Why are Selective about which parts of Ancient Macedonia is

[iskander_32]

This Post may go against the grain if so im sorry.Lately ive been studying the boundaries of ancient Macedonia what was. And I am a little bit puzzled as to why Modern Greeks cling on to the part of Macedonia that was predominated by Alexander and Philip.Modern Greek Macedonia barely goes further North than ancient Virgina, If Macedonia was is Greek then why did the Greeks readily let the rest go?I believe it basically political to the extent the only thing Macedonian that the Greeks lay claim to is primerily the glory that was Alexanders call it stealing a little of Alexanders thunder.Maybe my poist is ilegal but dont you think I have a point as an outside observer.regardsKenny

[marcus]

I hope your post isn't considered 'illegal', because it's a valid question.I don't really think it's a case of why the Greeks should 'cling on' to Alexander. The thing to remember is that Ancient 'Greece' was not a single nation state, and indeed never was until the early 19th century. Prior to that it was merely part of the Byzantine Empire, and after that part of the Ottoman Empire. The Greeks fought hard and for a long time for freedom from the Ottomans, but when they achieved it they could only take the land that they could wrest from the rest of the Balkans, which were divided between the Ottomans and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.Ever since then the national boundaries of the Balkans have been decided by the other European powers, not by the people who actually live there.So, as with the rest of the argument about whether Alexander was Greek, Macedonian, Chinese, English, Icelandic or Latvian ... don't get deceived by what you see on maps, nor indeed what any individual country is called nowadays; 'cos it's not relevant.I hope this helps to answer your questions.All the bestMarcus

[THE LIGHT 7000]

HI,... IT IS VERY RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT ONE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS QUESTION, BUT IN VERY SHORT AND PRECISE MANNER...I.E.:...UNDER THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE MAKEDONIA WAS WHOLE- UNITED, SO MAKEDONIANS USE TO FIGHT FOR LIBERATION NOT FOR UNIFICATION OF MAKEDONIA, AS THE ARE DOING FROM 1913 AFTER MAKEDONIA WAS DEVIDED BETWEEN HELLAS (GREECE), BULGARIA, SERBIA AND ALBANIA WITH BUCHARESHT TREATY....THE LIGHT 7000

[antipatros]

A common mistake that is made regarding ancient history is trying to impose our values on people who lived in times much different to our own.There are several points here:1. National boundaries do not equal nationality (e.g. there are many Turks living today in Thrace, yet they consider themselves and are Turks)
2. Modern geography does not equal history, or culture (e.g. Turkey lies on the same ground as the ancient empire of the Hittites, yet Turks are not Hittites)
3. Blood does not equal either nationality or culture. (e.g. there are today Greeks of Albanian descent in Attica, whose ancestors came here three centuries ago. Yet these people are as Greek as anyone)
4. Nationalism is a recent phenomenon. Previously people were more likely to be defining themselves according to things like religion, empire, cities, professions etc.(e.g. Athens and Sparta fought each other although they were both Greek, or Slavs and Greeks were treated similarly by the Ottoman Milliet system since they were both Christian Orthodox).
5. The forms of political entity organization that prevail today did not exist then. The nation state is a recent development, a by-product of nationalism. Nation states did not exist a century ago and have only recently been the norm. In antiquity the city state, the large multiethnic empire were the norm. (e.g. there was never a Greek state, just a large number of city states).
6. From the above follows that there was none of the trappings we associate today with an organized, centralized nation state. (e.g. there was no Greek army, no official Greek language, no Greek state boundaries).

[yiannis]

Apart for Antipatros' right observations, I have to add, from the practical point of view, that the Greeks tried to liberate from the Ottoman empire all lands that had a solid Greek population.
That was the "Megali Idea" (Grand Idea) that spearheaded Greek politics in the late 19th and early 20th century.

[THE LIGHT 7000]

.....Well well, here we go again...... My friends,...
so what was ancient Makedonian Kingdom if not nation state ...versus city tribal formatoins- "states"..., so all presented as kind of definitoin is absolute nonsense re: Makedonia and other ancient kingdoms,Egypt ..., and this what you are saying is something to do with modern days way of thinking - goal: destoying identity of all what was root of ancient civilisations therefore cultures... Today we are going way back- recognition of all native people like those from America, yes native Indians, native Koory i.e. Aboriginies people- Australia..etc, therefore Makedonians etc..., so in that way only we could live with respect ...... Makedonians never use term nor were fighting for MEGALO MAKEDONIA Great Makedonia, BUT ONLY FOR MAKEDONIA - UNITED,... BECAUSE MEGALO MAKEDONIA IS FROM MAKEDONIA TO INDIA... capish...... So please stop this nonsense and let the people talk Makedonia and Alexander The Great Makedonian, otherwise proving oposite you are shame for very respectfull Hellens, "Greeks" and other...The Light 7000