Macedonia(country), Greek or Yugoslav? & Alexander the Great

[Kalaspia-Shimarata]

Is Macedonia Greek or Yugoslav? It's Greek
Is Alexander the Great Macedonian or Greek,
He's Masso, but technically Greek. Even youtube thinks so!
Anyway, discuss!

[Set the Unbound]

Muhuhahaa!

Wish my Greek friend Christos posted on this forum

The ancient Athenian orator Demosthenes made a famous speech about how Makedonia was a foreign "barbarian" kingdom trying to imitate Greek ways, and it was true enough back then.

My friend says that while that is true, what Demosthenes really meant was that Athens was more Greek than Makedonia.

The Makedonians I went to school with would argue that Makedonia has its own culture and history.

Personally, I don't see identity as an either/or proposition.

Makedonia, past and present, has a great deal in common with Greece, and some differences too.

[Trollgaard]

Macedonia is very similar to Greece, but due to geography was a bit different...it was a more rustic Greece. Alexander the Great was an Epirote-Macedonian, as Olympias was from Epirus.

[Augustus Este]

They're sort of Bulgarian, the more nationalistic members of their country will deny it though.

[Set the Unbound]

They're sort of Bulgarian, the more nationalistic members of their country will deny it though.

Bulgarians are kinda like Romanians

And Romanians are similar to Russians

Any takers?

[Maurepas]

Macedonia is Macedonian, and has aspects of both Greek and Slavic cultures. Alexander the Great was a Macedonian who took over Greece and most of the known world at the time.

[Virabia]

We are all citizens of the world. Let us not divide ourselves on frivolous matters.

[Conserative Morality]

Alexander was basically Greek. Slavic influences didn't enter that area until much later. Not sure about modern Macedonia.

[Maurepas]

Alexander was basically Greek. Slavic influences didn't enter that area until much later. Not sure about modern Macedonia.

I'd say he was basically "Greek", I mean, there was no Greek Nation at the time, his nation was Macedonia, just like Pericles was Athenian, and Leonidas was Spartan, and these were distinct entities as far as nationality is concerned.

[Idaho Conservatives]

As puny as Macedonia is, I certainly don't care about it in the least.

[Aglorea]

There is the modern Macedonian nation and there is the Macedonian nation of Alexander's time. The Macedonia of the past would be closer to a "Greek" culture while the modern is blended by time.

[Set the Unbound]

There is the modern Macedonian nation and there is the Macedonian nation of Alexander's time. The Macedonia of the past would be closer to a "Greek" culture while the modern is blended by time.

I would have said the reverse, actually. Modern communications and mass media have done a great deal for homogenising cultures.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

Is Macedonia Greek or Yugoslav? It's Greek
Is Alexander the Great Macedonian or Greek,
He's Masso, but technically Greek. Even youtube thinks so!
Anyway, discuss!

Alexander the Great is a 'Old Macedonian', who are Hellenic but not really Greek in any sort of strict sense.

Macedonia is Yugoslavian, it's inhabitants are the Slavic speaking descendents of Macedonians, Daco-Thracians, Germanics, Iranics and others who were under domination by the Huns.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

They're sort of Bulgarian, the more nationalistic members of their country will deny it though.

Bulgarians are kinda like Romanians

And Romanians are similar to Russians

Any takers?

Romanians aren't even Slavs. I should feed your soul to Uncle Vlad for this heresy.

[Wazkyraque]

They're sort of Bulgarian, the more nationalistic members of their country will deny it though.

Bulgarians are kinda like Romanians

And Romanians are similar to Russians

Any takers?

That was like slapping Vlad in the face.



Anyways, I think it's Greek.

[Aglorea]

There is the modern Macedonian nation and there is the Macedonian nation of Alexander's time. The Macedonia of the past would be closer to a "Greek" culture while the modern is blended by time.

I would have said the reverse, actually. Modern communications and mass media have done a great deal for homogenising cultures.

So you would say that the past Macedonia was a blend of Greek and Slavic culture while the modern nation is much more Greek?

[Conserative Morality]

Romanians aren't even Slavs. I should feed your soul to Uncle Vlad for this heresy.

I've a feeling Uncle Vlad will keep his soul in a jar for his own amusement.

Best not to think about what goes on with Uncle Vlad and a mostly untarnished soul.

[Yuktova]

Yugoslav all the way man!
Yugoslavian and proud!

[New England and The Maritimes]

Wow... talk about history fail. Alexander's Macedon was centered around the region that is now known as Thessaloniki. He was a Greek through and through. The current republic of Macedonia was a creation of Yugoslavia, and is pretty thoroughly South Slavic.

[Set the Unbound]

I would have said the reverse, actually. Modern communications and mass media have done a great deal for homogenising cultures.

So you would say that the past Macedonia was a blend of Greek and Slavic culture while the modern nation is much more Greek?

I'm not touching that tar baby. Okay, I will. I think Makedonia in ancient times was more isolated and had a more unique culture than today. This is true of everywhere, actually.

Makedonia has been influenced by millennia of cultural development and exchange with its neighbours, Greece above all, and modern mass media facilitates this process. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Romanians aren't even Slavs. I should feed your soul to Uncle Vlad for this heresy.

I've a feeling Uncle Vlad will keep his soul in a jar for his own amusement.

Best not to think about what goes on with Uncle Vlad and a mostly untarnished soul.

My soul is quite tarnished, I promise! No good to anyone, not even Uncle Vlad.

[Imperium Nova Roma]

Modern day Macedon is but a sham. Alexander would weep, if the dead could weep.

[Xarithis]

Is Macedonia Greek or Yugoslav?

Why can't it be both? Greekoslav.

Actually, I don't know much of modern Macedonia. Alexander's Macedonians were probably culturally closer to Greek than Slavic, as the Slavic migrations into Macedonia didn't happen until later, but the opposite is likely true today.

Modern day Macedon is but a sham. Alexander would weep, if the dead could weep.

That's how I feel about modern Mongolia and Genghis Khan.

[Dakini]

It is my impression that (the F.Y.R of) Macedonia is pretty much entirely Slavic, while the Greek state Macedonia is pretty much entirely Greek.

Alexander the Great wouldn't have been Slavic at all though, the Slavs didn't arrive in the region until the 6-7th centuries CE.

[New England and The Maritimes]

It is my impression that (the F.Y.R of) Macedonia is pretty much entirely Slavic, while the Greek state Macedonia is pretty much entirely Greek.

Alexander the Great wouldn't have been Slavic at all though, the Slavs didn't arrive in the region until the 6-7th centuries CE.

They're completely different geographical areas.

Macedon


Macedonia

[Set the Unbound]

You are leaving out the population and border changes during the Hellenistic, Roman and Ottoman periods. Twenty-one centuries.

But yes, the bulk of historical Makedonia lies within modern Greece.