MACEDONIAN issues ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΚΑ θέματα МАКЕДОНСКИЕ вопросы

H ''MAKEΔΟΝΙΚΗ'' ΤΩΝ ΣΚΟΠΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΑ ΠΕΡΙ ΣΛΑΒΟΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΙΟΝΟΤΗΤΑΣ

2012-02-05T14:47:00.001-06:00

Είναι αληθινά άξιο περιεργείας (και μελέτης) πώς μια τόσο μικρή χώρα, τα Σκόπια, μπορεί να έχει τόσο μεγάλες φιλοδοξίες (και απαιτήσεις) αλλά και τόσο μικρή επαφή με την πραγματικότητα. Επειδή μάλιστα τις τελευταίες εβδομάδες στην (έξωθεν υπαγορευόμενη) πολιτική των Σκοπίων «παίζει» και το θέμα τής γλώσσας, τής (ψευδώνυμης) «Mακεδονικής» γλώσσας των Σκοπίων και τής (επινοηθείσης) «μειονότητας» που μιλάει δήθεν επίσης τη «Μακεδονική» των Σκοπίων, αξίζει να πούμε τα πράγματα με το «επιστημονικό» όνομά τους, όπως το έχουμε ήδη κάνει από το 1992 με τον συλλογικό τόμο που εκδώσαμε με τίτλο «Η γλώσσα τής Μακεδονίας: Η αρχαία Μακεδονική και η ψευδώνυμη γλώσσα των Σκοπίων»1 (Ας σημειωθεί ότι η Ελληνική Πολιτεία δεν έστερξε ποτέ – μολονότι ζητήθηκε – να προβεί σε έκδοση τού βιβλίου στην αγγλική γλώσσα, ώστε να γίνουν ευρύτερα γνωστές οι ελληνικές επιστημονικές θέσεις επί τού θέματος)....

Οσο ενδιαφέρει το θέμα μας και για να καταλάβει ο αναγνώστης τι πράγματι συμβαίνει, εξηγούμε ότι έχουμε τρεις γλώσσες που είτε διαφέρουν τελείως μεταξύ τους (η Ελληνική τής Μακεδονίας από τη Σερβοβουλγαρική γλώσσα των Σκοπίων καθώς και από τη Βουλγαρικής προελεύσεως διάλεκτο που είναι γνωστή ως Σλαβομακεδόνικα) είτε διαφέρουν μερικώς (η Σερβοβουλγαρική των Σκοπίων από το Βουλγαρικό ιδίωμα που μιλήθηκε – σε περιορισμένη έκταση – σε συνοριακές περιοχές τής Ελλάδος από ΄Ελληνες ομιλητές, οι οποίοι μαζί με την Ελληνική γνώριζαν – οι μεγαλύτερες ηλικίες – και τα λεγόμενα Σλαβομακεδόνικα).

* Η Ελληνική τής Μακεδονίας

Είναι η κατ’ εξοχήν Μακεδονική, δηλαδή η Ελληνική που μιλούσαν οι Ελληνες τής Μακεδονίας από την αρχαιότητα και – στην εξέλιξή της – μέχρι σήμερα. Πρόκειται για τη γλώσσα τού Φιλίππου, τού Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου και των άλλων Ελλήνων τής αρχαίας Μακεδονίας, για μια αρχαία δηλαδή Ελληνική διάλεκτο Δωρικού περισσότερο χαρακτήρα2, που χρησιμοποιήθηκε κυρίως στον προφορικό λόγο, αφού στον γραπτό λόγο και στον επίσημο προφορικό λόγο υιοθετήθηκε νωρίς, για πολιτικούς λόγους, η Αττική διάλεκτος στην οποία σώζονται χιλιάδες επιγραφών από τη Μακεδονία.

* Η Σερβοβουλγαρική των Σκοπίων

Είναι η πρόσφατη – μέσα τού 20ού αιώνα – γλώσσα τού κράτους των Σκοπίων (το οποίο ιδρύθηκε, ως γνωστόν, επί Τίτο το 1944). Πρόκειται για μία Βουλγαρική γλώσσα (ο αρχικός πληθυσμός τής περιοχής ήταν βουλγαρικός και πάντοτε οι Βούλγαροι διεκδικούσαν αυτή την περιοχή που θεωρούσαν δική τους – άλλωστε οι κάτοικοι τής περιοχής ονομάζονταν Bugari3 «Βούλγαροι»!). Η γλώσσα αυτή, με τεχνητό καθαρώς τρόπο, από ομάδα γλωσσολόγων που συγκροτήθηκε επί τούτω «εκσερβίστηκε» (!), εισήχθησαν δηλαδή σε αυτήν λεξιλόγιο και γραμματικά στοιχεία από τις γύρω περιοχές που μιλούσαν Σερβικά, ώστε να μειωθεί ο βουλγαρικός γλωσσικός χαρακτήρας της και να αποκτήσει σερβική γλωσσική μορφή, που ήταν απαίτηση τής Ενωμένης Σερβίας τού Τίτο, τής Γιουγκοσλαβικής δηλαδή Δημοκρατίας. Αρα, η γλώσσα των Σκοπίων είναι μια σερβοβουλγαρική γλώσσα4, μια τεχνητά εκσερβισμένη Βουλγαρική, που επιβλήθηκε ως επίσημη γλώσσα για προφανείς λόγους και που οι Βούλγαροι την ονόμασαν «κολισεφσκική» γλώσσα (ως επινόηση και εκτέλεση τού σκοπιανού πολιτικού Κολισέφσκι!). Από μόνοι τους οι Σκοπιανοί έδωσαν σε αυτή τη γλώσσα, τη Σερβοβουλγαρική, την παραπλανητική και ψευδώνυμη ονομασία «Μακεδονική» (!), ώστε να αποφύγουν τις βουλγαρικές διεκδικήσεις και να αποκρύψουν μαζί τη βουλγαρική προέλευση τής γλώσσας τους. Περαιτέρω, για να ιδιοποιηθούν με τον τρόπο αυτόν μιαν ονομασία (Μακεδονική) που τους προσέδιδε κύρος και ιστορικό βάθος (μέσω τής πλαστής ταύτισής τους με το ένδοξο και παγκοσμίως γνωστό όνομα τής Μακεδονίας τού Μ. Αλεξάνδρου) και, τέλος, – επειδή το θράσος τους δεν έχει όρια… (ας θυμηθούμε το αεροδρόμιο «Μ. Αλέξανδρος» των Σκοπίων (!) και τους σκοπιανούς στρατιώτες με αρχαιοελληνική ενδυμασία και σάρισα (!) που υποδέχτηκαν στα Σκόπια τον αρχηγό τής φυλής των Χούνζα στο Πακιστάν ως απογόνους τού Μ. Αλεξάνδρου (!) – για να προβούν σε πιθανές διεκδικήσεις οψέποτε θα δινόταν ευκαιρία αλλαγής των συνόρων στα Βαλκάνια. Με την ανοχή και την αβελτηρία τής επίσημης Ελληνικής Πολιτείας (μην ξεχνάμε ότι στις δεκαετίες ’70 και ’80 εθεωρείτο «εθνικιστικό» να μιλάς για τις παραχαράξεις των Σκοπιανών, στην εποχή δε τού Τίτο, για άλλους λόγους η αναφορά σε τέτοια θέματα εθεωρείτο ταμπού!) η ονομασία «Μακεδονία» για τα Σκόπια και «Μακεδονική γλώσσα» για τη Σερβοβουλγαρική των Σκοπίων διαδόθηκαν ευρύτερα και σχεδόν καθιερώθηκαν διεθνώς, δίνοντας έτσι το μοναδικό επιχείρημα που, με κάποια δόση αληθείας, υπερχρησιμοποιούν οι Σκοπιανοί.

* Τα Σλαβομακεδόνικα

Είναι μια διάλεκτος ελάχιστων Ελληνοβουλγαρικών συνοριακών περιοχών, όπου ένας μικρός αριθμός Ελλήνων παράλληλα με την Ελληνική γνώριζαν (οι παλαιότεροι) και μια Βουλγαρικής προελεύσεως διάλεκτο, όπως συμβαίνει ανέκαθεν και παγκοσμίως με μερικές συνοριακές ομάδες τού πληθυσμού πλείστων χωρών. Ας σημειωθεί ότι λόγω τού δίγλωσσου χαρακτήρα των ομιλητών και λόγω τής διαφορετικής Βουλγαρικής διαλεκτικής προέλευσής της και, βεβαίως, λόγω τού ότι αυτή η (αποκλειστικά προφορική) διάλεκτος δεν εκσερβίστηκε, όπως η Βουλγαρική των Σκοπίων, τα Σλαβομακεδόνικα δεν ταυτίζονται με τη Σερβοβουλγαρική των Σκοπίων. Τα Σκόπια, βεβαίως, με (αμερικανικής εμπνεύσεως;) Γκρουεφσκική επινόηση άρχισαν πρόσφατα να προκαλούν, ισχυριζόμενα ότι τα Σλαβομακεδόνικα είναι η ίδια δήθεν γλώσσα με την ψευδώνυμη «Μακεδονική» των Σκοπίων και άρα στην Ελλάδα υπάρχει λόγω τής γλώσσας σκοπιανή μειονότητα, που πρέπει να αναγνωρίσει η Ελλάδα!.. Πρόκειται για παρανοϊκή σύλληψη, που προσφέρεται για ευφάνταστη θεατρική παράσταση με πιθανό τίτλο «Από τον Κολισέφσκι στον Γκρούεφσκι»!

* Οι τρεις γλωσσικές παραχαράξεις

Από τη σύντομη αυτή προσέγγιση ενός πολύ μεγάλου στη σημασία του θέματος με ποικίλες προεκτάσεις (εθνικές, πολιτικές, ιστορικές, πολιτισμικές κ.ά.) φαίνονται, νομίζω, οι γλωσσικές παραχαράξεις που έχουν διαπραχθεί από πολιτικά, κυρίως, πρόσωπα μιας μικρής χώρας που δεν τη χωρίζει, στην πραγματικότητα, τίποτε από την Ελλάδα. Πρώτη γλωσσική παραχάραξη είναι εκείνη τού ονόματος των Σκοπίων, που ανεχτήκαμε – είναι αλήθεια και είναι δική μας ασυγχώρητη ιστορική ευθύνη – να ονομασθεί Μακεδονία ό,τι προηγουμένως αποκαλείτο «περιοχή τού Βαρδάρη» (Vardarska Banovina). Δεύτερη γλωσσική παραχάραξη τής Βουλγαρικής ή Σερβοβουλγαρικής γλώσσας των Σκοπίων ως Μακεδονικής (με προφανείς συνειρμικές συνδέσεις και σκόπιμες συγχύσεις με την Ελληνική τής Μακεδονίας). Τρίτη γλωσσική παραχάραξη – εξίσου απύθμενης θρασύτητας – είναι η προσπάθεια δημιουργίας Σλαβομακεδονικής μειονότητας στην Ελλάδα με βάση τη δήθεν ταυτότητα τής γλώσσας μικρής ομάδας Ελλήνων με την ψευδώνυμη Μακεδονική των Σκοπίων και το ψευδεπίγραφο Μακεδονικό κράτος των Σκοπίων.

Η όλη υπόθεση θα ήταν για γέλια, αν είχαμε μόνο δείξει εγκαίρως στη διεθνή Κοινότητα πόσο γελοία είναι. Τώρα έχει γίνει και προκλητική και ίσως έξωθεν πολλαπλώς εκμεταλλεύσιμη καθ’ εαυτήν και στις προεκτάσεις της.

1. Γ. Μπαμπινιώτη (επιστημ. εκδ.): Η γλώσσα τής Μακεδoνίας. Η αρχαία Μακεδoνική και η ψευδώνυμη γλώσσα των Σκoπίων. (Αθήνα, 1992: Ολκός), 276 σελ. [Περιλαμβάνει μελέτες των: Γ. Μπαμπινιώτη, Γ. Χατζιδάκι, Ν. Π. Ανδριώτη, Μ. Σακελλαρίου, Ι. Καλλέρη, Α. Ι. Θαβώρη, Γ. Ντελόπουλου, Α. Παναγιώτου.]
2. Γ. Μπαμπινιώτη: Η θέση τής Μακεδoνικής στις αρχαίες ελληνικές διαλέκτoυς. Περιοδικό Γλωσσoλoγία 7-8 (1989), σ. 53-69.
3. Ο μεγάλος Ιταλός Ινδοευρωπαϊστής γλωσσολόγος Vittore Pisani (Il Macedonico, περιοδικό Paideia 12, 1957, σ. 250) γράφει «πράγματι ο όρος Μακεδονική γλώσσα [εννοεί τη γλώσσα των Σκοπίων] είναι προϊόν πολιτικής ουσιαστικά προέλευσης». Ο δε ειδικός Σλαβιστής γλωσσολόγος, ο Γάλλος Αndrι Vaillant (Le probleme du Slave Macidonien περιοδικό Bulletin de la Sociitι de Linguistique de Paris 39, 1938, σ. 205), είναι αυτός που τονίζει ότι «το όνομα Bugari είναι στην πραγματικότητα η εθνική ονομασία των Σλάβων τής Μακεδονίας, πράγμα που δείχνει πως (οι Σλάβοι τής περιοχής αυτής) υιοθέτησαν το όνομα Βούλγαροι που τους έδωσαν οι Σέρβοι».
4. Ο Γερμανός γλωσσολόγος Heinz Wendt, (Sprachen 1961, σ. 285, λ. Slawische Sprachen), μιλώντας για τις σλαβικές γλώσσες, λέει: «Αν κατατάξει κανείς τις Σλαβικές γλώσσες με βάση τη σημερινή τους δομή, πρέπει να θεωρήσει τη Βουλγαρική και τη Μακεδονική, [εννοεί τη γλώσσα των Σκοπίων] λόγω των εξεχουσών δομικών ιδιαιτεροτήτων τους, ως αυτοτελή ομάδα και να την αντιπαραθέσει προς όλες τις άλλες σλαβικές γλώσσες».

Ο κ. Γεώργιος Μπαμπινιώτης είναι καθηγητής της Γλωσσολογίας, πρόεδρος του Ελληνικού Ιδρύματος Πολιτισμού, τ. πρύτανης του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών.

http://hellenikathemata.blogspot.com/2012/02/h-make.html

Don't rewrite Balkan history

2011-12-23T22:24:00.000-06:00

National Post · Dec. 23, 2011

Last month, the National Post published an article entitled "A country called Macedonia" that contained scathing commentary about Greece - commencing with a reference to Greece's economic strife and segueing into a critique of Greece's opposition to the use of the name "Macedonia" by its northern neighbour. These accusations require a response.

Macedonia and the Macedonian identity have been integral parts of Greek history and culture since some of the first Hellenic tribes (known as Macedonians) settled northern Greek lands almost 4,000 years ago. Many renowned historians dispute the claims contained in the above-referenced article.

Apart from the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon - which existed almost entirely in what is now modern Greece - there had never been another "state" of Macedonia until communist Yugoslavia renamed its southern Vardarska Governorate region as the "People's Republic of Macedonia" in 1943. This was a plan to acquire Greek territory after the Second World War, harkening back to territorial aspirations that neighbouring states had on Greece's outlet to the Mediterranean. Greece objected, and the U.S. State Department noted this planned territorial grab with alarm in an official 1944 document.
[http://www.macedoniaontheweb.com/forum/anti-greek-macedonia-propaganda/42-u-s-state-department-about-macedonia-back-1944-a.html]

The massive 1992 response of one-million-plus Macedonian Greeks demonstrating in Thessaloniki, the historic capital of Macedonia, against Yugoslav-Skopian Pseudomakedonism.

Left: Skopje promoting iredentist "United Makedonija".
Right: Makedonia in 1912 and in antiquity.

In 1991, when the Slavic republic broke from Yugoslavia, declaring independence under the name "Republic of Macedonia," Greece reacted strongly again. This was not a reflection of some spurious Greek political whim: The issue came before the UN Security Council. In 1993, the UN recommended that this Slavic republic be provisionally accepted into the UN as "the FYROM" (an abbreviation of former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) until a mutually agreed UN-brokered solution. The government of FYROM agreed to these terms; yet it and its diaspora groups court foreign governments and media using all their power to promote it as the "Republic of Macedonia" - against UN wishes.

Greece did not invade any country named Macedonia, as is suggested in the aforementioned National Post article. In fact, in 1912, Greece liberated the area of the modern Greek province of Macedonia, where Greeks have lived since antiquity, from the Turks, leading to jubilation in the streets. The 1913 Treaty of Bucharest, which is referenced in the article in question, set the borders of a defeated Bulgaria vis-à-vis its neighbours after the Second Balkan War. Centuriesold Ottoman censuses, as well as those of other Western powers, do not record any "Macedonian" ethnic group or nation; and allegations of killings of "Macedonians" do not reflect historical consensus on the matter. The fact is that there are 2.5 million Greeks in the Greek province of Macedonia, and one million Macedonian Greeks in the diaspora who have always called themselves "Macedonians."

Greece has never viewed the name "Macedonia" as taboo, as the National Post article claimed; and is as proud of its Macedonian heritage as it is of its Athenian and Spartan ones. In fact, Greece was the first modern state to officially revive the name "Macedonia" in 1914 after years of Ottoman rule and Bulgarian expansionism.

http://history-of-macedonia.com/wordpress/2008/11/20/the-establishment-of-general-administration-of-macedonia/

Despite increasing public discord over its own economy (including 30% unemployment), limited media freedom, a large Albanian minority that rejects this new "Macedonian" identity, and other issues, the FYROM has spent millions to reinforce "Macedonism" on its people. This includes the erection of colossal public statues, renaming landmarks and thoroughfares after ancient Greek per-sonalities, and the proliferation of schoolbooks/maps showcasing a "Greater" (or "United") Macedonia - a geopolitical artifice containing Greek and Bulgarian territory. State media proselytizes "Macedonism" feverishly: A 2009 TV segment had "God" saying the country's inhabitants are "Macedonoids - progenitors of the white race" whereas others are "Negroids, Mongoloids, and Mullatoes."

Three months ago, the main square in the capital of Skopje showcased a giant flag of a "United Macedonia," as part of the 20th celebrations of independence from Yugoslavia. As a result, Greece is not "paranoid about losing its northern territory" - without legitimate cause for concern for what may foment now and manifest itself in the future.

The recent International Court of Justice's judgment against Greece regarding the FYROM's 2008 NATO bid is not binding on the alliance. The court did not consider the fact that NATO allies decide by consensus, and this consensus was not there for the FYROM's bid. Furthermore, and notwithstanding the ruling of the ICJ, NATO maintains the position that the FYROM's accession to NATO is predicated on a resolution of the country-name issue with Greece.

The FYROM's irredentism isn't characteristic of a 21st-century country wishing good neighbourly relations. This is what Canadians should consider when they hear the complaints of the FYROM partisans, such as those who expressed themselves in your pages.

* The authors are leaders of the Hellenic Congress of Quebec, PanMacedonian Association of Canada, Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal, Macedonian Association "Philip-Alexander," Macedonian Association "Alexander the Great," Brotherhood Vogatsioton Kastorias "Ion Dragoumis," Society of Kastorians "Omonia," Pontian Association of Montreal "Efxinos Pontos," Greek Community of Toronto, and Hellenic Community of Vancouver. These groups represent more than 200,000 Canadians of Greek descent.

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/rewrite+Balkan+history/5902378/story.html

FYROM vs Macedonia: In order for one to play with the big boys, one has to be a big boy!

2011-12-14T20:28:00.000-06:00

They heard its “Time to play with the big boys”, so they cross dressed as some sort of "Macedonians"

Let us Stick to Facts!

By Marcus A. Templar1

United “Macedonian” Diaspora’s recent underhanded vitriolic attack against anything and everything Greek and Greece, has raised questions as to the content of UMD’s accusations². The article appeared on the National Post, which was more than happy to print trash without checking facts against true sources such as the UN, International Red Cross, etc.

The Skopjans have brought up the subject of paidomazoma and the Greek Civil War. According to them, the Slavs were killed and children were kicked out of their land. In essence they have unwillingly admitted that their parents committed treason against Greece by fighting the democratic forces of Greece in favor of their communist patrons. They also admitted that the well-known to the Greeks as paidomazoma (gathering of children) or children refugees, as the Skopjans are enjoying calling that occurred between 1948 and 1949 was actually genocide, except that the gathering of the children was done by them. I must explain that Skopje has been caught red-handed committing it as recorded in the annals of the UN and Red Cross, along with the reaction of Harry S. Truman, XXXIII President of the United States and Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives. My essay “Eliminating Opposition One Way or Another” offers a few facts on the matter while adding the plight of the Swabian Germans³.

I am offering furthermore web links to United Nations General Assembly Resolutions that explain a few things for truth’s sake (UNGA 313 Plenary Meeting, December 1, 1950 § 381, §282 A, B, C; UNGAR 508-510, 355 Plenary Meeting, December 14, 1951, and UNGAR 517 (VI), 371 Plenary Meeting, February 2, 1952⁴.

The Canadian Minister of Defense Robert G. MacKay’s statement regarding “consensus minus one” for new membership was a political absurdity aimed to collect votes from the desperate Skopjan diaspora given that in order to adopt such a change, consensus is required. There are a number of countries besides Greece that would not consent to the proposal, i.e. Skopje’s ally Turkey and Albania. Under that proposal, Turkey would have no say on Cyprus joining NATO and Albania would be out of the loop from objecting to Serbia’s membership before its recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

Regarding the ICJ, Eric A. Posner, Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law and Aaron Director Research Scholar at the University of Chicago, author of a series of essays on Intelligence, Security and International Law has concluded in the essay “Is the International Court of Justice Biased?”

The data suggest that national bias has an important influence on the decision making of the ICJ. Judges vote for their home states about 90 percent of the time. When their home states are not involved, judges vote for states that are similar to their home states—along the dimensions of wealth, culture, and political regime.

By its very statute (article 65.I) the Court’s opinions are advisory and do not interfere with national security or internal issues of member states. The ICJ advisory opinion per FYROM’s request on whether Greece had violated the Interim Agreement was unfortunate and clearly political. It is an erroneous opinion.

If the only country that objected was Greece, NATO decision would have stated that the FYROM did not meet the requirements of the Alliance, period. The fact is that the Alliance not only stated that the FYROM meet the requirements, but in addition it set a special pre-condition that the FYROM had to solve the name dispute before it can get the desired membership. That means that NATO went much further that an alleged simple objection by Greece. A single country could not have swayed and reversed the opinion of the Alliance, including Turkey and Slovenia, both known for their pro-Skopjan stance unless they all thought that they had to have trustworthy members among them. The Court has missed the point, because the Greek side did not make the connection to this fact. The FYROM was found untrustworthy of a military alliance.

In April 2008, NATO had taken a decision by consensus not to invite Skopje to join it because of its name dispute with a member state, Greece. The decision came about by consensus, not because of a veto, but because a number of countries did not want to bring a problem into the Alliance⁵.

As for the effect of the ICJ advisory opinion on NATO decisions, it will be nil. The internal procedures of NATO could not be touched by the ICJ finding it as being not competent to decide. Since NATO membership is voluntary, candidate states have to meet all requirements (pre-conditions and criteria) with exceptions. The attitude of the Alliance basically is “take or leave it.” One of the pre-conditions is that a solution of the name issue to Greece’s satisfaction is a must. This can be reversed only by consensus as long as such a decision does not affect the national security of a state member (Greece), not the way Skopje likes it to be, but the way Greece understands it. This is very important because if the national security of a state member is at risk, the whole Alliance is at risk.

The argument by Skopje that Greece should allow it to join NATO and EU and then solve the problem is definetely another maneuver. Firstly during the last twenty years of the dispute, Skopje has indicated that it does not think of changing the name of the country not adhering to the principle pacta sunt servanda. Secondly Greece did not disallow Skopje to join NATO, but since it was a collective decision, the Alliance has to reverse itself. It is not going to happen because it is a matter of national security of its member Greece. In addition, Turkey is a bad example of political bad faith in negotiations with the EU and thus since most of the countries of NATO are members of the EU, NATO is not about to consent.

Skopje keeps bringing up the agreement between Slovenia and Croatia to settle their disputes after Croatia joined NATO. The border disputes between the two countries are negligible next to the name dispute between Skopje and Greece considering Skopje’s behavior. The border disputes of those two countries do not closely amount in strategic importance naming Old Serbia (later Governorate of Vardar) to Macedonia. The future of Greece depends as a country on it. Greece has very legitimate strategic concerns against the FYROM, because under the aegis of a powerful patron the FYROM could officially claim Greek territories and even acquire them. The matter of Eastern Rumelia in 1885 and Kosovo in 2001 are powerful examples on how the Great Powers work in the Balkans. It would be unwise if Greece allowed the FYROM to set the foundations for a second Asia Minor catastrophe.

The dispute between Greece and Skopje involves territorial claim on the 34,177 km2 (13,195.8 sq mi) real estate of the Greek region of Macedonia, inhabited by 2.5 million Macedonian Greeks. A good example would be bringing Slovenia and Austria into the discussion. Could Slovenia be a member of NATO or EU if it had raised directly or indirectly, officially or unofficially claims on Austrian territories of Carinthia (Koroška) and Styria (Štajerska)? Not a chance. But the Slovenes are simply intelligent, not conniving! The fact that the FYROM has modified its Constitution means nothing compared to the constant demonstrations of maps of a united Macedonia promoted internally and abroad. One should compare these indications to the pre-Falklands War period when “a generation of school children had been taught that the Malvinas were Argentine. Postage stamps proclaimed that the Islands were a part of the Argentine Republic. Argentine maps labeled the Islands as “occupied territory⁶.”

Skopje’s defense sufficiency does not provide or set as a target the security of all defensive means, as well as the quality of manpower, which constitute the necessary and sufficient conditions for the deterrence of any threat. At the same time, a systematic effort for the introduction of new technology and weapon systems that ensure the maximization of “cost-effectiveness” is absent because of lack of funding. The FYROM lacks necessary funding to buy new weapon systems and new equipment. Crop dusters cannot replace F- 16s. Besides, serious sums have been diverted from the Defense to the Ministry of Internal Affairs denoting that Skopje’s true enemies are internal not external.

In other words the FYROM not only does not meet the set pre-conditions, it does not meet NATO criterion of “Added transaction costs of a new member for the alliance’s cohesion and ability to perform its main missions on the basis of consensus” since it spends only 1.4% of its GDP while the required minimum percentage is 2%. Furthermore, the FYROM and UMD constant attack on the consensus decisionmaking of the Alliance, makes NATO decision makers wonder why should they accept a candidate who fights the way the organization works?

In addition, the article has attacked Greece’s financial mess, but we all know that financial services companies as Standard & Poor, Fitch, Moody’s and Dagong have downgraded a number of euro zone countries and one of them, S&P has threatened to downgrade 15 euro zone countries, including Germany and France. Is the attack against Greece by association an attack against all 15? The fact however comes from a study by the Bonn International Center for Conversion, which indicates that despite its financial mess, Greece spends 3.6% of its GDP versus 1.4% of the FYROM with BB rating stable economy!

But there is something else that one must consider. It is the testimony coming from the FYROM’s White Paper on Defense, which states,

The Republic of Macedonia [sic] is of the firm belief that isolated security systems, especially those of small and developing countries, are irrational and inefficient. Since its independence the Republic of Macedonia [sic] has therefore focused on participating in collective security activities with the ultimate objective of becoming a NATO member. To the Republic of Macedonia [sic], there is no alternative approach except to join NATO and the EU. This opinion has a wide political consensus robustly supported by the vast majority of the citizens.”

Breaking down the above statement one concludes that the proclamation made by the FYROM’s Ministry of Defense. “This opinion has a wide political consensus robustly supported by the vast majority of the citizens” is false. According to the MIA News Agency a total of 66.5 percent “the vast majority of its citizens” chose the name against 26.2% who favored FYROM’s EU, NATO membership⁸.

In addition to the conflict of statements, we have FYROM’s admission that for its security depends on NATO not on its own armed forces. It is nothing wrong with such mentality considering the size of the country. However that country may not simultaneously consider itself that important, indeed the center of the Earth, while it begs NATO for its external security and at the same time diverting its forces against its own citizens as we saw above. In view of the fact that it has realized that “there is no alternative approach except to join NATO and the EU” the FYROM has to conform to the conditions for membership of those two organizations. In order for one to play with the big boys, one has to be a big boy. Let us stick to facts!

¹Marcus A. Templar is a former U.S. Department of Defense Subject Matter Expert in Intelligence Analysis specializing in the Balkans. He holds an MA in Human Resource Development from Northeastern Illinois University and an MS in Strategic Intelligence from the U.S. National Intelligence University (U.S. National Defense Intelligence College). He is member of National Intelligence Education Foundation (USA), National Military Intelligence Association (USA), Political Studies Association of the UK, Greek Politics Specialist Group (Greece).

²Metodija A. Koloski & Mark Branov, “Time to let Macedonia play with the big boys” National Post Nov 28, 2011, http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/11/28/metodija-a-koloski-mark-branov-time-to-let-macedonia-play-with-the-big-boys/ (accessed December 13, 2011).

³Marcus A. Templar, “Eliminating Opposition One Way or Another” http://www.macedoniahellenicland.eu/content/view/2490/78/lang,el/ (accessed December 11, 2011).

⁴Secretary General Trygve Halvdan Lie, United Nations, Treats to the political independence and territorial integrity of Greece, repatriation of Greek children (Lake Success, 1949).

www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1950/44.pdf (accessed 2011), www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNGARsn/1951/7.pdf (accessed December 13, 2011), and

http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide/r6.htm (accessed December 13, 2011).

⁵Marcus A. Templar, “NATO is a Bona-Fide Military Alliance, not a Socio-Political Private Club” http://www.macedoniahellenicland.eu/content/view/1928/76/lang,el/ (accessed December 11, 2011).

⁶Lieutenant Commander, Richard D. Chenette, USN, “The Argentine Seizure of the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands: History and Diplomacy” Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, (Quantico, May 04, 1987). http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1987/CRD.htm (accessed December 13, 2011).

⁷Jan Grebe and Jerry Sommer, , “Greece: High military expenditures despite the financial crisis,” Bonn International Center for Conversion, http://www.bicc.de/uploads/pdf/publications/focus/9-griechenland/BICC%20Focus_Griechenland_engl_fin.pdf (accessed December 11, 2011).

⁸“Poll: Citizens choose name over Macedonia’s EU, NATO membership, Skopje, 12 July 2010” MIA, http://www.mia.com.mk/default.aspx?vId=75449646&lId=2&pmId=501, accessed December 12, 2011).

AHEPA's reply to Koloski's and Branov's hateful writings on the National Post

2011-12-14T14:30:00.000-06:00

National Post

Editor Department

1450 Don MillsRoad, Suite 300

Don Mills, ON

M3B3R5

Fax: 1 (416)368-2305

December 13, 2011

Re: “Time tolet Macedonia play with the big boys”, Full Comment, November 28, 2011,

Metodija A. Koloski and Mark Branov

“A Country Called Macedonia”, November 29, 2011, Met. A. Koloskiand Mark Branov

Dear Editor(s),

I am writing to youthis letter in my capacity as president of the Mount Royal Canadian Chapter ofthe American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) to express thedismay and disappointment I felt when I read these hateful propaganda pieces inyour newspaper, that I have been subscribing to from its initial publication.

I will not attemptto counter the contents of the articles, as they are full of falsehoods. Theauthors are desperately trying to re-write the internationally accepted andrecorded history of the region completely. They adapt and present theridiculous thesis of the recent governments of the F.Y.R.O.M. (Former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia) that somehow the southern Slavs and Bulgarians thatsettled in that region in the 7^th century AD were transformed this pastcentury into the descendants of the ancient Greek Macedonians that have beenliving there for more than 3,000 years. In this manner, they are expropriatinganother nation’s cultural identity and history, deluding their own citizens andfanning animosity, mistrust and hatred against the neighboring Greeks,Albanians and Bulgarians. It is nothing more than identity theft and a ‘BigLie’.

By falsifyingevents in that region of Southeastern Europe and making several hateful andfalse accusations against Greece, these authors, using a respected newspaper suchas The National Post, are aiming to mislead the public and arouse mistrust andhatred against Canadians of Hellenic descent.

AHEPA was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in July 1922to protect Greek Americans from attacks by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and to fight racialdiscrimination and bigotry. The first Canadian Chapter of AHEPA was founded in Toronto, Ontario in1928. Since then, AHEPA Chapters have been established in many cities in Canada- Montreal, Ottawa, Belleville, Windsor, Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Calgary,Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina and Vancouver. With the time of racial attacks andethnic discrimination long past, the mission ofAHEPA has evolved to promoting Hellenism, education, philanthropy, civicresponsibility, and family and individual excellence.

The hateful writings by Metodija A. Koloski and Mark Branov,which unfortunately and curiously found their way into the pages of yournewspaper, could bring us back to unhealthy divisions and ethnic intoleranceand recrimination. As a Chapter president of AHEPA, I am asking you to live upto your responsibilities as a respectable newspaper by publicly distancingyourselves from groups that aim to spread lies and hatred through Canada’smedia.

Sincerely,

AHEPA Mount RoyalCJ7 Chapter

The Greece/FYROM dispute goes beyond what's in a name

2011-12-12T13:57:00.006-06:00

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Greece+FYROM+dispute+goes+beyond+what+name/5845376/story.html

Fake "antiquization" : a shaky identity hanging from a thread

The issue of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ("A country called Macedonia, Metodija A. Koloski and Mark Branov, Nov. 29) is not just a dispute over historical facts or symbols but the conduct of a UN member state, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), in contravention of fundamental principles of international law and order; specifically, respect for good neighbourly relations, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The name issue is thus a problem with regional and international dimensions, consisting in the promotion of irredentist and territorial ambitions by the FYROM, mainly through the counterfeiting of history and usurpation of Greece's national and historical heritage.

The name issue arose in 1991, when FYROM seceded from Yugoslavia and declared its independence under the name "Republic of Macedonia." Historically, the term "Macedonia," a Greek word, refers to the Kingdom and culture of the ancient Macedonians, who belong to the Hellenic Nation and are unquestionably part of Greek historical and cultural heritage. The roots of the name issue go back to the mid1940s, when, in the aftermath of the Second World War, General Tito separated from Serbia the region that had been known until that time as Vardar Banovina (today's FYROM), giving it the status of a federal unit in Yugoslavia, while cultivating the idea of a separate and discrete "Macedonian nation."

FYROM declared its independence in 1991, basing its existence as an independent state on the artificial and spurious notion of the "Macedonian nation." Greece reacted strongly to the theft of its historical and cultural heritage and the treacherous territorial and irredentist intentions of the FYROM, and the issue came before the UN Security Council, which, in two resolutions recommended that a settlement be found quickly, for the sake of peaceful relations and good neighbourliness in the region.

In 1993, following a recommendation from the Security Council, FYROM was accepted, by decision of the General Assembly, into the UN under this provisional name, until such time as an agreed solution is reached. In 1995, Greece and the FYROM concluded an Interim Accord, based on which the two sides began negotiations under the auspices of the UN. These negotiations have continued to this day.

In sharp contrast to Greece's constructive efforts, FYROM Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski persists with irredentist and nationalistic strategy of which the main elements include the continued use of "antiquization" tactics, the usurpation and distortion of history, the erection of grandiose statues, the renaming of airports, prominent landmarks and streets, the issuance of school books and maps depicting a so-called "Greater Macedonia" that includes large portions of northern Greece, to name but a few.

At the Bucharest NATO Summit in April 2008, the members of the Alliance decided in a collective and unanimous decision that an accession invitation will be extended to FYROM only if the name issue has been resolved in a mutually acceptable manner. Similarly, the EU decided at the June 2008 European Council, in a collective and unanimous decision, that the resolution of the name issue in a mutually acceptable manner is a fundamental necessity if further steps are to be taken on the FYROM's EU accession course.

The basic objective prerequisite for the continuation and completion of the European and Euroatlantic courses of every candidate country is the adoption of and respect, in practice, for the fundamental principles of the organization they want to join, and particularly the principle of good neighbourly relations, which is the basis for a partnership or alliance between states.

- Dimitris Azemopoulos is Consul General of Greece in Toronto.

Η αντεπίθεση ξεκίνησε από το Νέο Πετρίτσι

2011-12-03T16:42:00.001-06:00

ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΣΤΑΡΤΣΟΒΙΤΩΝ
& ΦΙΛΩΝ

«Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΜΗΝΑΣ»

Νέου Πετριτσίου Σερρών

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Μερικά σλαβικά Μέσα Μαζικής Ενημέρωσης της FYROM συνεχίζοντας την πάγια τακτική της παραπληροφόρησης και της αλλοίωσης της ιστορικής αλήθειας, αισθανόμενοι ,ανεξήγητα, ντροπή για τους 14 αιώνες της σλαβικής τους ιστορίας προσπαθούν να κατασκευάσουν ένα ψευδεπίγραφο έθνος.

Πανικοβλήθηκαν από την συνάντηση των Μακεδονικών Συλλόγων στο Νέο Πετρίτσι του Νομού Σερρών στις 12 Νοεμβρίου 2011, και αφού δεν μπόρεσαν να την ματαιώσουν με τις γνωστές κομιτατζίδικες μεθόδους τους, μέσω των εντός Ελλάδος φερεφώνων τους, προσπάθησαν να διαστρεβλώσουν το νόημα του Δελτίου Τύπου που εκδόθηκε με τα συμπεράσματα της συνάντησης.

Τους υπενθυμίζουμε ότι, το να αναφερθούμε στα “εντόπικα” που ομιλούν μερικοί από εμάς τους Μακεδόνες Έλληνες, και να τονίσουμε με τον πιο σαφή και επιστημονικό τρόπο ότι τα “εντόπικα” διαφέρουν από τη Σκοπιανή γλώσσα και ότι αυτοί που τα μιλάμε είμαστε Έλληνες, δεν αδυνατίζει αλλά αντιθέτως ισχυροποιεί πρωτόγνωρα την Ελληνική διαπραγματευτική θέση στις συνομιλίες για την οριστική ονομασία του κράτους τους.

Οι Μακεδονικοί Σύλλογοι των ντόπιων γηγενών Μακεδόνων, θα συνεχίσουν να προασπίζουν την Ιστορία και τον Πολιτισμό τους και εύχονται στους γείτονες Σλάβους της FYROM να βρουν τον εθνικό σλαβικό προσδιορισμό τους ώστε να μην απορροφηθούν από τους Σέρβους και Βούλγαρους ομόαιμους τους.

Προσκαλούμε, τέλος, τον κ. Freedman, καθηγητή του Πανεπιστημίου του Σικάγο, ο οποίος έκανε δηλώσεις στα Σκοπιανά μέσα μαζικής ενημέρωσης σχετικές με την συνάντηση των Μακεδονικών Συλλόγων στο Πετρίτσι, να επισκεφθεί με δικά μας έξοδα την Ελλάδα και να τον ξεναγήσουμε στο Δίον, την Βεργίνα, την Πέλλα και την Αιανή Κοζάνης, για να γνωρίσει την Ελληνικότητα των Μακεδόνων.

Νέο Πετρίτσι 30 Νοε 2011

ΤΟ ΔΣ

Καί η αντεπίθεση βρήκε τον στόχο της:

Πεμπτη, 24 Νοεμβριου 2011 01:14

Σκοπιανή TV για την ημερίδα στο Ν.Πετρίτσι για το Μακεδονικό

Η πρόσφατη ημερίδα που πραγματοποίησε (13/11) στο Νέο Πετρίτσι, ο Σύλλογος Σταρτσοβιτών «Άγιος Μηνάς» με θέμα : «Μακεδονικό ζήτημα. Οι νεότερες εξελίξεις» και τα όσα αποφασίστηκαν για συντονισμό και οργάνωση των μακεδονικών συλλόγων, απέναντι στην «εισαγόμενη» προπαγάνδα, φαίνεται πως μετά τους φιλοσκοπιανούς θορύβησε και τα ίδια τα Σκόπια. Ρεπορτάζ του φιλοκυβερνητικού SITEL, αναφέρθηκε την Τετάρτη (23/12) στα όσα λέχθηκαν στη διάρκεια της ημερίδας, επισημαίνοντας πως οι συμμετέχοντες δεν αναγνωρίζουν πως το σλαβόφωνο ιδίωμα που ομιλείται σε ορισμένες περιοχές της Μακεδονίας, ταυτίζεται με τη γλώσσα των Σκοπίων, όπως μεθοδικά επιχειρεί να παρουσιάσει η προπαγάνδα των γειτόνων.

Το ρεπορτάζ ωστόσο φιλοξένησε απόψεις του γνωστού για τα φιλοσκοπιανά του αισθήματα Αμερικανού γλωσσολόγου, Βίκτορ Φρίντμαν, που επανέλαβε τον ισχυρισμό του πως : «Οι διάλεκτοι στην Βόρεια Ελλάδα, είναι πολύ στενά συνδεδεμένες με τις διαλέκτους των Σκοπίων και αποτελούν βάση της σκοπιανής λογοτεχνικής γλώσσας».

Ο ίδιος, εμφανώς ανενημέρωτος για τα όσα παρουσιάστηκαν και ειπώθηκαν, έφτασε στο σημείο να ισχυριστεί πως τα όσα ανακοινώθηκαν μετά την ημερίδα, αποτελούν αναγνώριση πως στην Ελλάδα ομιλείται η «μακεντόνσκι» γλώσσα και πως αυτό θα μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί ως επιχείρημα από την πλευρά των Σκοπίων στις διαπραγματεύσεις για το όνομα με τη χώρα μας.

Η ουσία πάντως είναι, πως για πρώτη φορά ένας μεγάλος τηλεοπτικός σταθμός των Σκοπίων, προέβαλε ρεπορτάζ, παρουσιάζοντας ξεκάθαρα τις θέσεις των μακεδονικών συλλόγων, απέναντι στους ανιστόρητους ισχυρισμούς που αμφισβητούν ευθέως την ελληνικότητα των Μακεδόνων.

THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF PAIONIA * / Το αρχαίο βασίλειο της Παιονίας*

2011-10-04T07:14:00.001-05:00

Very little has been written about the Paionians, and whatever has been written is mostly undocumented and pitifully inadequate, if not outright wrong. Some have called them Thracians, some have called them Illyrians, and yet others insisted that the Paionians were a mix of Illyrians and Thracians, without any in depth reference to the evidence. The Paionians made the historian's life even more difficult by having left no inscriptions written in their own language, except the coins, and then only names. After Alexander, post 4thcBC the Paionians give us inscriptions but by then they appear fully Greek and all the inscriptions now found in their ancient cities testify to a fully Hellenized society. Stoboi cannot be distinguished in their language and culture from any other Greek city of Ionia, southern Italy or southern Greece. Their Hellenization by the Hellenistic age is obvious, but were the Paionians Greek, before the 4th cBC? Professor Irwin L. Merker has attempted an answer, by doing the obvious: he looked at the historical references and the archaeological (mostly numismatic and some epigraphic) evidence and he compared them in the light of the linguistic conclusions drawn by the names of persons and geographical locations left by the Paionians.
Unable to locate this text (“The Ancient Kingdom of Paionia,” by Irwin L. Merker) in the public domain, I went to the library of the Society for Macedonian Studies and coppied it from the original publication in which it had originally appeared, the Balkan Studies number 6 of 1965.
M.E.B.

Greek translation to the introduction:
Πολύλίγα έχουν γραφτεί για την Παίονες, αλλάκαι όσα έχουν γραφεί γράφηκαν ως επί τοπλείστον χωρίς αποδεικτικά στοιχείακαι παραμένουν θλιβερώς ανεπαρκή, ανόχι παντελώς λανθασμένα. Ορισμένοιτους θεώρησαν Θράκες, καί άλλοι τουςαπεκάλεσαν Ιλλυριούς, άλλοι πάλιεπέμεναν πως οι Παίονες ήταν ένα μείγμααπό Ιλλυριούς και Θράκες, χωρίς όμωςκαμία αναφορά σε βάθος καί δίχωςαποδεικτικά στοιχεία. Οι Παίονεςκάνουν τη ζωή του ιστορικού ακόμα πιοδύσκολη με το να μήν μας έχουν αφήσειεπιγραφές γραμμένες στη γλώσσα τους,εκτός από τα νομίσματα, αλλά και τότεμας παραδίδουν μόνον κύρια ονόματα. Μετάτον Αλέξανδρο, μετά τον 4ο πΧ αιώνα, οιΠαίονες μας δίδουν επιτέλους επιγραφές,αλλά πλέον εμφανίζονται πλήρως ελληνικέςκαι όλες οι επιγραφές που σήμεραβρίσκονται σε αρχαίες πόλεις τους,μαρτυρούν μια πλήρως εξελληνισμένηκοινωνία. Οι Στώβοι δεν μπορούν ναξεχωρίσουν στη γλώσσα και τον πολιτισμότους από οποιανδήποτε άλλη ελληνικήπόλη της Ιωνίας, της νότιας Ιταλίας ήτης νότια Ελλάδας. Ο Εξελληνισμόςτους από την Ελληνιστική εποχή καίεντεύθεν είναι προφανής, αλλά ήταν όμωςοι Παίονες Έλληνες, πριν από τον 4ο αιώναπΧ; Ο καθηγητής Irwin L. Merker (Έρβιν Μέρκερ)έχει επιχειρήσει μιαν απάντηση, κάνονταςτο αυτονόητο: έψαξε στις ιστορικέςαναφορές και στίς αρχαιολογικές (ως επίτο πλείστον νομισματικές και μερικέςεπιγραφικές) ενδείξεις και τις συνέκρινευπό το πρίσμα των γλωσσικών συμπερασμάτωνπου συνάγονται από τα ονόματα τωνπροσώπων και των γεωγραφικές τοπονυμίωνπου μας άφησαν οι Παίονες.
Αδυνατώνταςνα βρώ το παρών κείμενο («Το αρχαίοβασίλειο της Παιονίας," του Irwin L.Merker) στο διαδίκτυο, πήγα στη βιβλιοθήκητης Εταιρείας Mακεδονικών Σπουδών καιτο αντέγραψα (φωτοτύπησα) από την αρχικήδημοσίευση στην οποία είχε πρωτοεμφανιστεί, στο περιοδικό Βαλκανικές Σπουδές,αριθμός 6, του 1965. Το κείμενο θα μεταφραστεί σχετικά σύντομα καί στην Ελληνική, με την ελπίδα πώς κάποιος από τους συγγραφείς των σχολικών βιβλίων Ιστορίας του ΟΕΣΒ ίσως να το διαβάσει καί να αλλάξει τις αναφορές των Παιόνων ως ¨Θράκες¨.
M.Η.Μπ.

The Paionians were a people who lived in antiquityin the southern part of the Balkan peninsula.We know very little about them, even less than we know about the Macedonians.The reasons for this are fairly simple — no Paionian Philip ever dominated Greece, and noPaionian Alexander ever conquered the known world. As a result the ancienthistorians seem to have never shown any deep interest in the Paionians, andthere is relatively little mention of the Paionians in the works of the ancientGreeks. Nevertheless, there are a number of references to the Paionians inseveral of the Greek authors, usually at points where the history of Paioniaimpinges on that of the Greeks. In addition there are several inscriptions fromthe very centers of hellenism — Athens, Delphiand Olympia —that refer to Paionian kings of the fourth and third centuries B.C.Unfortunately we find none of these inscriptions in the homeland of thePaionians. Finally there exist coins that were struck in the fourth and thirdcenturies by the kings of Paionia. It is by combining these three types ofevidence, and only in this way, that we can create a balanced picture of thePaionians and their kingdom.

But before wecan really draw any picture of the Paionians, we must settle one problem, andthat problem is, "Were the Paionians of Hellenic stock?" By the term"Hellenic stock" I do not mean that they were Hellenes in the samesense as the ancient Athenians or Korinthians were Hellenes. The Paionianswere far too backward to be considered Hellenes in this sense. Rather I ask,"Did the ancestors of the Paionians and the ancestors of the Athenians andKorinthians enter the Balkan peninsulatogether from some common point of origin, speaking the same or a similarlanguage and sharing a similar culture?" Naturally in the course of timeeach of these two groups would have developed along different lines. Finallybecause the Paionians lived so far north they had common borders with Illyrianand Thracian tribes. As a result, even if they were Hellenes, we must expect agreat deal of Illyrian and Thracian influence as a result of this proximity.

It is generally accepted now that the ancientMacedonians were certainly Hellenes,¹ but you can all see thecontroversy which has arisen because of the lack of evidence, and there is muchless evidence for the Paionians than there is for the Macedonians. There hasbeen a great lack of scientific excavation in the area in which the Paionianslived, and as a result we cannot define Paionian culture in archaeologicalterms. How are we then to attack this problem of whether or not the Paionianswere of Hellenic stock? We can try to solve this problem through the languageof the Paionians. But I must warn you of the difficulties involved in thisprocedure also. After several scholars had become involved in the controversyconcerning the Hellenism of the Paionians, N. Vuli£² wrote anarticle which showed how very inconclusive any of the available linguisticevidence is, because the names of persons and places do not necessarily reflectthe language or nationality of their current owners. After all Korinth isgenerally considered to be a pre-Greek name, but there is no doubt that theancient and modern Korinthians were and are Hellenes. Likewise there are manypeople today named Pierrewho are not French. Nevertheless, let us look at some of this linguistic evidence,always bearing in mind how inconclusive it can be.

Here as inevery other aspect of Paionian history, we are handicapped by our lack ofsources. Our knowledge of the Paionian language is woefully inadequate. Theevidence for the Paionian language consists of a few place-names, a fewpersonal names and one word. The first and most obvious is the place-name Παιονία. We are told by Pausanias³ thatPaion, the eponymous ancestor of the Paionians, was a brother of Epeios andAitolos, the eponymous ancestors of the Epeians of Elis and the Aitolians. Thisis most important for us, because this genealogy shows that the ancientHellenes considered the Paionians to be Hellenes. The place-name itself hasseveral cognates with similar roots in Greece. One of them is Παιονίδαι, a deme of the tribe Leontis in Attica. A place in the Argolid has the same name.⁴Bel-loch⁵ equated the name of the Paionian city of Stoboi with Στύβηρα in Pelagonia. The Paionian capital,Bylazora, finds its cognate in the city of Azo-fos in Perrhaibia, which is surely Greek.'Άστιβος, the name ofthe river in which the Paionian king took a ritual bath at the time of hiscoronation, as well as the name of a place mentioned in the Peutinger table ispurely Greek. "Αστιβος meansuntrodden and is used by Antipater of Sidon in a poem preserved in the GreekAnthology.⁶ Lake Prasias was the site of a Paionian lake-dwellingsettlement.⁷ One can compare it with Πρασιαι both a deme in Attika and a town on the eastcoast of Lakonia.⁸ The name is to be derived in all probability fromπράσον or leak, orperhaps πρασία meaninggarden plot. Beloch also points out that since we know that the Paionians livedon Lake Prasias in houses built on stakes driveninto the lake in the fifth century, we must assume that such a primitive typeof highly developed settlement existed for sometime before the fifth century.This would be much too early to speak of a hellenization of the name, as somepeople who want to make the Paionians non-Hellenic do. This would not, however,preclude a Hellenic name from being given to the lake by Hellenes who lived inthe area before the settlement of the Paionians. Mount Messapionis the place where the Paionians hunt their wild bison. Of course I need not gointo detail as to the place-names in Greece that are cognates — Mt. Messapionin Boiotia, and similar names in Lokris,⁹ Lakonia,¹⁰Elis,¹¹ Crete,¹²and Aitolia.¹³ The Messapiansof southern Italy probably called themselves Kalabrians or Sollentines, whilethe Hellenic settlers gave them the name Messapians. The main Paionian river,the Axios, explains itself in the Macedonian dialect. According to Hesychios άξος means ϋλη or forest. The Axios appeals in Homer,¹⁴and we find that the Paionians not the Macedonians lived along its banks;therefore the word must also be Paionian. Further, if the Paionian territorystretched along the Axios down to the sea, as Homer suggests, the purely Greeknames in this vicinity — Ido-mene, Gortyna, Atalante and Europos — may also bePaionian names. The Paionian tribe of the Agrianes also has a good Hellenicname. For cognates, we can point to the Agraioi who lived on the Acheloos andthe name of the month Agrianos.

In the time ofAlexander the Great the name of the king of the Agrianes was Langaros,^{^[1]}a non-Hellenic name. This is to be explained by the closeness of the Agrianesto the tribes of Illyrians, Dardanians, and Au-tariates. In the nineteenthcentury two inscriptions were found at Prescovatz near Monastir (Bitolia) whichrefer to a god called Apollo "Oteudanos" or "Eteudaniskos."^{^[2]}It was suggested that this god was of Paionian origin. The inscriptions,however, are of Roman date (2nd century A.D.), and from the very area of thePaionian-Illyrian border. Both facts tend to weaken the alleged Paioniancharacter of this god.

What about the Paionian personal names? Most of thenames that we know from pre-Roman times are the names of the royal family. Theexceptions are Πίγρης and Μαντύης (or Μαστύης or Μαστίης) who appear in the fable about Xerxes andthe Paionian woman.^{^[3]}Pigres is a Karian name which we encounter frequently in Asia Minor. The problem of Mantyes, which is corrupt in our manuscriptsis insoluble. Another exception is Didas, mentioned in Livy, one of the royalprefects who governed Paionia after its annexation to Macedonia.^{^[4]}Didas, although he governed Paionia, need not necessarily have been a Paionian.The first Paionian king who appears in our sources is Agis who died in 359.^{^[5]} The name isquite clearly Greek. Ariston commandedthe Paionian contingent in the army of Alexander the Great,^{^[6]}and a sonof a later Paionian king bore the same name.^{^[7]} It is also a goodGreek name. Dropion, the name of a third century king, is likewise a Greek name— the root of the name is found in different parts of Hellas, and as early asthe seventh century the brother of Solon was called Δρωπίδης.^{^[8]} Dropion' sfather Leon had a Greek name. The last element in Audoleon's name is Greek, andit would be arbitrary to make the first part Illyrian, as some scholars wish todo, on the analogy of Audata, the "Illyrian" wife of Philip II.

Benseler hasexplained thi name as'Greek, "Lion-voiced."^{^[9]} We meet its root inthe month Audnaios or Audonnaios from both Macedoniaand Knossos.^{^[10]}Patraos, another Paionian royal name can be Greek on analogy with Kranaos andOinomaos. The Greek word λύκος, wolf, can berecognized in Lykpeios, another Paionian king. Thus, on the basis of thePaionian names, we can say that there is no evidence that the Paionians did notspeak a dialect of Greek.

The solePaionian word preserved for us is μόναπος and it appearsin Aristotle.^{^[11]}It seems that this is what the Paionians call the βόνασος or European bison. From Pausanias,^{^[12]}we learn that a Paionian king dedicated the head of one of these bison at Delphi and we learn of the unusual way in which they werehunted. It is probable that μόναπος isetymologically related to the Old Indian word manya meaning neck,the English word mane, and the Greek word μανιακής, necklace.^{^[13]} The name mustemphasize the shaggy mane of the European bison. This is the only word that theancient authors distinguish as distinctly Paionian. The main reason for thisafter we take into account the extremely fragmentary nature of the sources isprobably the fact that most Paionian words were so like their Greekcounterparts that there was no need to notice them.

The nextquestion is, "What areas did the Paionians inhabit?" In the Iliad the Paioniansare mentioned in several places. They appear in the catalogue of Trojan allieswhere they are led by Pyraichmes. I should at this point inclicate that thePaionians mentioned by Homer, Pyraichmes and Asteropaios, both have Greeknames, the former meaning "whose spear is fire," and the latter"gleam of the lightning bolt." In this passage of the catalogue andelsewhere in the Iliad we learn that the Paionians come from Amydonon the Axios river. Quite clearly therefore in the time of Homer the lowerbasin of the Axios River was held by thePaionians, with their most important city at Amydon. Also, since Homer makes nomention of the Macedonians, we can assume that at the time of the compositionof the Iliad, which most scholars would now like to place in theeighth century, the Macedonians had not yet appeared in what later became LowerMacedonia, the heartland of the Macedonian Kingdom, and the Paionianscontrolled this territory. A fragment of Strabo tells us that Amydon wasdestroyed by the Argeads. the ruling family of the Macedonians.^{^[14]}A fragment of Hesiod indicates that by his own time the Macedonians weresettled in the area where they lived in classical times — that is, lower Macedonia.^{^[15]}Thus it would seem that sometime between Homer (ca. 750 B.C.) and Hesiod (thefirst half of the seventh century), probably shortly before 700, theMacedonians under the leadership of their Argead kings entered Lower Macedonia,drove out the Paionians who already lived there, and settled on the conqueredland of Lower Macedonia.

Originally, therefore, the term Paionia was muchmore inclusive than it later became in classical times. Strabo tells us thatthe Paionians once inhabited a territory that extended as far as Pelagonia(the area around Bito-lia) and Pieria east of the Strymon, and included much ofwhat was later Macedonia.^{^[16]}Consequently, among the territories that the Paionians held were Macedonia, Emathia, Krestonia, Mygdonia,Pelagonia, Pieria, and the land of theAgrianes as far as Pangaion. We learn from Herodotos^{^[17]} that at some time before510 the Paionians had attacked Perinthos on the Sea of Marmara. This is probably to be explained as a result of thepressure of the Macedonians in their homeland. In the fifth century we findthat the territory of the Paionians had been constricted by the Macedonians,and that they are now confined to the interior of the country. NeverthelessHerodotos shows us that they still control wide territories, and now for thefirst time we find mention of other Paionian tribes than the Paionians proper.^{^[18]}Thus at the end of the 6th century we know of Siriopaionians, Doberes, Paioplaiand Agrianes, and Thucydides adds the Laioi.^{^[19]} One of thetributaries of the Danube, most probably the Iskar,rises in the country of the Paionians.^{^[20]} Consequently, thearea of Mt. Rhodope where it rises, near theheadwaters of the Strymon and the Nestos, was inhabited by the Paioniantribes. Mt. Orbelosbetween the Strymon and Nestos Rivers also was Paionian.^{^[21]}Herodotos tells us of Paionians who lived on the Strymon river (οί από Στρυμόνος Παίονες.)^{^[22]} The Doberesand the Paioplai were settled at the time of the Persian wars in the area northof Mount

Pangaion.^{^[23]} To the west of the*Paionians were the Lake-dwelling Paionians, whom I mentioned to you before. ThePaionians west of the valley of the Strymon were settled deep in the interiorof the country, for the Macedonians held the lower reaches of the Axios River.^{^[24]}Here their territories extended as far as MountKerkines,^{^[25]} now on the border ofGreece, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia,where their boundaries met those of the Sintoi, and as far as Mt. Messapion,where their territories met those of the Maidoi. We find the Paionians on theuppecourse of the Axios River where theirterritory reached to Sto-boi, and Bylazora (Tito Veles) but not as far asSkoupoi (Skoplje). In the south they extended as far as the area of the presentGreek-Yugoslav border. To the west of the Axios they held the valley of theErigon river and part of the basin of Monastir. To the eastof the Axios they controlled the valleys of the Pontos (Stumnitza) and theAstibos (Bregalnitza).^{^[26]}The coins of the Paionian Kings have been found in extremely large numbers ina hoard found during the nineteenth century in the neighborhood of Kyustendil.Only last year another very large hoard of these coins came to light in Bulgaria.Taking this into account would lead one to suspect that the area of control ofthe Paionian Kings extended also into the Strymon valley near Kyustendil, andperhaps further to the south.

Now let us.turnto the history of the Paionians in the fifth century. Here our only two sourcesare the two great historians of that century, Herodotos and Thucydides. Ofcourse, neither of them, nor for that matter any of our other literary sources,are interested in the Paionians for themselves. It is only when the Paionianshappen to be involved in some episode of Greek history that we are given littlescraps of information about them. In the fifth century the Paionians areinvolved in Greek history twice, once during the Persian Wars, and again duringthe Peloponnesian War. About 510 B.C. Dareios sent his general Megabazos toextend the Persian frontiers further to the west to include the Argead Kingdomof Macedonia. This movement was a threat to those Paionian tribes who livedbetween the Nestos and Strymon Rivers north of Mt. Pangaion.In the course of this expedition Megabazos conquered the Paionians living eastof Lake Prasias,and then proceeded to deport them to Asia Minor.For the Greeks of the fifth century this was an extremely puzzling procedure,although quite common for the Eastern empires. To explain this Herodotos founda most charming story, and since it shows the versatility of Paionian women, Ishall repeat it now. There were two Paionians who wanted to become rulers oftheir country by winning the favour of the Persian King. They went to Sardis where the Kingwas. There they dressed their sister, a tall, fair woman, in very fine clothesand sent her to draw water, carrying a vessel on her head, leading a horse bythe bridle on her arm, and spinning flax at the same time. She paraded past theKing who became interested in this unusual sight and ordered his guards tofollow her. She watered the horse at the river, filled her vessel and walkedback leading the horse, carrying the water, and spinning. Dareios thensummoned her before him.Her brothers appeared and told him that they werePaionians from the River Strymon. The King then asked if the other Paionianwomen were as notable workers, and when they said "yes," he orderedMegabazos to bring the Paionians to Asia. Thismay not be quite historic, but it is a good story. Nevertheless, for whateverreason, the Paionians, or as many as could be collected, were deported toAsia.⁴¹ This disaster did not effect the Paionians who lived west ofthe Strymon valley. Later, during the Ionian revolt, many of the deportedPaionians revolted and with the aid of the Greek islanders escaped back totheir homes.⁴² But obviously this collision weakened the Paionianhold on the territory east of the Strymon. The next fifty years of Paionianhistory is almost a complete blank, but it is clear that as a result of thepressures of the Macedonians to the west and the Thracian tribes to the east,the Paionians who lived east of the Strymon, and even those on the lowerStrymon itself, disappeared. We learn that Alexander I of Macedonia controlled a silver mine near Lake Prasiaswhich was formerly Paionian and which brought him an income of one talent perday. We next find mention of the Paionians by Thucydides in connection withthe events in Thrace and Macedonia inthe early years of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides tells of the expedition,during the third year of the war, of Sitalkes the Odrysian King of Thrake andally of Athensagainst Perdikkas, the King of Macedonia. From the circumstances of thisexpedition we learn a little about the Paionians. First of all, the AgrianesandtheLaioi, as well as other Paionian tribes, acknowledged the sovereignty ofthe King of Thrace, because they furnished contingents of troops for his army.Then we learn that Sitalkes' western boundary was the Strymon Riverwhich flows through the territory of the Agrianes and Laioi, and that west ofthe Strymon lived Paionians who were independent. Thus we see that the easternPaionians — those living in the lower Strymon valley and north of Mt. Pangaion— were, during the course of the fifth century, first weakened by the Persians,and then ground between two millstones, the more powerful Thracian and MacedonianKingdoms, so that they disappear from the sources. We find that the Paioniantribe of the Doberes, whom Herodotos still knows in the area of Mt. Pangaion,has moved, and in Thucydides has its center in the Axios valley to the north ofMacedonia.⁴³ From the time of the Peloponnesian War until theaccession of Philip II to the throne of Macedonia the Paionians again drop outof our sources. There is no mention of them whatever. We must imagine thatthey withdrew into their fastness along the upper Axios Riverand in the mountainous regions around it, pressed by enemies on all sides —Thracians, Illyrians, and Macedonians. Here they managed to create some sort ofunified state, for when our sources cause them to reappear we find that thePaionian tribes no longer exist as such, but that there is a Kingdom of Paioniain their place. This Kingdom is able to preserve its identity down to the thirdcentury B.C. It is with this Kingdom that my own studies have especiallydealt, and now I should like to consider the history of that Kingdom.

As usual, welearn about Paionia only in connection with Macedonia. Diodoros Sikeliotestells us that in the year 360-59 Philip II became ruler of Macedonia afterhis brother Perdikkas was defeated in battle and killed by the Illyrians. Over4.000 Macedonians were killed in that disaster and the country was in anextremely weak condition. All of Macedonia's enemies decided toseize the opportunity to obtain what advantages they could from thissitu-ationia. The Illyrians began to assemble armies and to prepare to invadeMace-donia. The Thracians planned to install their candidate for the Macedonianthrone, a certain Pausanias who was related to the royal family of Macedonia. TheAthenians tried to restore Argaios, their candidate, to the throne, and thePaionians who lived near by began to pillage Macedonian territory to show theircontempt for the Macedonians. Once again the Paionians are on the scene. ButPhilip was able to hold his position in the face of all these enemies by ajudicious combination of force, diplomacy and bribery. He carried out a reformof the Macedonian army, which gave him the force he needed. He bought off theAthenians with the promise of Amphipolis, and thus was able to defeat Argaiostheir candidate. He bribed the Thracian King who likewise abandoned hisprotege, and he sent an embassy to the Paionians. Through the generous use ofbribery and persuasion, the embassy got an agreement from them to maintainpeace for the present. Thus Philip was able to get a breathing spell. In thefollowing year 359-8, Agis the king of Paionia died. Philip seized hisopportunity to attack the Paionians. He led an army into Paionia, defeated thePaionians, and thus compelled them to obey the Macedonians.^{^[27]} Some historians havetaken this to mean that Philip took over the Paionian Kingdomon the death of Agis. However the appearance a very short time later of Agis'successor Lykpeios, leads me to believe that Philip only defeated the Paioniansand compelled them to recognize his suzerainty. That same year Philip defeatedthe Illyrians, his greatest enemies, under Bardyllis, in a great battle nearMonastir. There is no need to continue with the history of Philip. ThePaionians have reapeared in our sources, this time with a well-defined Kingdomto the north of Macedonia.On the death of Agis, who is the first Paionian King we know, Lykpeios(Lyppeios, Lykkeios) became King. Lykpeios was probably the son of Agis, thoughwe cannot be sure. In the summer of 356 Lykpeios, the Illyrian Grabos, and theThracian Ketriporis joined with Athensin an alliance to try to check the advances of Philip.^{^[28]} This alliance-seemsto have had very little effect, for Philip was able to act before the alliesunited their forces, and continued to move from one success to another. Referencesto the Paionians in the First Olynthian of Demosthenesof 349,^{^[29]}and in the Philippos of Isokrates of 346,^{^[30]} show that thePaionians had been overthrown and made subject to Philip. This subjection didnot mean that Paionia was incorporated into the Macedonian Kingdom.Since we find that Lykpeios issued silver coins bearing his own name, we canassume that although Paionia was subject to Philip she continued to preserveher own identity as a state with her own kings. Further, the fact that they hadthe ability to issue silver coins argues for a good deal of independence ontheir part. In all probability the Paionians were compelled to pay tribute toPhilip, and to serve in his armies. Apart from his coins, we learn no more ofLykpeios, and perhaps we can assume that the final years of his reign werequiet and peaceful.

From the numismatic evidence we discover that hewas succeded by Patraos who, like his predecessor, struck silver coins. This isall we can say with any certainty about Patraos, as is the case with the endof the reign of Lykpeios. We know that Patraos' successor was already on thethrone by 310 B.C., and this gives us the terminus antequern for the end of Patraos' reign. The coinage will, I think, help us tofind a terminus ante quern for its beginning. On the reverse of thesilver tetradrachms we find a battle scene represented. At first glance it isonly a horseman with a spear riding down an enemy on foot. On closerexamination of a number of different coins we soon realize that the man on footis wearing the national'costume of the Persians. The cavalryman, who wears ahelmet and cuirass, can with reasonable certainty be taken as a Paionian. Isthere any incident of which we know in which a Paionian cavalryman rides down aPersian opponent? The answer comes quickly to mind. In Quin-tus Curtius Rufus' History ofAlexander it is reported that when Alexander the Great wascrossing the Tigris river with his army in 331, before the decisive battle of Gaugamela, his army was attacked by a detachment ofPersian cavalry. I now quote from Curtius IV. ix. 24-25. "Alexander.,ordered Ariston, commander of the Paionian cavalry to charge the Persian atfull speed. Glorious on that day was the fighting of the cavalry and inparticular of Ariston; aiming his spear at the throat of Satropates leader ofthe Persian horsemen he ran it through, then overtaking him as he fled throughthe midst of the enemy, hurled him from his horse, and in spite of hisresistance cut off his head with a sword; brought it back, and amid greatapplause laid it at the King's feet." Of course we must not take every singleword of this extremely rhetorical writer as the absolute truth. The picture ofSatropates making off through the ranks of the Persians with his throat runthrough by a spear is, to say the least, extremely unlikely. Much moreprobably, Ariston wounded the Persian, threw him from his horse, and thenkilled him. A further confirmation of this incident is found in Plutarch's Life ofAlexander, from which I shall also quote.^{^[31]}"Ariston,the leader of the Paionians, having slain an enemy brought his head and showedit to Alexander, saying: Ίη my country, Ο King, such a gift as this is rewarded with agolden beaker.' 'Yes,' said Alexander with a laugh, 'an empty one, but I willpledge thy health with one which is full of pure wine." A little anecdotewhich says something about the customs of the Paionians,and about Alexander'sgraciousness. In any case, I think that we can consider the Paionian coin typeas a representation of the epic battle of Ariston and Satropates. The nameAriston appears later as the name of a member of the royal family, andprobably our Ariston was likewise a member of the royal family — perhaps ayounger brother of Patraos. Patraos himself issued two types of silvertetradrachms. The first issue, a very rare one, showed a horse's head on thereverse; the second, much more common, is the one I described before. Thereforeone can say that Patraos came to the throne shortly before 331 and issued thehorse head type. After 331 he changed to the other which was rather flatteringto the royal family. He must have died before 310, and was probably succeededby his son Audoleon.

At this point,let us consider the Paionian troops who were with Alexander on his Asiaticexpedition. It seems that there were originally about 200 soldiers. They wereused as light cavalry, as skirmishers, and as scouts. Probably they wereequipped with a long lance and short sword. They participated in all three ofAlexander's great battles against the Persians, but they disappear from thesources after Gaugamela, the last of thethree. It seems that the original 200 were never reinforced and that after Gaugamela they were either allowed to go home or wereincorporated into other units.⁴⁹

Patraos'successor Audoleon, was already king in 310. But already great changes hadhappened in the empire that Alexander created. On the death of AlexanderAntipatros continued in charge of Macedonia and naturally would havehad supervision over the Paionian vassal state. Surprisingly in the periodafter Alexander's death which is extremely well documented in our sources,there is no mention of the Paionians. Dexippos, the Athenian historian of thethird century A.D., tells us in a fragment of his history τά μετά Άλέξανδρον preserved in Photius, that Antipater wasappointed strategos autokrator in charge ofall the Macedonians, Hellenes, Illyrians, Triballi, and Agrianes.⁵⁰Thereis no mention of the Paionians, and we can conjecture that soon afterAlexander's death the Paionians shook off Macedonian sovereignty. Having theirown kings and their own state, they were easily able to obtain completeindependence. For a number of years, as the successors of Alexander, thedia-dochoi, struggled to control his empire, the Paionians slip into obscurity.Then Diodoros Sikeliotes, who is here following the great contemporaryhistorian Hieronymos of Kardia, reports among the events of 310/309 thatKassandros son of Antipatros and the ruler of Macedonia, went to the aid ofAudoleon, the king of the Paionians when he was fighting against theAutariatai, and freed the king from danger. According to Justin, the Autariataiwere forced to leave their home by an infestation of frogs and mice, and soKassander settled them along with their families, 20,000 in all, beside Mt. Orbelos.⁵¹From this, our first reference to Audoleon, we must conclude that thePaionian ruler was on good terms with Kassandros, his powerful neighbor to thesouth. In the year 306,

Demetrios,later surnamed "Poliorketes" or the "Be-seiger" won a greatnaval victory at Salamis in Kypros from Ptolemythe ruler of Egypt.As a result, Antigonos Monophthalmos, or "One-Eyed," "Demetrios'father, assumed the royal diadem and the title of king. Alexander's son hadbeen executed in 310, but until 306 all the diadochoi ruled their territoriesnot as Kings, but as satraps or viceroys. As soon as Antigonos ended thisfriction all the diadochoi, one after the other, likewise assumed the royaldignities. If we look at the coinage of Audoleon we can see his response tothis activity. During the early part of his reign Audoleon struck silver tetradrachmswith the head of Athena on the obverse and a standing horse on the reverse.These coins were issued on the same light standard that was used by hispredecessors Lykpeios and Patraos. Later, however, we find another type oftetradrachm. This one is an imitation of the coinage of Alexander the Great. Onthe obverse is the head of Herakles wearing a lion's skin. This head is oftenconsidered to be a portait of Alexander in the guise of his ancestor Herakles.But its appearance here on the coins of Audoleon would lead one to believe thatit is rather kist the head of Herakles. On the reverse is a seated Zeus holdingin one hand a staff; on the other hand an eagle is perched. On either side ofZeus is the legend ΒΑΣΙΑΕΩΣ ΑΥΔΩΛΕΟΝΤΟΣ, "of king Audoleon." The coinspeaks as clearly as any other source. When the diadochoi assumed the diadem,Audoleon did exactly the same thing; he responded by issuing his coins inimitation of Alexander's, with his own royal title to proclaim to the worldthat he, Audoleon, was independent, and also a king. Audoleon does not seem tohave minted very many of these coins, but they seem to have served theirpurpose.⁵² Then again Paionia slips into the background, while inthe foreground is played out the fate of Alexander's empire. The empire ofAntigonos the One-eyed disappeared in the wake of the battle of Ip-sos in 301,but his son Demetrios was able to supplant the heirs of Kasan-dros as ruler of Macedonia.Pyrrhos the great king of Epiros, feeling himself threatened by the greatambitions of Demetrios, around the year 292 embarked on a policy of makingalliances with Demetrios' neighbors. Pyrrhos, who quite clearly did not believein monogamy, married the daughter of Bardyl-lis the Illyrian, and at about thesame time, a daughter of Audoleon. It was part of a policy on the part of allthree rulers of seeking allies against the ambitions of Demetrios, king of Macedonia. Atleast we can assume that Audoleon preserved a posture of defense againstDemetrios. But Demetrios' ambitions were considered too threatening by theother powers of the eastern Mediterranean, and in the winter of 287/6 hisenemies struck; Pyrrhos and Lysimachos invaded Macedoniafrom Epiros and Thrace,while a Ptolemaic fleet swept up the Aegean from Egypt. Demetrios soon lost allcontrol of Macedonia,which was divided between Pyrrhos and Lysimachos. Athensrevolted from Demetrios' control, and Demetrios himself, an inveterate gamblerto the end, staked all on an expedition to Asia Minor.Demetrios lost, and spent the remaining years of his life inconfinement. In Greece,Demetrios had left his son Antigonos Gonatas in charge of the few fortressesthat were left to him, and among these was the Piraeus. Athens, therefore, was free, but her harborwas controlled by a hostile garrison. It is in these circumstances that wefind the allies trying to keep Athenssupplied with food. Athenian inscriptions are preserved which describe some ofthese circumstances to us. One inscription, /. G. II² 650,from the summer of 286, honors a Ptolemaic official who has taken care of theprovisioning of Athens.With the Piraeus in enemy hands, grain for Athens must have beenimported through the smaller harbors along the Attic coast. A year and a halflater the Athenians, in I.G. II² 653, honored Spartakos, theking of Bosporos (Krimea), for his benefactions to Athens, among which was a gift of 15,000medimnoi of grain. A half year later, in the early summer of 284, theAthenians, in I.G. II² 654, likewise honored Audoleon for agift of 6,500 medimnoi. Apparently Audoleon was still in the anti-Antigonidcoalition in 284 along with his son-in-law Pyrrhos and Lysimachos. This is thelast reference we have to Audoleon while he is alive. The next time we hear ofPaionia, Audoleon is dead. A stratagem from the collection of stratagems ofthe Greek author Polyainos, a rhetorician of the 2nd century A.D., Book IV,chapter 12, section 3, informs us of the condition of Paionia after the deathof Audoleon. I quote, "Lysimachos took measures to restore Ariston, son ofAudoleon, to Paionia, in order that the Paionians, recognizing their heirapparent, might receive Lysimachos himself in a friendly spirit. But when theyproceeded to give Ariston the royal baptism in the river Astibos and set theroyal table before him according to the tradition of their tribe, Lysimachossounded the call to arms. Ariston fled to Dardania, and Lysimachos gotpossession of Paeonia." Apparently on the death of Audoleon there was somedispute in the succession and Ariston had fled the country and had called inLysimachos to help him. This dispute also explains why Lysimachos was so easilyable to seize Paionia. Lysimachos was a very ambitious and covetous ruler. Hehad begun with the satrapy of Thrace.After the downfall of Antigonos at Ipsos in 301 he added western Asia Minor to his possessions. The defeat of Demetrios in286 gave him the eastern half of Macedonia. Shortly afterwards,Lysimachos drove his former ally Pyrrhos out of western Macedonia, and took over the whole country of Macedonia.Then, as seems clear from Polyainos, Lysimachos seized the neighboring Kingdom of Paionia. Since Lysimachos was killedsoon afterwards, in the summer of 281, at the battle of Koroupedion in Asia Minor, the death of Audoleon can be securely placedbetween 284 and 282. It is a pity that we know so little about him, for he musthave really been a remarkable man. As long as he lived, he managed with thesupport of his rather small and backward kingdom to maintain his position in anage of really stupendous change, among the extremely able successors ofAlexander the Great. We find another version of the story of Lysimachos'annexation of Paionia in a passage of Tzetzes which is attributed to Diodoros.⁵³Before his death Audoleon had tried to hide his treasures. He entrusted them tohis closest friend Xermodi-gestos, who caused captives to divert the waters ofthe Sargentios river, and buried the treasure in its bed. Then he caused theriver to flow back into its original bed, and killed the captives. ButXermodigestos revealed the hiding place to Lysimachos, apparently after hisseizure of the kingdom. Unfortunately the anecdote is considered suspect bymodern historians, who think Tzetzes has erred here. After the death of Lysimachos, Macedoniaunderwent a period of anarchy. In the midst of this we hear nothing of thePaionians. But in 279 the Galatians or Gauls (the Celtic tribes) appeared- in Macedonia, defeated the Macedonians and got asfar as Delphi and Thermopylai. It is certainthat Paionia was overrun and held for a time by Brennus the Celtic chieftain.Finally, Antigonos Gonatas defeated the Galatians at Lysimacheia in 277, andbecame King of Macedonia. The Galatians were no longer a threat to civilizationin the Balkan peninsula — many were dead, some had crossed to Asia Minor,others withdrew to Serbia,and still others settled in inland Thrace. We can read in W.W. Tarn'sbook Antigonos Gonatas how Antigonos struggled to reestablish the Macedonianstate in the period after the Celtje invasion. The parallel struggle in Paioniais absolutely lost — once again, there are no sources. To judge by whathappened in Macedonia,Paionia must have been in a very confused condition. Stephanos the ByzantineGeographer has preserved for us an honorary epigram from the city of Tlos in Lykia, AsiaMinor.⁵⁴ It informs us that Neoptolemos the son of Kressos defeatedand repulsed the Galatians. Scholars attribute this event to the years 278-275when the Galatians had reached Asia Minor andwere raiding the peninsula. The unusual thing about this epigram is the factthat the Paionians are mentioned along with the Galatians. Apparently numbersof Paionians were swept up in the Celtic hordes as they passed through Paioniaand were carried along voluntarily or involuntarily until they were finallydeposited in Asia Minor along with theGalatians. Thus in addition to all their other problems the Paionians must havefaced a serious shortage of manpower. Nevertheless out of all this ruin anddesolation the Paionians were able to rebuild their state although not onexactly the same lines as before. The fine silver coins minted by the kingsfrom Lykpeios to Audoleon were no longer issued. A few small and wretchedbronze coins are preserved in some collections, but that is all. The realprosperity to which the silver coinage at one time attested no longer existed,and the silver mines which once supplied the bullion were either no longerproducing, or were, producing for another government, probably Macedonia. Wedo not know the fate of Ariston the son of Audoleon. After his escape intoDardania he disappears completely from our sources. We do know of the next kingof the Paionians, and this is Leon, most probably another son of Audoleon. Theonly evidence that we have for Leon's reign are bronze coins with the royalname on the reverse.⁵⁵ This, I think, quite clearly shows that Leonwas king of Paionia in the wake of the Celtic invasions, and that he was theperson responsible for the reestablish-ment of Paionian state. Once again, wehave a Paionian King who, judging from the circumstances known to us, must havebeen a great constructive statesman, at least in his own sphere, and yet weknow almost nothing at all about him.

Leon was succeeded byhis son Dropion, and for him we have more evidence — a great deal, incomparison to the evidence for -his father. It consists of two inscriptions,one from Delphi and one from Olympia,and a passage in Pausanias. The passage in Pausanias appears in X. 13.1. Iquote, "The bronze head of a bison or Paeonian bull was sent to Delphi byDropion, King of the Paeonians, son of Leon." This is the importantsection, for it tells us Dropion's position, and establishes his relation to Leon. Pausaniasgoes on to tell about the way in which these beasts were caught, and I shallcontinue to quote, "These bison are the most difficult of all beasts totake alive, and no nets could be made strong enough to resist their charge.They are hunted as follows. When the hunters find a place sloping down to ahollow, they first of all enclose it with a strong fence; next they cover theslope and the fresh ground at the end of the slope with fresh skins, or if theyhave no fresh skins they use dried hides lubricated with oil. Next the besthorsemen drive the bison together to the place I have described. The beastsslip on the first skins they come to and roll down the slope til they reach theflat. Here they are at first left lying. But by the fourth or fifth day whenhunger and exhaustion have mostly subdued their spirit, the professional tamersbring them, where they lie, the fruit of the cultivated pine tree having firstpeeled the husk off for at first the beasts will touch no other food. Lastlythe men fasten ropes round the animals and lead them away. That is how theycatch them." The inscription from Olympia, which is on the base of whatwas once a bronze equestrian statue of Dropion, reads' as follows when it isrestored, "The Koinon (or league) of the Paeonians dedicated (this statueof) Dropion, son of Leon, King of the Paionians and founder." Theinscription from Delphi is on the base of apedestrian statue of Audoleon. It is to be restored as follows, "Dropion,the son of Leon, King of the Paionians, (dedicated this statue of) Audoleonhis grandfather(?) according to an oracle to Pythian Apollo." Thisinscription is in an extremely worn condition, and there has been some controversyover the reading of it. I myself have been to Delphiwhere I examined the stone with M. Bousquet. It is quite clear that the aboverestoration is certainly correct. Unfortunately these three references toDropion bear no dates, and it is thus quite impossible to date Dropion exactly.The letter forms of the inscriptions quite clearly are of the third century.But we must remember that Dropion was probably the grandson of Audoleon andsuccessor to Leon who ruled Paionia after the Celtic invasion, that is, after278 B. C.There has been put forth another theory that Dropion succeeded to thethrone in 278, and that, he was called founder of the Koinon of the Paioniansbecause he restored and reformed the country after the Celtic devastation. Butthe bronze coins of Leonshow that he was Dropion's predecessor, and the epithet "founder" onthe Delphic inscription must be explained in some other manner. Dropionsucceeded to the throne not in the 270's, but after the reign of his fatherLeon — at a guess, perhaps in the 250's or 240's. The presence of Dropiondedications at Delphi and at Olympiamust also be taken into account. For most of the third century Delphi was under the control of the Aitolian League.There is preserved at Delphi no trace of theMacedonian Kings Antigonos Gonatas and his son Demetrios II. This, I think, mustbe attributed to two factors, the general hostility of the Aitolian League to Macedonia, and the great interest of theMacedonian Kings in Delos, where theydedicated many things. At Olympia also, thereare no dedications of Antigonos Gonatas and Demetrios II of Macedonia. Thisis due, no doubt, to the general hostility of the democratic party at Elis, which dominated thestate during this period. But there are the three dedications of Dropion, theKing of the Paionians, at Delphi and Olympia.The one at Olympiawas in a very conspicuous part of the sanctuary, and the bison's head wasconspicuous e-nough to be mentioned by Pausanias; we do not know where thestatue of Audoleon was placed. This must be the result of some policy of theAitolians, who are known to have been allied with Elis. It is, of course, impossible to knowdefinitely the foreign policy of Dropion yet on the basis of what we know aboutthe Paionians it would not be amiss to conjecture that his policy was basicallyanti-Macedonian. This idea combined with the previously mentioned dedicationssuggests an alliance with the Aitolians. After the 270's

Aitolia was at peace withthe Macedonian Kingdom of Antigonos. It was only duringthe reign of Demetrios II (239-229) that Aitolia and Macedonia were at war, theso-called War of Demetrios. I think that in this war Dro-pion was involved asan ally of Aitolia. Now an attempt must be made to explain the meaning of theinscription at Olympiaif Dropion did not as I think reign immediately after the Celtic invasion. Weknow that in Macedoniathe royal title under Antigonos Gonatas was Antigonos King of the Macedonians.Under Antigonos Doson who ruled from 229-221 the official style was KingAntigonos and the Macedonians. We also know that under the later Macedonians aKoinon or League existed side by side with the Kingship, and the change inofficial style is connected by scholars with the appearance of the Koinon. Wedo not know the official style of Demetrios II but it is conjectured that the changein the Macedonian constitution occured during his reign or immediately afterit. If this is so we can explain how Dropion's title of Founder is consistentwith a late date for his reign. When Demetrios or Antigonos Doson created theMacedonian Koinon he was imitated by his northern neighbor Dropion who hoped inthis way both to modernize the constitution of his Kingdom and to increase thesupport of his subjects. As in Makedonia the creation of the Koinon did not inany way curtail the power of the King who continued to reign and rule asbefore. In any case I believe that Dropion was involved in the War ofDemetrios, when the Aitolian and Achaean Leagues were united against Macedonia; the sanctuaries of Delphi and Olympia would thus havebeen open to the Paionians, the traditional enemies of Makedonia.⁵⁶

We do not know the circumstances of the endof Dropion's reign. It is, like so much else in the history of Paionia, hiddenfrom us by our lack of sources. There is no mention whatever of Dropion's successor.The argumentum ex silentio leads us to suppose that there was nosuccesor, and there is a little evidence to support this supposition. TheMacedonians founded a city, Antigoneia on the Axios, a little to the south ofStoboi, which helped control the northern invasion route into Macedonia along the Axios River.This city is quite clearly in Paionian territory. Its very name, Antigoneia,tells us that it was founded by a King named Antigonos, and quite clearly thisshould be Antigonos Doson. These two little facts when put together lead to theconclusion that Doson put an end to Paionian independence during or at the endof the reign of Dropion. Doson's reign was fairly short, from 229 to 221. Duringthe last part of his reign he was at war with Kleomenes, King of Sparta.

This was preceded by anexpedition to Karia. The very beginning of his reign was spent trying to pickup the pieces of Demetrios IPs disastrous reign. Therefore, in the first twoyears of his reign, Doson was able to defeat all the enemies of Macedonia andreestablish security on her frontiers. He probably annexed Paionia during thistime, and by 227 B.C. Antigoneia on the Axios had been built to overawe andcontrol the surrounding Paionian territory. Perhaps Doson was not able toseize the whole of the Paionian Kingdom at once. Bylazorasomehow managed to avoid his grasp. Perhaps it was held by the Dardanians withwhom Doson was at war in the early years of his reign. It is also possible thatDoson allowed the Dardanians to hold part of Paionia while he took the rest. Inany case, Philip V seized Bylazora in 217.⁵⁷ Unfortunately we donot know the circumstances, nor do we know from whom he seized the city. Fromthis point on, Paionia remained a part of the Macedonian monarchy. It wasruled by a Macedonian strategos, who had his headquarters in the new city of Antigoneia,which became the capital of the province. In this way, Paionia was able toguard the northern frontiers of Macedoniafrom invasion by the northern barbarians, particularly the Dardanians. ThePaionian cavalry stood alongside the Macedonian army in the last decisivebattles against the Romans. With the defeat of Perseus, Paionia was broken up-.The portion of Paionia east of the AxiosRiver was assigned to the secondMacedonian region, and the portion west of the Axios was assigned to the thirdregion.⁵⁸ Afterwards, Paionia became part of the Roman province of Macedonia, and the Paionians themselveswere amalgamated with the other inhabitants of the area.

My researches in thecoinages of the Paionian Kings are not completed, and until they are, I shallbe unable to make any really definitive statements about the coinage, and whatdeductions we can glean from it. Nevertheless I can make some generalstatements. The Paionian coinage first appeared under the reign of Lykpeios.The standard on which the coins of Lykpeios were issued is an unusual one. Itis called by some a reduced Phoenician standard. In any case, the basic unit,the drachm, weighed a little over 3 grams, and the tetradrachm weighed about 13 grams. The obverse ofthe tetradrachm showed the head of Apollo facing left, and the reverse showed ayouthful He-rakles strangling the Nemean Lion. An unusual thing in connectionwith this type of coin is the fact that an obverse die used to strike thesesilver coins of the Paionian Kings was later used to strike coins of the cityof Damastion,and testifies to the close connection between that city and Paionia. Lykpeios alsoissued drachms with the head of Apollo on the obverse and a lion on thereverse, and also tetrobols with Apollo on the obverse and a grazing horse onthe reverse. We have mentioned the tetradrachms of Patraos. He also issueddrachms with Apollo and a boar, and tetrobols with Apollo and an eagle. In hisfirst period, as I have mentioned, Audoleon issued tetradrachms on the reducedPhoenician standard. He also issued didrachms with the profile head of Athenaon the obverse and a horse on the reverse, as well as drachms and tetrobols. Aswe have said he then changed his tetradrachm type to imitate Alexander'scoinage, and at the same time changed their weights to the Attic standard, inwhich a tetradrachm weighed about 17 grams. There does not seem to be anycorresponding issue of smaller coins.

What can the coins tell us of the economy of the Kingdom? I know of atleast two hoards of Paeonian coins with over 1,000 coins each. The first, foundin the 19th century, has been dispersed without any adequate record. The secondwas found only last year in Bulgaria,⁵⁹and I have not yet seen it. Yet this does testify to large concentrations ofwealth in the Paionian state. The coins also show us the direction of Paioniantrade. There are in the National Museum in Athens11 coins of the Paionian Kings. Quite clearly Paionia's trade was with thenorth. An unusual aspect of this is the fact that much of Paionia's trade waswith the Celtic tribes. The Celts copied and imitated the coinage of Philip IIof Macedonia.I think that for his commerce with the Celts Audoleon issued coins whichimitated, on their obverse, the Head of Zeus on Philip's coins, while he usedhis own reverse types. Then the Celts themselves imitated these types. Anexample of the popularity of these coins is the fact that one small coincollection in Switzerlandhas 26 of these Celtic imitations of Audoleon's coins, and no other Paeoniancoins. Obviously these are local finds and show the wide influence of the cointype.

Rutgers,The State University IRWINL. MERKER

*This is the text of a talk presentedat the Institute for Balkan Studies in Thessalonikion April 7, 1964. The printed text is substantially as it was originallypresented, but wherever possible documentation has been added. At the presenttime I am preparing a corpus of the coins of the Kings of Paionia, and this isto be considered as prolegomena to that corpus. I must acknowledge my gratitudeto Rutgers University for a University Fellowshipfor the fall semester of 1963, and to the American Council of Learned Societiesfor a grant-in-aid which enabled me to complete the research for this paper.

REFERENCES:

1. Jean N. Kalleris, Les anciensMacidoniens, Τ (Athens,1946), and Apostolos B. Daska-lakis, The Hellenism of the ancientMacedonians (Thessaloniki,1965) contain two of the most recent treatments in detail of this problem. Mosthistorians now believe that the Macedonians were Hellenes.

2. "La nationalite desPeoniens," Musee Beige 30 (1926) 107-117.

3. V. 1. 4.

4. B. C. H., 33 (1909)176.

5. Griechische Geschichte, P.2. p. 58.

6. VII.745.

7. Herod. V. 16.

8. Thuc. II. 56.

9. Thuc. III. 101.

10. Steph. Byz. s.v. Μεσσαπέαι Paus. III. 20.3.

11. Inschr. v. Olympia 10=Michel 2 = Schwyzer 414.

12. [Skylax] 47.

13. Polyb. v. 7. 8.

14. Iliad II. 849f.; XVI. 288; XXI 141, 157.

[1]5. Arrian, Anabasis, 1.5.2-5.

16. L. Heuzey, H. Daumet, Mission archeologique de Macedoine (Paris 1876), p. 319, nos. 125-126.

17. Herod. V. 12-14.

18. Livy XL. 21. 9ff; 22.15; 23-24; XLII. 51.6; 58.8. Didas is ex. praetoribus regiis unus, qui Paeoniaepraeerat, or Paeoniae praetor or Paeoniae prefectus. In one passage he is called Didas Paeon, but despite this reference it is possible thathe was not a Paionian. The name may be a form of Derdas, a common Macedonianname (Niese, Geschichte der grie-chischen und makedonischen Staaten, III, 33 n. 6). Cf. also Bengston, Die Strategie in der hel-lenistischen Zeit, II, 340ff. and Meloni, Perseo e la fine della monarchia macedone, 48 n. 3.

19. Diod. XYI. 4.2.

20. Plut., Alex., 39; Arrian, Anabasis, 11.9.2; III. 12.3; 13.3.

21. Polyain. IV. 12. 3.

22. Cf. Hoffmann, Die Makedonen, ihre Sprache und ihr Volkstum, (Gottingen,1906), 183 where a number of Greek names with the stem δρωπ- are collected.

23. W. Pape, G. Benseler, Worterbuch der griechischen Eeigennamen, s.v.

24. Hoffman, Makedonen, p. 109; I.G. XII 3 254.

25. Historia Animalium 630a. Also De Mirabilis Auscultationibus 830a where a variant, μόναιπος appears. Aelian, De Natura Animalium VII. 3 has μόνωψ.

26. X.13.1.

27. Hjalmar Frisk, Griechisches Etymologischesworterbuch, Vol. II, p. 252.

28. II. 848ff. Also XVI. 287f. On the change from β to μ in Abydon - Amydon see Kre-tschmer, Gtotta, 24 (1935 - 36) 47. VII frg. 20.

29. Eoiae frg. 5. (Rzach²).

30. VII frgs. 38, 41.

31. V.l.

32. V. 15; 113.

33. II. 96. 3.

34 Herod. IV. 49 where it is called the Skios.

35. Herod. V.16.

36. V.l.

37. Herod. VII.113.

38. Thuc. II. 99.

39. Thuc. II. 98.

40. Strabo VII, 313,316, 318, 329, frg. 4; Polyb. V. 97.1; Livy XXXIX. 53.14

41. Herod. V. 12-17.

42. Herod. V. 98.Herod. V. 17

43. II. 96.3; 98

44. Diod. XVI. 2ff.

45. I.G. IP 127.

46. 1.23.

47. V.21.

48. Chap. 39.

49. Arrian 1.14.1, 6;II.7.5; 9.2; III.13.3-4

50. FGrH IIA 100 F8 2

51. Diod. XX19.I;Justin XV.2.1-2

52. After this talkwas given, H. Seyrig published in Review Nomismatique, (1963) 2-14 a study of a small group ofregular tetradrachms of Alexander which were struck by the Paionian royal mint.

53.Tzetzes, Hist. VI.53 (470-480) = Diod. XXI. 13.

54. s.v. Άγρίαι.

55. Die antiken Munzen Nord-GriechelandsIII. Makedonia undPaionia, 2. Abt. ed. H. Gaebler, p. 206.

56. Inschr. v. Olympia 303 ■= S.I.G?394. J. Pouilloux, "Dropion, roi des Peones", B.C.H. 74(1950) 22 - 32. J.Bousquet, "Dropion roi des Peones", B.C.H. 76 (1952) 136-140.

57. Polyb.' V. 97.

58 Livy XLV. 29.

59. Bulletin de Vinstitut d'archeologie. Academie des sciences deBulgarie. Sofia 26 (1%3) 264. At Razinci: 1446 tetradrachms of Philip II, 1208 of Patraos, 2 of Lykpeios and 1 ofDamastion.

Η ύβρις του ψευτομακεδονισμού

2011-09-18T17:34:00.001-05:00

18/09/2011

Γράφει ο Μιχαήλ Χρυσανθόπουλος, καθ. ιστορικός, συγγραφέας, δημοσιογράφος SBS Αυστραλίας

And the scar goes... Πέρασαν μερικές ημέρες από την ομολογουμένως καλοστημένη αλλά κακόγουστη φιέστα του καθεστώτος της γειτονικής χώρας για τα 20 χρόνια ανεξαρτησίας της FYROM από την πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβική Ομοσπονδία. Στρατιωτικές παρελάσεις με υβριστικά συνθήματα εναντίον των Ελλήνων, στα οποία οι δικοί μας υπεύθυνοι δεν αντέδρασαν, ένα ατελείωτο πηγαινέλα ανάμεσα στο καινούργιο μουσείο, κάτω από την “Porta Kedonija” (αντίγραφο της Καμάρας), στην πέτρινη γέφυρα με καταληκτικό προορισμό το τεράστιο σύμπλεγμα - άγαλμα - βάση του Μεγάλου Αλέξάνδρου, του “έφιππου πολεμιστή”, όπως επισήμως αποκαλείται.

Η ύβρις του ψευτομακεδονισμού ξεπερνά τα εσκαμμένα, προσβάλλει πλέον κάθε κοινό νου, προσβάλλει την ιστορία, την αλήθεια του μακεδονισμού, την εθνολογία και την εθνογραφία του, καθώς με την προσπάθειά του να αποσυνδέσει τον όρο Μακεδών από τον όρο Έλλην, οι οποίοι είναι ταυτόσημοι (ένα και το αυτό) νομιμοποιείται η μεγαλύτερη κλοπή-ληστεία ιστορικού παρελθόντος που έχει γίνει ποτέ στην πορεία της ανθρωπότητας. Και οι ταγοί οίκαδε, στη δίνη της τεχνητής οικονομικής κρίσης που εντάσσεται σε γεωπολιτικά παιχνίδια γεωστρατηγικής, περιφερειακών δυνάμεων πετρελαίων, ορυκτού πλούτου, ΑΟΖ κρίσεων, που δεν ξέρουμε ακόμη το βάθος τους και τον σκοπό τους, όπως μεταξύ Άγκυρας και Τελ Αβίβ, σιωπούν ή ακόμη χειρότερα απουσιάζουν τυρβάζοντας περί άλλα.

Η ύβρις των καλύτερων παιδιών της Σόφιας, του σύγχρονου βουλγαρικού διεκδικητισμού, που στο έδαφος της γειτονικής χώρας καταστρέφει συστηματικά τα κέντρα τού άλλοτε ακμάζοντος ελληνισμού (Μοναστήρι, Αχρίδα, Στρώμνιτσα, Γευγελή), εξαφανίζοντας τμήματά του από την αρχαιότητα μέχρι σήμερα (επιγραφές, αγάλματα, αρχαία θέατρα, εκκλησίες, μοναστήρια, εικόνες κτλ.), στραγγαλίζει τα στοιχειώδη ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα της πραγματικής μακεδονικής μειονότητας στη γειτονική χώρα, περιφρονεί κάθε αίσθημα δικαίου και προκλητικά, απροκάλυπτα, ανερυθρίαστα ραπίζει τους απουσιάζοντες ταγούς οίκαδε κάθε στιγμή.

Οι Μακεδόνες αντιδρούν, αγωνίζονται σε όλα τα πλάτη και μήκη της γης, μετατόπισαν έστω και λίγο την αμερικανική πολιτική στο θέμα, που δεν είναι πλέον προτεραιότητα, καθώς όλοι οι αξιωματούχοι του Στέιτ Ντιπάρτμεντ (όπως και ο τωρινός αμερικανός πρεσβευτής Paul Volers) τονίζουν ότι η λύση βρίσκεται στα Σκόπια και την Αθήνα, χωρίς τουλάχιστον φανερή ανάμειξη των ΗΠΑ στην εξεύρεσή της, όπως παλαιότερα (αυτό το οφείλουμε στον άοκνο καθημερινό αγώνα των παμμακεδονικών ενώσεων ΗΠΑ - Καναδά, Αυστραλίας και Ευρώπης). Και η ομογένεια του ψευτομακεδονισμού, μέσω του διεθνώς δραστηριοποιημένου νομικού Marjian Popeski, ζητεί άμεση καταγγελία και αποχώρηση από την ενδιάμεση συμφωνία του ’95 (προσωρινή την ονομάζουν οι βόρειοι γείτονές μας), που έτσι κι αλλιώς έχει κουρελιαστεί, στην κυριολεξία, από τη FYROM γιατί η οποιαδήποτε προσπάθεια αλλαγής του ονόματος, θεωρητικά μιλάμε τώρα, έστω και για την αγγλική διπλωματική μετάφραση, όπως διέρρευσε προσφάτως, θα συμπαρασύρει την ονοματοδοσία του έθνους και της γλώσσας της γειτονικής χώρας.

Και ο ψευτομακεδονισμός δεν το θέλει αυτό, θέλει την ιστορική και την εδαφική οικειοποίηση της Μακεδονίας, ξέροντας ότι δεν του ανήκει, γι’ αυτό και ο φανατισμός του αυξάνεται και θα αυξηθεί με γεωμετρική ταχύτητα. Ήδη ετοιμάζεται ακόμη μεγαλύτερο σύμπλεγμα από αυτό του Μ. Αλεξάνδρου, του Φιλίππου, που επειδή ενοποίησε το μακεδονικό κράτος ο ψευτομακεδονισμός θα το τοποθετήσει στην κεντρική πλατεία των Σκοπίων, ως ένδειξη και απόδειξη ότι αποτελεί το κράτος που τον εκπροσωπεί συνέχειά του, νομιμοποιώντας ταυτόχρονα τις εδαφικές απαιτήσεις του.

Και από εδώ; Απουσία και σιωπή εκκωφαντική. Αλλά η ιστορία είναι γνωστό ότι δεν συγχωρεί τους απόντες και ενόχους σιωπούντες καταδικάζοντάς τους στην αφάνεια, όπως τον Αριστείδη Στεργιάδη, για να θυμηθούμε τον μοιραίο ύπατο αρμοστή στη Σμύρνη, που συνέβαλε και αυτός από τη δική του σκοπιά στην εκρίζωση του προαιώνιου ελληνισμού από την ιωνική γη. Αλλά τώρα, και είναι επιτακτικό αυτό, δεν πρέπει, δεν έχουμε το δικαίωμα να επιτρέψουμε να υπάρξουν παρόμοιες στιγμές, γιατί η μακεδονική γη μάς παραδόθηκε ελευθέρα, ζώσα, από τους προγόνους μας, που έχυσαν ποταμούς αιμάτων γι’ αυτήν.

Ο ψευτομακεδονισμός ζητεί, ενώ ο μακεδονισμός δικαιούται να το κάνει, ο ψευτομακεδονισμός που αποβουλγαροποιήθηκε εν μία νυκτί, λόγω συμπλεγμάτων και ήττας, θα έπρεπε να ζητεί ταπεινά συγνώμη από τον μακεδονισμό για τις γενοκτονίες σε βάρος του, για τη διαστρέβλωση, παραποίηση, παραχάραξη της ιστορικής αλήθειας, για την ασέβειά του απέναντι σε γεγονότα και πραγματικότητες, που δεν αλλάζουν, καταγραμμένες διά μέσου των αιώνων στην Ελλάδα, όχι τυπικά, στενά γεωγραφικά, αλλά παγκόσμια, οικουμενικά, από το μεγάλο τέκνο της, τον Αλέξανδρο, που την εδραίωσε σε όλο τον τότε γνωστό κόσμο ως αξία διαχρονική, πνευματική, στρατιωτική, φιλοσοφική κτλ.

Και εδώ ακριβώς βρίσκεται, εδράζεται, η ύβρις του ψευτομακεδονισμού, είτε σερβίζοντος, είτε βουλγαρίζοντος - σαντραλίζουσας ή βερχοβίζουσας αποκλίσεως. Υβρις εναντίον του πραγματικού μακεδονισμού και των απαράγραπτων ιστορικών του δικαιωμάτων. Η καλά ενορχηστρωμένη μαύρη προπαγάνδα του VMORO (όπως είναι πραγματικά), του κόμματος που κυβερνά τη γειτονική χώρα, του κόμματος που είναι συνέχεια της οργάνωσης που ιδρύθηκε το 1893 του VMORO (μετεξέλιξη του TMORO), του κατοπινού VMRO (η γειτονική χώρα από τον τίτλο VMORO αφαίρεσε το Ο, το οποίο σημαίνει odrinsko -Αδριανούπολη, Θράκη-, για να καλυφθεί ο βουλγαρικός χαρακτήρας της οργάνωσης) των δολοφόνων κομιτατζήδων των πραγματικών Μακεδόνων που έχει υποτιμηθεί και δεν έχει αξιολογηθεί όπως θα έπρεπε για να αντιμετωπιστεί αποτελεσματικά, καθώς τα θεμέλιά του και η επιχειρηματολογία του είναι σαθρά, αντιεπιστημονικά, ψευδή και ανατρέψιμα, αλλά χρειάζεται συστηματική αντίδραση, σοβαρότητα, καθημερινή παρακολούθηση, δράση και προπαντός πίστη, πίστη στην αλήθεια του μακεδονισμού.

Οι Μακεδόνες αγωνίζονται αν και μόνοι για την αξιοπρέπεια της Ελλάδας, γιατί ακριβώς είναι αυτοί που έχουν στις πλάτες τους τη φιλιππική και αλεξανδρινή παράδοση και όλων των μακεδόνων βασιλέων και προσωπικοτήτων, που κράτησαν μέσω του ιστορικού χρόνου, μέχρι τις μέρες μας, το μακεδονικό όνομα, το οποίο δεν πρόκειται να χαθεί.

http://www.makthes.gr/news/opinions/80502/

Ancient Macedonia And The Greek City States - Yale University

2011-09-12T02:48:00.001-05:00

Macedonian Tomb - Vergina, Central Macedonia, Greece

2011-09-02T08:49:00.002-05:00

Γιά κάποιον ηλίθιο λόγο το Υπουργείο απαγορεύει την φωτογράφγιση μέσα στους χώρους των Αιγών.

Καλοκαίρι 2010
eismakedon

Philip II's Macedonian anaktoron at Aegae, Macedonia, Greece

2011-09-02T08:42:00.000-05:00

Το Ανάκτορο του Φιλίππου Β΄ στις Αιγές, την παλαιά πρωτεύουσα της Μακεδονίας

HERCULES TO ALEXANDER THE GREAT - Treasures from the Royal Capital of MACEDON, a Hellenic Kingdom in the age of Democracy

2011-08-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

‘The most stunning loan exhibition ever to have come from Greece to Britain’

The Financial Times

‘The show of the summer’

The Sunday Telegraph

Gold strip depicting a combat scene between two warriors, 430–420 BC; Detail from Silver wine-jug, from the tomb of Philip II, 336 BC;
Gold oak and acorn wreath, about 310 BC. © Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism – Archaeological Receipt Fund

This April the Ashmolean launches a groundbreaking archaeological exhibition that will showcase over five hundred treasures made of gold, silver and bronze, recently found in the royal burial tombs and the palace of Aegae, the ancient capital of Macedon. Most of these extraordinary new discoveries will go on display for the first time anywhere in the world. They re-write the history of early Greece and tell the story of the royal court and the kings and queens who governed Macedon, from the descendants of Heracles to the ruling dynasty of Alexander the Great.

“This exhibition is the most important Greek cultural event in many years. From the astounding finds made by the late Professor Manolis Andronikos in the ‘70s to the recent discoveries of the past twenty years, this is groundbreaking work that tells the story of life in the ancient kingdom of Macedon in northern Greece. The artistry, skill and foresight with which these objects were made represent a truly sophisticated dynasty about whom there is much more to learn,” Dr Angeliki Kottaridi, Director of the 17th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.

The royal city of Aegae, modern–day Vergina in northern Greece, was the first capital of Macedon, the seat of the Temenid kings who claimed descent from Heracles. They ruled from the mid–7th to the 4th century BC, and gave to Greece two of its most renowned heroes – King Philip II (382–336 BC) and his son, Alexander the Great (356–323 BC). Until 30 years ago, when excavations uncovered the untouched tombs of Philip II and his grandson Alexander IV, Aegae remained relatively unknown. Recent work at the site has continued to unearth a startling wealth of objects – from beautifully intricate gold jewellery, silverware and pottery, to sculpture, mosaic floors and architectural remains.

The true extent of the wealth left behind at Vergina, has come to light with recent work in the last 20 years, making this exhibition an international first. On show will be the riches of the royal court, with gold wreaths and jewellery, silverware and pottery; weaponry and spectacular reconstructions of the burials of royal women. The exhibition takes visitors through the world of Macedonian men – in hunting and war; the life of women – in fashion and rituals; and the royal palace – with fragments of its architecture and objects of the banquet.

‘Heracles to Alexander’ will be a thrilling tour around the royal capital of the kingdom of Macedon, in the period which gave birth to some of the ancient world’s most famous names.

http://www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/heracles/details/

Προπαγάνδα με «Ράδιο Makedonsko» και «Mακεδονική φάλαγγα»

2011-08-23T20:04:00.002-05:00

Πρώτο Θέμα : 14/8/2011

Του Παναγιώτη Σαββίδη

Με δηλώσεις του στη σκοπιανή εφημερίδα «Νόβα Μακεντόνια» των Σκοπίων, το μέλος του «Ουράνιου Τόξου» και πρόεδρος της τοπικής κοινότητας Μελίτης, κ. Παναγιώτης Αναστασιάδης, ο οποίος συστήνεται ως Πάντε Ασλάκοβ, έκανε γνωστό πως μέχρι τον Δεκέμβριο θα εκπέμψει φιλοσκοπιανό ραδιόφωνο το οποίο θα αποκαλείται απροκάλυπτα «Makedonskο Radio». «Ο ραδιοφωνικός σταθμός είναι έτοιμος, έχουμε πάρει την άδεια και έχουν ήδη καταβληθεί και τα αντίστοιχα τέλη. Το πρόγραμμα θα μεταδίδεται από την Καστοριά μέχρι και την Έδεσσα, και μέσα στο πρώτο έτος λειτουργίας πρόκειται να εκπέμπουμε και στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Θα έχουμε νέα στη μακεδονική γλώσσα και ζωντανό πρόγραμμα», δήλωσε συγκεκριμένα ο κ. Αναστασιάδης-Ασλάκοβ, χωρίς όμως να δώσει περισσότερες διευκρινίσεις για τον τοπικό ραδιοφωνικό σταθμό, που φέρεται να αποτελεί ιδιοκτησία του «Ουράνιου Τόξου». Λέγεται μάλιστα ότι εξασφάλισε άδεια από τις ελληνικές αρχές να εκπέμψει πρόγραμμα ως Makedonskο Radio. Πάντως μέχρι και αυτή τη στιγμή, σύμφωνα με στοιχεία από το ΕΣΡ, κανένας ραδιοφωνικός σταθμός στη Δυτική Μακεδονία δεν μεταβιβάστηκε σε νέο ιδιοκτήτη, ούτε αιτήθηκε αλλαγή ονομασίας σε «Makedonskο Radio». Οπότε υπάρχει περίπτωση να ετοιμάζονται να εκπέμψουν πρόγραμμα το οποίο θα μεταδίδεται με πομπό και θα στηθεί στα σύνορα με τα Σκόπια.

Η απόκτηση ραδιοφωνικής συχνότητας εντός Ελλάδας αποτελεί μόνιμο στόχο της φιλοσκοπιανής προπαγάνδας. Άλλες δύο φορές στο παρελθόν επιχειρήθηκε η αγορά τοπικών Ραδιοφωνικών σταθμών στη Φλώρινα από το «Ουράνιο Τόξο», που όμως δεν είχαν θετική κατάληξη. Αυτός είναι και ένας από τους βασικούς λόγους της ρήξης και της διάσπασης που σημειώθηκε στο εσωτερικό του «Ουράνιου Τόξου», όπου τα μέλη του αντάλλαξαν βαριές καταγγελίες για εμβάσματα που απέστειλαν Σκοπιανοί «απόδημοι» από τον Καναδά, τις ΗΠΑ και την Αυστραλία για την αγορά ραδιοσταθμού και έως σήμερα... αγνοείται η τύχη τους.
Μιλώντας στη δημοσιογράφο της «Νόβα Μακεντόνια» κυρία Κατερίνα Νέσκοβα που βρέθηκε τον περασμένο Ιούλιο στη Μελίτη και δεν είδε μπροστά της ούτε έναν Ελληνα, ο κ. Αναστασιάδης-Ασλάκοβ υποστήριξε ότι το χωριό «κατοικείται από 2.300 “Μακεντόνετς”, 300 Αλβανούς, Τούρκους και περιστασιακούς Έλληνες».
«Η δημοκρατία δεν έχει να φοβηθεί τίποτε κι από κανέναν όταν τηρούνται οι στοιχειώδεις κανόνες της. Ο κ. Ανασταιάδης εμφανίζεται να μιλάει εξ ονόματος ενός λαού που ποτέ δεν του έδωσε το δικαίωμα να μιλάει γι’ αυτά τα θέματα και να λέει αυτά που λέει. Η “μακεδονοπληξία” του κ. Αναστασιάδη με βρίσκει αντίθετο, όπως με βρίσκει αντίθετο και η “ελληνοπληξία” ορισμένων άλλων. Η Ιστορία ξέρει και γελάει»,δήλωσε στο «ΘΕΜΑ» ο ανεξάρτητος βουλευτής Φλώρινας κ. Γιώργος Λιάνης συμπληρώνοντας ότι θα πρόκειται για «εγκληματική ενέργεια» εάν τελικά κλείσει ο δημόσιος ραδιοφωνικός σταθμός της ΕΡΑ Φλώρινας, ο οποίος επιτελεί σημαντικό έργο στην περιοχή.
«Το παραλήρημα του κ. Αναστασιάδη δεν οφείλεται, όπως θα το εξηγούσε η ιατρική επιστήμη, σε οξεία ψυχική διαταραχή. Είναι ένα τέχνασμα με το οποίο νομίζει ότι θα στηρίξει τους προσωπικούς ανιστόρητους πόθους του. Έχει βέβαια το δικαίωμα να ισχυρίζεται, μόνο για τον εαυτό του, ό,τι θέλει... Ακόμα και το πιο εξωφρενικό. Ακόμα και ότι κατάγεται από τον πλανήτη Άρη. Έχει όμως και την υποχρέωση να σέβεται τους συμπολίτες του. Επειδή νομίζει ότι κατάγεται από τον Άρη, δεν μπορεί να ισχυρίζεται το ίδιο για τους Έλληνες αυτόχθονες Μακεδόνες και δεν μπορεί να υβρίζει με απαράδεκτους χαρακτηρισμούς όπως Τούρκοι, Αλβανοί και Γραικομάνοι», λέει ο βουλευτής Φλώρινας της Ν.Δ. κ.Στάθης Κωνσταντινίδης, σημειώνοντας ότι σε σύνολο 2.300 εγγεγραμμένων ο κ. Αναστασιάδης-Ασλάκοβ εξελέγη πρόεδρος στη Μελίτη με μόλις 120 ψήφους, ενώ στις ευρωεκλογές του 2009 το «Ουράνιο Τόξο» έλαβε στο χωριό συνολικά 160 ψήφους.
«Φύγετε, Έλληνες...»
Η ανθελληνική φιέστα που στήθηκε τον περασμένο Ιούλιο στη Μελίτη στο καθιερωμένο παραδοσιακό πανηγύρι του Προφήτη Ηλία ξεπέρασε κάθε προηγούμενο. Εκτός από τα συγκροτήματα που πήραν μέρος από τα Σκόπια, στις εκδηλώσεις εμφανίστηκε και το χορευτικό τμήμα της λεγόμενης «Τουρκικής Ένωσης Ξάνθης», ενώ ακούστηκε και ο «ύμνος» των (φιλο)σκοπιανών, το περιβόητο «Φύγετε, Έλληνες, από τη Μακεδονία». Είναι χαρακτηριστικό ότι στις εκδηλώσεις παραβρέθηκαν Σκοπιανοί, που πέρασαν τα σύνορα με λεωφορεία, και κατέκλυσαν το χωριό. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, τα παραδοσιακά πανηγύρια της Μακεδονίας έχουν μπει στο στόχαστρο της φιλοσκοπιανής προπαγάνδας και χρησιμοποιούνται ως «πειστήρια» σχετικά με το ότι στη Βόρεια Ελλάδα υπάρχουν Μακεδόνες που δεν αισθάνονται Έλληνες. Την ώρα που οι Σκοπιανοί και οι εγχώριοι υποστηρικτές τους προσπαθούν να αποδείξουν πως οι Μακεδόνες δεν έχουν καμία σχέση με την Ελλάδα και τον Ελληνισμό, πολιτιστικοί σύλλογοι απ’ όλη τη Μακεδονία έδωσαν τη δική τους απάντηση στην ανιστόρητη προπαγάνδα, στο πρώτο «Παμμακεδονικό Αντάμωμα», το οποίο πραγματοποιήθηκε τον περασμένο Ιούλιο στη Σιταριά Φλώρινας, με πρωτοβουλία του τοπικού συλλόγου «Νέοι Ορίζοντες», ο οποίος, παρά τη γενικότερη κρίση, έχει να επιδείξει πλούσια δράση. Η εκδήλωση στέφθηκε με απόλυτη επιτυχία, γεγονός που οδηγεί στην καθιέρωσή της ως ετήσιου θεσμού.

Σκοπιανή Disneyland με τον Μέγα Αλέξανδρο και τους στρατιώτες του.

Ολόκληρη η χώρα έχει γεμίσει αγάλματα και μνημεία αφιερωμένα στον Φίλιππο και στον Μέγα Αλέξανδρο, ενώ νέα δημόσια κτίρια κατασκευάζονται σε ρυθμό που θυμίζουν Παρθενώνα και αρχαία Ελλάδα.
Την ίδια ώρα, η επίσημη Ελλάδα δείχνει να μην έχει αντιληφθεί ότι μία ολόκληρη γενιά στα Σκόπια μεγαλώνει μαθαίνοντας στα σχολεία πως ο Μέγας Αλέξανδρος αποκαλούσε την Ολυμπιάδα «μάικο» («μητέρα» στα σλαβικά) και πως τα σύνορα της πατρίδας τους εκτείνονται μέχρι τον Όλυμπο και τη Χαλκιδική.
Αγάλματα αρχαίων Μακεδόνων στρατιωτών που κρατούν στα χέρια τους δόρατα και ασπίδες με τον ήλιο της Βεργίνας θα περιστοιχίζουν τον επιβλητικό ανδριάντα του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου με ύψος οκταώροφης πολυκατοικίας, που έστησε στην κεντρική πλατεία των Σκοπίων η εθνικιστική κυβέρνηση του κ.Νίκολα Γκρουέφσκι που διεκδικεί ευθέως το copyright της ιστορικής και πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς της αρχαίας Μακεδονίας.
Συνολικά οκτώ αγάλματα αρχαίων Μακεδόνων σε φυσικό μέγεθος θα αποτελέσουν τη «μακεδονική φάλαγγα», η οποία μαζί με οκτώ λέοντες θα τοποθετηθούν γύρω από τη βάση του βάθρου όπου είναι ήδη στημένο το άγαλμα του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου.
Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι το εν λόγω άγαλμα οι Σκοπιανοί το βάφτισαν «έφιππο στρατιώτη»,για να μην προκαλέσουν αντιδράσεις από την Αθήνα και το εξωτερικό.
Με την ίδια κουτοπόνηρη λογική, οι Σκοπιανοί αφαίρεσαν από το σύμβολο του ήλιου της Βεργίνας, που εμφανίζεται στις ασπίδες που κρατούν τα αγάλματα των στρατιωτών, δύο από τις 16 ακτίνες προκειμένου να προλάβουν αντιδράσεις για χρήση του αρχαιοελληνικού συμβόλου, το οποίο ως γνωστόν η Ελλάδα έχει κατοχυρώσει στον Παγκόσμιο Οργανισμό Πνευματικής Ιδιοκτησίας (WIPO).
Σύμφωνα με δημοσιεύματα σκοπιανών εφημερίδων, ο πρωθυπουργός κ. Γκρουέφσκι ετοιμάζεται ως άλλος Ιουστινιανός να αναφωνήσει το δικό του «Νενίκηκά σε, Σολομών» κατά τα επίσημα αποκαλυπτήρια του αγάλματος του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου και του υπόλοιπου συμπλέγματος, τον επόμενο μήνα, κατά τους εορτασμούς για τη συμπλήρωση 20 ετών από την ανεξαρτησία από την ενιαία Γιουγκοσλαβία το 1991.
Τον Δεκέμβριο του 2006, και πέντε μήνες μετά τον σχηματισμό της πρώτης κυβέρνησής του, ο πρωθυπουργός κ. Γκρουέφσκι έθεσε σε εφαρμογή το σχέδιο μετάλλαξης της σλαβικής πλειοψηφίας του πληθυσμού σε απευθείας απογόνους των αρχαίων Μακεδόνων.
Ο αρχαιολόγος και διευθυντής του γραφείου Προστασίας Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς κ. Πάσκο Κούζμαν -και για πολλούς εξ απορρήτων σύμβουλος του Σκοπιανού πρωθυπουργού- είναι ένας από τους βασικούς εκφραστές του σχεδίου «αρχαιομακεδονοποίησης», που προκάλεσε ποικίλες αντιδράσεις στο εσωτερικό και εξωτερικό της χώρας. «Η “Μακεδονία” μπορεί να διεκδικήσει το όνομά της μόνο αν αποδείξει ότι το μακεδονικό έθνος έχει ρίζες στην κλασική αρχαιότητα και όχι στη σλαβική», δήλωσε πρόσφατα ο κ. Κούζμαν, ο οποίος τα τελευταία χρόνια πραγματοποιεί ανασκαφές σε αρχαία νεκροταφεία της χώρας στην απέλπιδα προσπάθειά του να αποδείξει πως οι σημερινοί κάτοικοι των Σκοπίων έχουν ίδιο DNA με τον Μέγα Αλέξανδρο και τον Βουκεφάλα. Δική του ιδέα ήταν, εξάλλου, η τοποθέτηση αρχαίων ελληνικών αγαλμάτων και επιγραφών έξω από το κτίριο που στεγάζει το γραφείο του πρωθυπουργού.
Ακολούθησε η μετονομασία του διεθνούς αεροδρομίου της χώρας σε «Alexander Veliki». Εκτός από τις σχετικές αλλαγές στη μαρκίζα της πρόσοψης του αεροδρομίου και στις πινακίδες στο οδικό δίκτυο, στην αίθουσα αφίξεων τοποθετήθηκε τεράστια χάλκινη προτομή του Μακεδόνα βασιλιά. Εξάλλου, «Μέγας Αλέξανδρος» ονομάστηκε και ο βασικός αυτοκινητόδρομος που διασχίζει τη χώρα και συνδέει τη Θεσσαλονίκη με τα Σκόπια, ενώ το υπό ανακαίνιση εθνικό στάδιο μετονομάστηκε σε «Αρένα Φίλιππος Β’».
Σύμφωνα με την αντιπολίτευση, το φαραωνικό σχέδιο αναπλάσεων «Σκόπια 2014», που βρίσκεται σε πλήρη εξέλιξη με στόχο να προσδώσει έναν «αρχαιοπρεπή» χαρακτήρα στην πρωτεύουσα και να σφυρηλατήσει την «εθνική μακεδονική συνείδηση», αποτελεί «κύρια έκφραση της πολιτικής ηγεμονίας του κ. Γκρουέφσκι και της πρόθεσής του να αλλάξει την ιστορία, την κοινωνία και την αισθητική της χώρας».
Από την πλευρά του ο Σκοπιανός πρωθυπουργός μιλάει για «αναγέννηση», ώστε η πόλη να είναι αντάξια του ονόματός της και «της αρχαίας δόξας της Μακεδονίας».
Κορωνίδα του φαραωνικού σχεδίου Γκρουέφσκι αποτελεί η πρόσφατη τοποθέτηση του επιχαλκωμένου ανδριάντα του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου, συνολικού ύψους 22 μέτρων μαζί με το βάθρο, στην κεντρική πλατεία των Σκοπίων. Πρόκειται για το μεγαλύτερο άγαλμα στα Βαλκάνια και για την κατασκευή του ο Σκοπιανός πρωθυπουργός φιλοδοξεί να μείνει στην Ιστορία, όπως υποστηρίζουν συνεργάτες του.
Το σκηνικό του παραλόγου στην κεντρική πλατεία των Σκοπίων θα ολοκληρωθεί με την τοποθέτηση έντεκα μικρότερων αγαλμάτων, ηρώων της σκοπιανής «Ιστορίας», όπως ο βασιλιάς Φίλιππος της Μακεδονίας, ο Βυζαντινός αυτοκράτορας Ιουστινιανός, ο Βούλγαρος τσάρος Σαμουήλ και άλλοι, οι οποίοι άπαντες ασφαλώς θεωρούνται και παρουσιάζονται
σαν «Μακεδόνες».

Του Παναγιώτη Σαββίδη

Anti-Hellenism on trial in Australian court

2011-08-16T19:39:00.001-05:00

Australian Macedonian Advisory Council

Crocodile tears: Let's see who is the Nazi now

Racial vilification hearing wraps up and judgement is reserved

The racial vilification hearing which began on Wednesday morning at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), and in which the Australian Macedonian Advisory Council (AMAC) was the complainant, came to a close yesterday.

Tribunal Member Noreen Megay said she imagined it would come as no surprise to both parties that she wou...ld reserve judgment (meaning she would retire to consider her decision). It is expected that her judgment will be handed down within the next several weeks.

Last year AMAC lodged the racial vilification complaint with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, alleging a contravention of Section 7 of the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic). AMAC’s complaint concerned an article published in the ‘Australian Macedonian Weekly’ (AMW) in May 2009 entitled ‘Who in this Celestial World Gave the Greeks the Right to Take Away the Macedonian Language?’. Section 7 states that it is unlawful for a person to engage conduct that "incites hatred against, serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule of", a person or class of persons, on the ground of the race of
a person or class of persons.

The Commission, given it does not have the power to determine a dispute and it considered our complaint contained sufficient merit, referred it to VCAT. At the hearing which took place at VCAT this week, AMAC was represented by barrister Tom Hurley, and our instructing solicitor was Peter Vlahos. The AMW was represented by former Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Rapke QC.

Among other things, the article referred to Greeks as a “thieving nation”, “freaks of nature”, “deranged bastardly monsters”, “evil” and the Greek language as “ugly”. The article was written by American Slav-Macedonian Joseph Gandeto (formerly known as Jozif Grezlovski). The Tribunal was told by the AMW Editor, Ljubco Stankovski, that he was sent the article by Canadian Slav-Macedonian, Risto Stefov, and that he considered the article contained important information for the Slav-Macedonian community and decided to publish it the next day.

One of the more significant and surprising points of the hearing came during the cross-examination of the newspaper’s editor. When asked whether he thought the article was capable of inciting hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule of Greeks, Mr. Stankovski resolutely answered “no”. When AMAC’s barrister Mr. Hurley asked him whether, “If the shoe was on the other foot” and terms such as “thieving nation” and “freaks of nature” were used to describe Slav-Macedonians, he would consider that this would have the effect of inciting hatred against Slav-Macedonians. To this question, Mr. Stankovski answered “yes”. When it was put to him again and he was asked this would have the effect of inciting serious contempt against Slav-Macedonians, Mr. Stankovski again answered “yes”. However, later when it was again put to him that the article had this effect in relation to Greeks he again, steadfastly, answered “no”.

Later in the hearing, Mr. Rapke asserted that Mr. Stankovski’s self-incriminating answers were due to language difficulties. This is despite the fact that the respondent relied on his evidence for other purposes and Mr. Stankovski is the editor of a newspaper and has responsibility to approve articles written in English for publishing.

These answers constituted a stunning admission by Mr. Stankovski and a shocking illustration of the blatant hypocrisy of his newspaper and Slav-Macedonian nationalists in Australia. Those sitting in the hearing room were visibly stunned by these admissions and there was a sharp increase in movement and whispering on the respondent’s side of the room.

AMAC hopes that the Tribunal will find the AMW acted unlawfully in publishing the article. However, at the very least, AMAC is pleased that its grievance has finally been publicly aired and that the AMW will likely be deterred from publishing similar vilifying, abusive and racist articles.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S BACTRIA

2011-08-16T00:15:00.000-05:00

Afghanistan: The Greek legacy‏ - British Museum