with Southern
Greece.
This confrontation took place at Chaironeia
(338 B.C.), where he shattered in defeat the united army of the Athenians,
Thebans, Fokeians, Corinthians and Achaeans.
Subsequently he subjugated all Southern Greece, installing in these city-states
oligarchic regimes, the so-called
“Filippizontes".
It is Noted that:
1)
Diodoros
Sikeliotis, in regard to the emergence of the Macedonians, writes
(Translations in modern Greek from the publications “kaktos”): “King Philip II, son of Amyntas, reigned in Macedonia
24 years and even though started out with minimal presumptions, he built the
foundations of his kingdom so as to becomes the most important in Europe and
while when he became its leader Macedonia was occupied and enslaved by the
Illyrians, he transformed it into the chief (principal) kingdom among the
many large city-states (nations) and cities. Because of his exceptional
abilities, he undertook the leadership (hegemony) of all Greece with the
consent of cities that were willingly subjugated to him, for having defeated
in battle those that plundered and pillaged the sacred Delphi and rebuilt the
sacred temple; gained the alliance of the Congress of the Amfiktyones and,
because of his respect and devotion to the gods, received as a reward the
trust of the defeated Fokeians. Subsequently, when he defeated in battle the
neighbouring nations: Illyrians, Paioneans, Thraceans, Skytheans and all
other neighbouring nations, he planned the dissolution of the Persian Empire. Taking his troops into Asia, liberating the Greek cities, but unfortunately
his fate ran out. He left though so many and powerful forces that his son
Alexander III did not have the need to seek allies in his effort to end up
the Persian hegemony….” (Diodoros, 16.1).
2) Thucydides, in regard to the Macedonians and their
growth and development reports: “The army of
Sitalkos, king of Thrace
was gathering at Dobiron and was preparing to come down from the high grounds
to invade Lower Macedonia, where Perdikas
reigned. Because there is also an Upper Macedonia, which is inhabited by the Lygkistans
and Elimiotans and other races, who are allies and subjects of the Lower
Macedonians, but who have their own kings. But the land that extends around
the sea, which today is called Macedonia, was first occupied and reigned by
the father of Perdikkas, Alexander and his forefathers Timenidaians, whose
initial origin was from Argos, and who by armed force dislodged from Pieria
the Pierians, who later settled on the other side of Strimon at Fagrita and
other places below Pangee (and even today the land in the slopes of Paggeon
towards the sea is called the valley of Pieria), and from the land called
Vottia the Vottians, who are today the neighbours of Chalkidiki. They
conquered yet a strip of Paionian land, which extends from the interior
parallel to Axios towards Pella
and the sea, and dominate even beyond Axios until Strimon the so called Mygdonian
land, dislodging from there the Idoneans.
They also drove away from the land called Eordia the
Eordians, from whom many have been killed, a few have settled around Fyska,
and from Almopia the Almopans. The so constituted kingdom of Timenidon
conquered and dominates even today parts of land of other races, such as the
Anthemountans, Gristoniams, Visaltians, and a lot of land from genuine
Macedonia. The entire, however, kingdom is called Macedonia, and its king, at the
time of the Sitalkouan invasion was the son of Alexander,Perdikas. The
Macedonians, not being able to defend themselves against the invasion of such
a huge army, withdrew to natural protected places and fortresses that existed
in the country. Such however fortresses weren’t many, because later on only
the son of Perdikas, Archelaos, when he became king, constructed what there
are today in the kingdom, created straight roads, and for everything else
arranged for the organization and military needs of the cavalry, logistics
and supply of arms and other supplies, which were superior to all the
previous eight kings. The Thracean Army, having moved from Dobiron, invaded
first the country, which was previously under the rule of Philip, and
conquered by surprise Eidomeni, while Gortynia, Atalanti and certain other
cities were subjugated by way of treaty, because of sympathy towards the son
of Philip, Amyntas, who followed the campaign.
They also besieged Eyropon but were unable
to conquer and occupy it. After that began to advance in the remainder of Macedonia, that is the land to the left of Pella end Kyrros.
Further South however did not advance to Vottiaia and Pieria,
but began to devastate erimoni, Mygdonia, Gristonia and Anthemounta. The
Macedonians, although, not even thinking about fighting and resisting with
their infantry, called upon their allies of Upper Macedonia to gather their
already existing cavalry, who even though were few against many, carried out
attacks against the Thracean troops, anywhere they thought it presented a
favorable opportunity. And anywhere that the first attack occurred, no one
could fight against horsemen, who were not only brave, but also bore the
thorax, and on every occasion that they were surrounded by numerically
superior forces, they were fallen into serious danger, because the enemy
forces were many times larger, numerically superior, in such a way that they
finally decided, that they are not in a position to attempt such daring
attacks against a so much numerically superior enemy force, that they
abandoned the idea, Thoukydedis, (B 99-100).
Contrarily, Brasidas and Perdikkas advanced and attacked the
Lygkistoans, from whom many ran away to escape and many were killed, while
the remaining slipped to the hills, where they remained inactive. After that,
triumphantly they remained there for two or three days, waiting for the
Illyrians, who were to arrive precisely then as mercenaries of Perdikkas. The
last one, after the passage of those days, wanted to advance against the
towns of Arravaios and to not stay inactive. Brasidas, however, felt uneasy towards
Mendi and was fearful that it might fall if the Athenians sailed there prior
to his return. For this reason, and because the Illyrians had not yet
arrived, he did not have the appetite to advance, but rather wanted to
withdraw.
While discussing their contrary opinions,
came the news that the Illyrians had betrayed Perdikkas and united with
Arravaios, thus they both were of the opinion in favor of withdrawing,
because they feared the Illyrians, who are a military, warlike nation. But
due to the disagreement of opinion that the two have had there was no
decision as to the timing of departure. Upon nightfall however, one of those
unexplainable panics, to which large armies usually befall, immediately
possessed the Macedonians and the mass of barbarian soldiers, and because
they thought that the attacking enemy forces were numerically much larger,
from what in reality they were and also that they would arrive any moment,
they immediately ran away, directly towards one another. And because the two
allied camps were far away from each other, it compelled Perdikkas, when he
understood what was going on ( because at first he had not known what was
happening), to depart without seen Brasidas. When at dawn Brasidas learned of
the hastened departure of the Macedonians and the forthcoming arrival of the
invading Illyrians and Arravaios, he too decided to depart immediately, and
organized his soldiers into a square formation, and placing the tall soldiers
in the middle. The younger soldiers he placed in such a way that they come out
from the square formation to repel the enemy, from any point that he might
attack, and he himself stayed in the rearguard of the formation in charge of
three hundred select men, for defensive purposes to repel the enemy’s front guard. And before the enemy’s
approach, hastily addressed his troops with the following arousing speech:
“Dear Peloponnesians, if I did not suspect
that you are frightened, and because we are alone, and because the attacking
forces against us are barbarians and numerically many more than us, I would
limit myself to the usual and customary arousing speech, without willfully,
as now, to pretend the teacher. Now however that we have been abandoned by
our allies and we find ourselves before overwhelming, numerically large enemy
forces, I will try with a few reminders and urging words to enlighten you
with some most important points. This then, I Claim, that you must prove to
be brave in battle and not simply when by chance you have allies in your
side, but by way of your innate bravery, and to not be concerned with how
numerically superior the enemy forces are, since you don't belong to
city-states, where the many govern the few but on the contrary to
city-states, where the many are governed by the few, whose predominance is
due to their polemic supremacy. As for the barbarians, although, you now fear
because you do not know them, your own experience from the last conflicts
against the barbarians of Macedonia, by all that I infer and all that I’ m
aware through hearsay, you must be convinced that they are not invincibly
strong. Because, whenever a hostile force appears to be powerful, it is in
fact weak, safe only by virtue of this information, which quickly is acquired
by its opponents, that makes them more courageous, while there is no doubt
that against a really powerful enemy one attacks with greater boldness, if he
does not beforehand know the enemy’s
real strength. The Illyrians, for those that do not know them are truly
frightful, when one sees them attacking”, Thucydides, (D 124 - 126).
2. KING PHILIP II (PHILIP THE MACEDONIAN)
PHILIP
II IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR
THE GREATNESS OF MACEDONIA
King Philip II, the father of Alexander The Great,
liberated Macedonia
from the barbarians and made it into a well organized and powerful kingdom (Greek
city-state). Subsequently, all of the Greek city-states asked Philip if he
would accept becoming the Supreme Commander of the armed forces (The League
of Corinth or Hellenic League) and thereafter proclaimed him Supreme
Commander of all Greeks.
The ancient writers Diodoros, Plutarch and others
report that Philip II was one of the most important kings of Macedonia.
Firstly, because he liberated Macedonia
from the Illyrians and secondly, established Macedonia’s sovereignty and
subsequent mastery of all Greeks, who accepted him as their regent (hegemon).
Unfortunately though, shortly thereafter he was assassinated.
“Having ascended to the throne (king Philip II, the
son of Amyntas) in the most difficult times with the Illyrians; the kingdom
virtually at the brink of collapse and its neighbors ready to put an end to
its existence, it was only because of his brilliant political and military
skills that he was able to re-establish order in the kingdom and become the
supreme commander of Greece”, (Diodoros 16.1).
Specifically, after the battle of Chaironeia
(338 B.C.), when no city in Greece dared not to respect the Macedonians, the
then king of Macedonia Philip II, in early 337 B.C. convened in Corinth a
congress of the Greeks/Hellenes (The League of Corinth or Hellenic
League), a federation of Greek city-states to
discuss and resolve the Greek issues (that is, civil conflicts, and the
renewed intervention of the Persians into Greek internal affairs). In this
congress it was agreed that peace must exist among all Greek city-states and
member city-states constitutions to be guaranteed and protected.
The League would act to prevent any acts of
aggression or subversion against any member state. The League would maintain
an army and naval force levied from member city-states in approximate
proportion to their size. Philip II was declared Supreme Commander of the
League’s army with full authority to use these military forces in the war
against Persia to avenge
Xerxes’s pillages, wrong-doings, horrific crimes, etc. committed during the
Persian invasions of Greece.
The above-mentioned decision at “The League
of Corinth” had been also taken because several Greek intellectuals of this
period, e.g. the orator Isokrates, proclaimed that the only solution to the Greek
issues, were (the cease of civil wars and the end of Persian interference or
aggression). That is, the peaceful coexistence and pacification of all Greek
city-states, the political unification of all Greeks and the common war
against the barbarians, that is to say the Persians and their allies (Kares,
Phoenicians, and others).
The Battle
Of Chaironeia 338 B.C.
The 7th of August, 338 B.C., the
Thebans having their ally Athens, met in
Chaironeia the army of king Philip II of Macedonia. After a long and hard
fought battle, the Macedonian army won. All men of the Sacred Company of the
Thebans that had not been defeated until then were killed. All were interred
at the point where they fell and in their honor the Thebans set up a lion
stone. In 336 B.C., after continuous rumors regarding the death of Alexander
The Great, the Thebans assisted by Athens
with money and arms, entered the city, but could not reclaim and occupy
Kadmeia. Immediately, they convened a general council and they discussed to
free the city, as Pelopidas had done fifty years ago. The resident citizens
accepted it and voted for the independence of Thebes. Efforts however to expel the
Macedonian garrison failed. They also sent representatives to Arkadia and
other cities calling upon them to join with them. Unfortunately however for
them, no other city accepted. During all this time Alexander was in Illyria,
where upon learning this with lightening speed returned to Thebes, but did
not attack the city immediately, hoping that they will surrender. He made a
proclamation to the Thebans to hand over their two leaders and that he would
pardon all others. The Thebans reciprocating, demanded that he hand-over to
them generals Antipatros and Filotas, as a guarantee for their safety. After
that response, Alexander encircled the city with rock-throwing machines and
was ready to attack, but he still waited in case they change their minds.
After however excessive exchanges of abusive language and arguments between
the Theban men, who were outside the city walls, in front of the gate ready
to defend their city, and general Perdikas men the battle started. The
Thebans fought bravely, but they were forced finally to retreat inside the
walls. The Macedonians then stormed the city, killing more than six thousand.
Thirty thousand were sold as slaves. The Macedonian losses were five hundred
men. The city was looted and burned, except the temples and the house of the
great lyric poet Pindar Twenty years later, in 316 B.C., Kassandros rebuilt
the city, which however from this time on did not regain a major role in the
affairs of Greece.
3.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
PAN-HELLENIC ALLIANCE,
THE CAUSES FOR THE
CAMPAIGN IN ASIA AND AFRICA
A. THE
CONGRESS OF CORINTH – PAN-HELLENIC ALLIANCE
After the battle of Chaironeia (338 B.C.),
whereby no city in Greece dared not to respect the Macedonians, the then king
of Macedonia Philip II (or Philip The Macedonian), in early 337 B.C. convened
in Corinth a congress of the Greeks/Hellenes (The League of Corinth or Hellenic League), a federation of Greek city-states to discuss and resolve the Greek issues (that is,
civil conflicts, and the renewed intervention of the Persians into Greek internal
affairs, and other). In this congress it was agreed that peace must exist
among all Greek city-states and member city-states constitutions, in effect
of this date, to be guaranteed and protected. The League would act to prevent
any acts of aggression or subversion against any member state. The League
would maintain an army and naval force levied from member city-states in
approximate proportion to their size.
Philip II was declared Supreme Commander of
the League’s army with full authority to use these military forces in the
campaign against Persia to
avenge Xerxes’s pillages, wrong-doings, horrific crimes, etc. committed
during the Persian invasions of Greece.
The above-mentioned decision at “The League
of Corinth” had been also taken because several Greek intellectuals of this
period, e.g. the orator Isokrates, proclaiming that the only solution to the
Greek issues, were (the cease of civil wars and the end of Persian interference
or aggression). That is, the peaceful coexistence and pacification of all
Greek city-states, the political unification of all Greeks and the common war
against the barbarians, that is to say the Persians and their allies (Kares,
Phoenicians, and others).
B.
THE ASSASSINATION OF PHILIP II – ALEXANDER THE GREAT
The Persians seeing king Philip II creating a
very powerful state, hence a threat to them who until now were the almighty
lords of all, they secretly organized and conspired his assassination shortly
thereafter the Congress of Corinth or The League Of Corinth (336 B.C.).
Succeeding Phillip II to the throne was his
son Alexander III, thereafter named Alexander The Great. As soon as he
undertook the throne, Alexander convened the Council of Greek city-states,
that is the League Of Corinth (Athenians, Spartans, and others) in Corinth,
which was created by his father, and demanded from the league’s members the
leadership for the military campaign against the Persians in Asia, because of
the Persian intervention in Greek internal affairs and the assassination by
them of his father, Philip. They all accepted except the Lakedaimonians, who
responded by stating that their tradition dictates that the Spartans lead and
do not follow. Consequently, in the campaign in Asia
all Greek city-states participated except the Lakedaimonians (Spartans) under
the leadership of Alexander.
The
ancient writers report:
“The federation of Greek city-states (League of Corinth) having met at the
Canal of Corinth, voted and authorized Alexander as Supreme Commander of the
league’s army and navy in the military campaign against Persia”, Plutarch,
(Alexander 14).
"When Alexander ascended to the throne,
as the son of Assassinated King Philip II and went to Peloponnesus
- he was roughly twenty years old. There he assembled the Peloponnesians and
demanded the leadership for the military campaign (invasion) against the
Persians, since it had already been assigned to his father Philip II. All
agreed, except the Spartans, who responded by stating: The Spartans do not
follow, but rather others follow the Spartans....." Arrian, (Alexander’s
Anavasis A 1).
THE
DESTRUCTION OF THEBES
Next, Alexander The Great directed his
campaign first against the barbaric (Skythoans, Illirians, and others) in the
northern borders of Macedonia,
so that during his absence in Asia, they do not attack and occupy Macedonia. It
was then that rumors spread around that Alexander was killed in this
expedition and the Thebans incited by the Persians rebelled. The Thebans were
friendly towards the Persians, because many of them were of Phoenician
origin, as were also the Persians. Indeed in the battles of Marathon,
Plataiais, etc., the Thebans did not participate.
Furiously, Alexander returns and completely
destroys Thebes
(335 B.C.). Following this, Alexander begins preparing for his campaign into
Asia, to punish the Persians for the assassination of his father by them and
for the horrific crimes, pillages and disasters that they had committed
during Xerxe’s invasions of Greece,
as well as for their continuous intervention into Greek internal affairs.
It is also reported that after his nomination
as chief commander of all Greeks, Alexander for this occasion visited the
philosopher Diogenis the Sinopean in Kraneio near Corinth, since the
philosopher himself did not go to see him, and when he asked him if he wanted
something, the philosopher replied: " Do not hide from me that (the Sun)
which is what you can not give me”.
It is also said that Alexander consulted the
oracle at Delphi for the outcome of the campaign
and because priestess Pythia did not give him an answer, because the days
were unfavorably biassed, he forced her into the sacred temple where she told
him: “Oh child, you are invincible!”
C. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BARBARIANS IN
ASIA AND AFRICA
REASONS FOR THE CAMPAIGN
The ancient writer Arrian, in regard to the
reasons for which Alexander The Great undertook the military campaign against
the Persians, writes about a letter that Alexander The Great sent to the king
of Persia, that states the following:
Your
ancestors invaded Macedonia
and the rest of Greece
and committed horrific crimes, pillages and disasters to our people without
any provocation or wrongdoing from any of us at all. Now that I have become
king of all Greeks, I have come to Asia in
order to avenge your unprovoked disasters and crimes you have committed
against us.... In addition, you have helped the Perinthians who unjustly
wronged my father, while Ohus sent his army to Thrace, which was territory in
our possession. Additionally, my father was assassinated by a conspiracy that
you organized, as you yourselves have advertised and propagated throughout
the world...... Your envoys ruined our friends and tried to spoil the peace
that existed amongst the Greeks. I
have therefore, undertaken this military campaign against you, because you
started the animosity....", Arrian (B 14, 4).
ALEXANDER THE GREAT WAS THE FIRST KING
OF ALL GREEKS AND ANCIENT EMPEROR OF THE WORLD
Alexander the Great, as reported by the writer
Arrian (Alexander’s Anavasis) and by biographer Plutarch
("Alexander" and "On Alexander’s Destiny"), after the
assassination of his father Philip II and was made king of Macedonia, went to the Isthmus
of Corinth and demanded from the council of Greeks (The League of Corinth or Hellenic League) that he be declared and made Supreme Commander
of the League’s army and navy and be authorized to commence war against the
Persians. All member city-states (Athenians, Thessalians, etc.) accepted Alexander’s
proposition except the Spartans who responded by saying that their tradition
dictates that the Spartans only lead and that they do not follow others.
THE EMPIRE OF ALEXANDER
THE GREAT
AND THE HELLENISTIC
KINGDOMS
Following the sudden death of Alexander, General
Perdikas undertook the leadership of the empire (legend has it, that to him
Alexander gave the ring prior to his death), who subsequently divided and
distributed the empire to the other remaining generals : a) Ptolemy took
Egypt, b) Laomedon Syria, c) Filotas Cilicia, d) Pithon Midaea, e) Eumenios
Paflagonja, Kappadokia and the neighbouring region, f) Antigonos took
Pamfylia and Lykia, g) Asandros Karia, h) Menandros Lydia, i) Leonnatos
Frygia, j) Lysjmahos took Thrace and Pontus, k) Antipatros Macedonia, l)
Poros and Taxios India, m) Oxyartes took Caucasus, n) Philip took Baktria and
Sogdja, o) Tlipolemous Karmania, p) Arhon Babylonia, q) Arkesilaos Mesopotamia, etc.
|
|
PART III
THE CULTURE AND WORLD-WIDE
CONTRIBUTION OF THE MACEDONIANS
AND ALEXANDER THE
GREAT
|
|
|
Ancient
writers, Greeks and foreigners and particularly: Arrian (B 14, 4), Plutarch
("Alexander" 34 - 47 and "On Alexander’s Destiny or
Virtue" A, 3 - 7, 328-329), Old Testament (Makkavian, Ch.
1), Herodotus (E 17-22), Polyvius (IX 35,2), Daniel (G), Maccavaion … and others,
report that:
A. Alexander
the Great began his campaign into Asia clearly to avenge, that is, to punish
the Persians because they had previously invaded Greece and had committed horrific
crimes and disasters against the Greeks, had helped the Perinthians to
assassinate Alexander’s father, etc.
However, Alexander upon arriving in Asia
found a world with wild, untamed and uncivilized customs and traditions, such
as, sons marrying their mothers, humans eating other humans, tribal leaders
or kings who did whatever pleased them, demanding that they be worshipped as
gods, etc.
Under
those circumstances, Alexander instead of conquering and punishing started
liberating and abolishing tyrannical regimes (that is to say, liberating the
populations from the Persian conquerors and the tyrants installed by the
Persians from place to place).
In
parallel, he started to construct cities according to Greek models, that is
to say to demand that the people pursue education (arts & science), to be
free, to live in a system of justice and equality before the law, etc. It is said that he built more than seventy
cities in barbarian lands (countries), and spread throughout Asia the Greek culture and language and overcoming the
uncivilized and untamed way of life of the natives encountered, an effort to
which he was also helped by the local, native people themselves. This was the
reason that Alexander was named Great and son of God (god Zeus for the Greeks
or god Ammon for the non Greeks) by the Greeks and by the local, native
residents (Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, India, Egypt etc).
B.
Alexander’s philosophy was as follows: We do not regard the
Greeks as friends and relatives and the other populations as if they are
animals or plants, but all the same, because all people are brothers, equal
between them and consequently they must live together peacefully and rightly.
We consider relatives all good
persons and foreigners or enemies
all bad persons. Greek must be everything that is noble and barbaric
everything not noble. Through armed force we compel those who cannot be
convinced by way of reason, etc. The philosophy and actions of Alexander The Great
and particularly his glorious successors were annotated favorably even by the
Old Testament.
The ancient writer Plutarch reports:
"After Alexander was acclaimed king of Asia,
and wishing also to be honoured by all Greeks, he wrote to them that he abolishes
all tyrannical order of things and the ‘status quo’ and that they will be
autonomous, and specifically he wrote to the Plataeans that he would rebuild
their city, because their forefathers had given their country (city-state )
to the Greeks to fight in their homeland for Freedom...... Subsequently,
Alexander selected thirty thousand foreign young men and gave orders that
they learn Greek and train with Macedonian arms under the guidance of Greek
trainers". Plutarch, (Alexander, 34 -
47).
Alexander built more than seventy cities in the
barbarian countries, and he propagated in all Asia the Greek (letters, arts
& science, responsibilities, etc.), overcoming the untamed, wild and
uncivilized way of life of the native populations........., but the single
person who provided the real and factual substance was Alexander himself.
That is to say that he did not follow the advice of his tutor Aristotle to act among the Greeks as
their leader, and among the barbarians as if he was their absolute ruler, and
to treat the Greeks as his friends and relatives, and the other people as if
they were animals or plants. If he were to act and behave this way, it would
create in his empire innumerable wars, exiles and undermine the positive
actions and behavior by negative attitudes.....
He (Alexander The Great) on the contrary, believed
that he came as a reconciler and peacemaker for all the world, and for that
reason he compelled through armed force those who could not be convinced by
way of reason to reconcile with him, and brought together (united) as a
single unit people from the various lands and places, uniting and joining in
terms of friendship their ways of life, their marriages and their customs and
traditions.
He (Alexander the Great) demanded that they all consider
their homeland the universe, their citadel his camp, their relatives all good
persons and foreigners (strangers) the villains. He did not allow them to
distinguish between Greeks and barbarians based upon the mantle and peltast,
the sword or cloak, but demanded that the credentials of the Greek elements
be recognized by virtue and the
credentials of the barbaric elements by malice
and wickedness; while clothing,
food, marriages and way of life were considered common traits for all people,
mixed and intermingled (united) as a single unit of totality with the bonds
of blood and the bearing of children. Plutarch, (On Alexander’s Destiny or Virtue”, A, 3 - 7, 328-329).
C. The Macedonians were always the guards
(sentries) of Greece’s
northern borders:
"Tίνος καί πηλίκης δει τιμης αξιούσθαι Mακεδόνας, οι τόν πλείω του βίου χρόνον ου παύονται
διαγωνιζόμενοι πρός τούς βαρβάρους υπέρ της των Eλλήνων ασφαλείας; ότι γάρ ει ποτ’αν εν μεγάλοις ην
κινδύνοις τά κατά τούς Eλληνας, ει μή Mακεδόνας είχομεν πρόφραγμα καί τάς των παρά
τούτοις βασιλέων φιλοτιμίας, τίς ου γινώσκει;" Πολύβιος, (IX 35,2).
THE OLD TESTAMENT,
THE MACEDONIANS
AND THE ANCIENT
CULTURES IN ASIA AND AFRICA
In referencing the Old Testament, in order to see what is being
reported about the Greeks and also about the culture of the populations of
Asia and Africa before the births of Christ
and Alexander The Great, we see the following:
1) All populations from ancient Egypt
up to Judea (Egyptians, Persians, etc.) were
still uncivilized, with untamed and wild instincts and behavior, sinners,
since they were even making human sacrifices and the priests warning that God
would punish and destroy them.
Apart from Sodoma and Gomara, etc., in the (Second Command, Chapter 12,
29-31) it is reported, for example that many populations, such as the
Moabites, Ammonites and others, worshipped god Moloch, who demanded human
sacrifices and particularly of children. in the (Second Command, Chapter.18,
9 – 12 and other), after reporting a list of abominations (sins, horrific
acts, barbarisms, etc.) by these people (nations), such as sacrifices of
children, incest, occultism and magic, it further adds that, “ because of
these abominations the Almighty God will send off and destroy these nations
before your own eyes”.
In (Levitian 18:21
– 28), after reporting a series of abominations, such as worship of rulers,
sacrifices of children, homosexuality, incest and beastly acts, adds: “you
must not be involved and infected with any of these acts, with such acts have
been infected the nations, which I send off and destroy before your own eyes.
With these acts the nation has been infected, for this reason I will punish
it for its lawlessness and will spew its people”.
“Do not get involved and infected with all these, because it is for all
these, that I send off (destroy) these nations before your own eyes, and the land has been
decontaminated, and I repayed their lawlessness and injustices with the same.
Obey always my laws and my commands, and do not commit any of these abominations…Save
and protect my commands, so that you will not commit or be infected by any of
these abominations… I your Savior”, (Levitian, 12).
2) The Macedonians were Greeks, as well
as that Alexander The Great and his glorious successors brought forth peace
and tranquility in the lands of the world, etc., i.e:
«Και
εγένετο μετά το πατάξαι Αλέξανδρον τον
Φιλίππου τον Μακεδόνα, ος εξήλθεν εκ της γης Χεττειείμ, και επάταξε τον
Δαρείον βασιλέα Περσών και Μήδων και εβασίλευσεν αντ᾿ αυτού
πρότερος επι την ῾Ελλάδα. και
συνεστήσατο πολέμους πολλούς και εκράτησεν οχυρωμάτων πολλών και έσφαξε
βασιλείς της γης· και διήλθεν έως άκρων της γης και έλαβε σκύλα πλήθους
εθνών. και ησύχασεν η γη ενώπιον αυτού, και υψώθη, και επήρθη η καρδία αυτού.
και συνήγαγε δύναμιν ισχυράν σφόδρα και ήρξε χωρών και εθνών και τυράννων,
και εγένοντο αυτώ εις φόρον. και μετά
ταύτα έπεσεν επί την κοίτην και έγνω ότι αποθνήσκει. και εκάλεσε τούς παίδας
αυτού τους ενδόξους τούς συντρόφους αυτού από νεότητος και διείλεν αὐτοίς την
βασιλείαν αυτού έτι ζώντος αυτού. και
εβασίλευσεν Αλέξανδρος έτη δώδεκα και απέθανε. και επεκράτησαν οι παίδες αυτού έκαστος εν
τω τόπῳ αυτού. και
επέθεντο πάντες διαδήματα μετά το αποθανείν αυτόν και οι υιοί αυτών οπίσω
αυτών έτη πολλά και επλήθυναν κακά εν τη γη. και εξήλθεν εξ αυτών ρίζα
αμαρτωλός Αντίοχος Επιφανής, υιός Αντιόχου βασιλέως, ος ην όμηρα εν τη
Ρώμη· και εβασίλευσεν εν έτει εκατοστώ και τριακοστω και εβδόμω
βασιλείας Ελλήνων. (Μακκαβαίων, Κεφ.
1 , 1 – 10)
«Ιδού.
Τράγος ήρχετο από της δύσεως επί πρόσωπον πάσης της γης και δεν ήγγιζεν το έδαφος…..
και είδον αυτόν ότι επλησίασεν εις τον κριον …. και εκτύπησε … και συνέτριψε
και έρριψεν αυτόν κατά γης, και κατεπάτησεν αυτόν…. Δια τούτο ο τράγος
εμαγαλύνθη σφόδρα…… Είναι οι βασιλιείς της Μηδίας και της Παρσίας ….. ο
τριχωτός τράγος είναι ο βασιλεύς της Ελλάδος ….» (Δανιήλ
η Κεφάλαιο)
3) The Old Testament mentions in a particularly distinct
and contradictory manner the terms (names) “Greek” and “barbarian”, which
means that even the Christian Religion recognizes that, as of old, there were
barbarians and that the meaning of the term “barbarian” had precisely the
opposite meaning from the term “Greek”, something similar to the tems
“slaves” and “free”, the terms “wise”
and “fools”, etc., i.e:
«Έλλησί
τε και βαρβάροις, σοφοίς τε και ανοήτοις οφειλέτης ειμί..ου γαρ επαισχύνομαι
το ευαγγέλιον του Χριστού· δύναμις γαρ Θεού εστιν εις σωτηρίαν παντί τω
πιστεύοντι, Ιουδαίω τε πρώτον και Ελληνι»…(προς Ρωμαίους Κεφ. 1, 14 -16)
It is also noted that:
A) In the Old Testament “Hellenist” means no
the Greek, but one who admires and worships the Greek gods, the Olympian
gods, which was opposed by the Christian Religion, i.e:
«Εν
δε ταις ημέραις ταύταις πληθυνόντων των μαθητών εγένετο γογγυσμός των Ελληνιστών»
(Πράξεις 6, 1)
B) The Koran mentions Alexander The Great as
Prophet. The Buddhists worshipped Alexander The Great as an equal to god,
while the Egyptians declared him son of God Ammon. Similarly Saint Bassil and
Saint Nektarios cast Alexander The Great.
|
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου