Ancient Macedonian testimonies about their Ethnicity

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Ancient Macedonian testimonies about their Ethnicity

Posted by admin in Ancient Macedonian History

In reality we have only scarce evidence on what ancient Macedonians believed for themselves. However i will try to collect the available literary and archaeological evidence that would shed some light on the beliefs of ancient Macedonians during Classical and Hellenistic Ages. The available evidence shows that Macedonians considered themselves to be Greek.

Alexander I, king of Macedon

1. Speaking to Atheneans
Quote:

Men of Athens… Had I not greatly AT HEART the COMMON welfare of GREECE I should not have come to tell you; but I AM MYSELF GREEK by descent, and I would not willingly see Greece exchange freedom for slavery. …If you prosper in this war, forget not to do something for my freedom; consider the risk I have run, out of zeal for the GREEK CAUSE, to acquaint you with what Mardonius intends, and to save you from being surprised by the barbarians. I am ALEXANDER of MACEDON.‘

[Herodotus, The Histories, 9.45, translated by G.Rawlinson]

2. Speaking to Persians Quote:

Tell your king who sent you how his GREEK viceroy of Macedonia has received you hospitably… “

Herodotus V, 20, 4 (Loeb, A.D. Godley)

PHILIP II OF MACEDON

Quote:

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.

(Diodoros of Sicily 16.93.1)

Alexander III (the Great)

3.In his letter to the king of the Persians:

Quote:

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, Anabasis of Alexander II,14,4)

4. ALEXANDER TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF AND MACEDONIANS
BEING GREEK AND FIGHTING FOR GREECE:

Quote:

……………There are Greek troops, to be sure, in Persian service — but how different is their cause from ours ! They will be fighting for pay— and not much of it at that; WE on the contrary shall fight for GREECE, and our hearts will be in it. As for our FOREIGN troops —Thracians, Paeonians, Illyrians,Agrianes — they are the best and stoutest soldiers of Europe, and they will find as their opponents the slackest and softest of the tribes of
Asia.