January 22, 2010

BIG Greek Lie 17

BIG Greek Lie 17 - The Ancient Macedonians were Greek

(Some modern Greeks believe the Ancient Macedonian were Greek)

by Risto Stefov

[NOTE: Our apologies to the Greek people if they find these articles offensive. Our objective here is NOT to create tension between the Macedonian and Greek people but rather to highlight the problem that exists within the Greek State and its institutions. As long as the Greek State denies our existence as Macedonians with rights and privileges, we will continue to publish these types of articles.]

Why is it so important to modern Greeks today to believe that the ancient Macedonians were Greek? Why is it so important for them to believe that the modern Macedonians are not at all related to the ancient Macedonians yet the modern Greeks are "direct descendants" of the ancient "Greeks"?

Before looking at the arguments and evidence presented we will examine the politics behind these claims.

Modern Greece today is holding 51% of Macedonian territories for which it has absolutely no justifiable reason. In 1912, 1913 Greece along with its partners Serbia and Bulgaria, under the pretence of liberation, invaded, occupied and brutally partitioned Macedonia into three pieces. Ever since this invasion Greece has systematically and tyrannically oppressed the Macedonian people to a point of extinction. There is no justifiable reason or logical explanation for Greece's behaviour but in the last century or so it has committed genocidal crimes against the Macedonian people including mass murders (1) , mass expulsions, mass confiscation of properties, mass denationalization, oppression, discrimination and all sorts of other abuses. Greece attacked the Macedonian people with the intent of eradicating them by any means possible. These are crimes that cannot be taken lightly or forgotten.

How has Greece justified all this and gotten away with it unpunished for almost a century?

Since its inception in 1829, Greece has systematically lied to the world about its own and later about Macedonia's past claiming Macedonia was and still is "Greek". Greece has also made claims that only "Greeks" live in Greece and has literally waged war against people who continued to claim to be non-"Greeks" and against those who refute its official position. .

Since Greece has no legitimate claim on Macedonian territories it had to invent far fetched ideas such as the ancient Macedonians being "Greek" in an effort to legitimize its claim. Greece looked back in history 2,400 years to justify its hold on Macedonian territories while ignoring not only Macedonia's but its own present reality. In the last century or so, Greece has behaved as if no one else but "Greece" had rights of ownership not only to Macedonian lands but also to the Macedonian heritage and history. When Greece forcefully imposed itself on Macedonia, it saw it as a vacant place ripe for colonization, treating its true inhabitants, the Macedonian people as vermin to be exterminated.

In the eyes of the world, the Macedonian people were seen as "Slav speakers" presumed to have come to this region during the 6th century AD. Slav speakers during the 19th century were considered the enemy and were looked upon unfavourably by the western world. So, in the last couple of centuries the world looked the other way while Greece waged war on the Macedonians in an attempt to exterminate them.

Since the 19th century, Greece has used the term "Slav" to refer to Macedonians in order to emphatically show to the world that the Macedonians of today are not at all related to the Macedonians of two thousand years ago. It also uses the word "Slav" to denigrate Macedonians making them feel like foreigners on their native lands.

Why has Greece chosen to lay claim to the ancient Macedonians before the Roman conquests and not to the Macedonians of a later period?

When Greece became a nation for the first time in 1829, its future was set not by its own people but by the politically motivated Great Powers, foreigners who artificially chose the character of this nation to suit their own political agendas. Modern Greece was created to be a continuation of the so-called "ancient Greece" of two thousand four hundred years ago. Two thousand four hundred years is a big historic gap for a new nation to fill especially one that has forgotten its past. Yes, there is a 2,400 year old historic gap between today's Greece and the phantom almost mythical "Greece" of yesteryears. Greece's course was set and its artificial history written by foreigners before its own conscience was developed. The people living in modern Greece were literally told who they are. They were told to forget their present reality, language, culture, customs, and embrace a new politically and artificially created reality. Once this transition was successfully completed in Greece proper it was easy for the "new" Greece to make claims on Macedonian territories. History clearly shows that Macedonia was not considered part of Greece in Greece's early days. This consideration was made only after Macedonia became ripe for conquest. So, when the right time came, it was natural for Greece to look at its own artificial construct and envision the ancient Macedonians as part of it. Then, when the Germans and others developed the idea that the Slavs came to the Balkans during the 6th century AD, Greece was quick to take advantage of this situation and label the Macedonians "Slavs" thus making them look like "new comers" in comparison to its own past. Slavs were naturally seen as undesirables and the world saw nothing wrong with legitimizing their abuse. Labeling the Macedonians "Slavs" gave Greece a way not only to show that these were "different" people, not related to the ancient Macedonians, but also that they did not belong on those territories even though they were there for 1,500 years. And because they were "Slavs" it was okay to treat them as vermin.

What evidence has Greece used to show that the ancient Macedonians were "Greek" and what evidence has it ignored that shows the opposite?

Even today some Greeks will argue to a point of exhaustion trying to prove that the ancient Macedonians were "Greek". They will tell their own version of history and stick with it while making remarks that it is universally understood and supported by the most important historians, therefore it must be true.

Here are some of the arguments they use to prove their point;

1. The Ancient Macedonians spoke a dialect of the Greek language.

From the various inscriptions found in archeological digs it has been established that one of the languages employed in ancient Macedonia was the Koine language commonly known as the language of trade and commerce. This was an international language which was used in the Macedonian court and by the Macedonian administration.

The Greek argument here is that "if Macedonians spoke Greek they must have been Greek". It is the same as saying "if the Macedonians speak English they must be English". While making statements such as these, most Greeks ignore evidence that proves that the ancient Macedonians, Alexander the Great included, spoke another language, a language indigenous to Macedonia, which makes them bilingual thus placing great doubts on the validity of this Greek argument.

Instead of trying to prove that the ancient Macedonians were "Greek", these Greeks who like to argue about their Greekness should look at their own relationship to the ancient "Greeks". They may be surprised to find that the modern Greeks have nothing to do with the ancients. In fact, if they dig deep enough they will find that the so called "Greek language" they speak today is as foreign to them as "ancient Greek" was foreign to the ancient Macedonians. Modern Greeks today speak an imposed language that was forced upon their great grandparents. A great majority (98%) of modern Greeks during the early 19th century did not speak Greek. They had to learn to speak Greek in school and some under the cruelest conditions. No common Macedonian spoke Greek before the Greek state made its presence in Macedonia. Then, almost overnight Greek occupied Macedonia became "Greek speaking". I wonder how that happened?

2. The ancient Macedonians prayed to the same "Greek gods" as the ancient "Greeks".

Again, according to inscriptions found in archeological digs the ancient Macedonians did share beliefs in some gods with the other people in the region including those living in the ancient city states. Sharing a common religion and believing in the same deity unfortunately is not a valid indicator of sharing a common ethnicity. Two people can speak the same language, share a religion and believe in the same God without being of the same ethnic origin. Take Christianity for example. Today we have hundreds of ethnicities living in Toronto, Canada who speak English, are Christians and believe in Jesus Christ. It would not only be wrong but outright ridiculous to even think that all these people have a common ethnicity or somehow are ethnically connected because they share a religion.

The so called "Greek gods" lived on Olympus (which by the way is in Macedonia) and were worshipped by many people. They were regional gods who belonged to the entire Balkans; not just to the "Greeks". It is 19th century politics and Greek propaganda which turned the mythical gods of the Balkans into "Greek gods".

3. The ancient Macedonians united the ancient "Greek" city states and spread the "Hellenic" language and culture to the known world.

This is a case of "Greeks" believing their own lies for so long that they forgot the truth. According to historic accounts;

"On August 2nd, 338 BC, in the shallow Cephisus River valley near the village of Chaeronea on the road to Thebes, the two opposing armies met face to face. On the north side stood Philip's Macedonians with 30,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, the largest Macedonian army ever assembled. Among Philip's commanding generals was his 18 year-old son, Alexander, in charge of the cavalry. On the south side, stood the allied Athenians, Thebans and Achaeans who assembled 35,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, the largest army ever assembled since the Persian invasion.

Closely matched, the armies clashed and while the battle ensued the Macedonian right flank fell back and began to retreat. Seeing the Macedonians weakening, the "Greek" allied general gave orders to push on and drive the Macedonians back to Macedonia. As the Macedonians retreated, the allied flanks broke rank and began the pursuit. Not realizing it was a trick, the allies found themselves surrounded and slaughtered by Alexander's cavalry. When it was over, the majority of the allied army, including the elite Theban Sacred Band lay dead in the fields of Chaeronea." (2)

Macedonia fought and defeated the so called "Greeks" in battle and subjugated them from 338 BC until 206 BC when they were briefly liberated and again subjugated by the Romans. So, according to "Greek" logic, the Macedonians united the so-called "Greek" city states by subjugating and subordinating them under Macedonian control. By the same "Greek" logic we can conclude that Hitler too, in WWII, united the Europeans by subjugating them and placing them under German control.

As for spreading the so called "Hellenic" language and culture, there is no evidence that the Macedonians exclusively did this for the sole purpose of honouring the "Greeks". The Macedonians gave the world what the Macedonians had and considered to be of value. The Macedonians also took what they considered valuable and adopted it as their own. Unlike the so-called ancient "Greeks" who were xenophobic and loathed everything foreign, the ancient Macedonians loved everything foreign and if it was of any value to them they did not hesitate to adopt it as their own.

It is difficult for modern Greeks to accept that everything has its time and that the so-called ancient "Greeks" ceased to exist a long, long time ago. It is difficult for them to accept the fact that; like the modern Macedonians, they are the product of evolution, of mixing and matching. It is difficult for them to accept that they are the children, at least in part, of the conquerors, invaders, settlers and plunderers that roamed the Balkans for the last two and a half millennium. It is difficult for them to accept the fact that they may not be the direct descendents of those "glorious Greeks" but mongrels of every race that visited the Balkans. It is easier for them to believe lies and fairy tales than face the fact that their grandparents and great grandparents may have been Albanian, Vlach, Turkish or Macedonian, yes Macedonian, the very same people they negate and insist don't exist.

THE TRUTH:

Modern Greece is a modern creation, a Great Power concoction. Britain and France in the early 19th century desperately needed an ally in the Balkans to protect their precious interests from Russia. Greece was created to prevent Russia from accessing Mediterranean waters, from spoiling Britain's back yard. Macedonia's partition and Greece's gain have nothing to do with "historical rights" but plenty to do with loyalty to an ally. Greece did its job well in serving as a "guard dog" for Britain so it was rewarded with Macedonian lands. The rest are lies to keep the innocent and unaware tangled in arguments from which there is no escape.

If you don't believe me ask yourself these questions;

1. How could the ancient Macedonians die off to the last one making them extinct and the so-called ancient "Greeks" survive?

2. How can all the modern Macedonians be "Slavs" that came to the Balkans during the 6th century AD and all the modern Greeks be "Hellenes" direct descendants from the ancient "Greeks"? Didn't Greece in 1912, 1913 invade and occupy a fully populated Macedonia? What happened to those Macedonians? Did they turn into "Greeks" overnight? (Yes they did! In 1928 Greece declared to the world that it had a 98% "pure Greek" homogenous population).

3. How has Greece maintained all its territories "pure Greek" with a 2, 300 year old open border?

4. How is it possible in this day and age for Greece, a "newly created" state to be allowed to have 2,400 year old inheritance rights (without a shred of evidence to prove it) and evict Macedonians from their lands on which they lived for more than 1,500 years?

Even by Greek accounts, Macedonians have lived in Macedonia since the 6th century AD, yet Greece is still evicting them. Greece is punishing Macedonians for being Macedonian! What do you think the name dispute is all about?

Like I said before, modern Greece is a newly created state modeled after the ancient city states with a 2,400 year old historical gap. Greece has usurped the ancient Macedonian heritage and Macedonian lands and will do anything to hang on to them including fabricating history and spreading BIG Greek lies. Macedonians are an obstacle to Greece's survival. The existence of Macedonians proves that Greece has lied all along and is now afraid that one day the crimes it has committed against the Macedonian people will be exposed. If Greece admits Macedonians exist, it will also have to admit that it has lied to the world and to its own people.

References:

1. George F. Kennan. "The Other Balkan Wars" A 1913 Carnegie Endowment Inquiry in Retrospect with a New Introduction and Reflections on the Present Conflict. Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, 1993.

2 Stefou, Chris. History of the Macedonian People from Ancient times to the Present. Toronto: Risto Stefov publications, 2005

You can contact the author at rstefov@hotmail.com

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Risto,
I am neither Greek, or so called 'Macedonian', but I of Turkish descent.

I can't believe the historical hijack attempts you make, and even think that someone will come close to believing you.

Whether you love or hate your Greek neighbours, you can't change historical facts, and I think if you are going to attempt to be a historian (which is obvious from article that you are not), you cannot steal history from one country and make it yours. Turks and Greeks have had their differences, but I am afraid that you are way out of line on this article and should be ashamed of your lame attempts to write such a joke.

Macedonia (the real one) was a Greek city state, just like Athens, Sparta, Corinth etc. etc. To say that Macedonia was not a part of Greece is incorrect. Macedonia was a Greek city state of it's own. The fact is that Macedonia was Greek and a city state that happens to have hated Athenians - it does not mean they were not Greek just because they hated each other and were at war... it happens all the time even today.

However, my friend to say that Macedonia was not Greek and something else altogether means that you are some kind of Neanderthal and not worthy of even your own country's respect (whatever that country claims or is to be). Get over it and stop trying to hijack another country's glorious history. It is purely jealousy from your part that you have no such depth, other than your migratory slavic background coming into this area before the Ottomans... big deal!!

I know you won't get this part of your administrator and post this article, but at least you get to read this.

The Greek and Balkan people are very nice warm hearted and wonderful people. I think you need to be careful about opinions and historical facts here.

You cannot deny that the Greek culture has been injected into this area for centuries and do not think that this will change. We Turks occupied their culture for 400 years, so of course there would be some Greeks who may have lost their Greek language skills over time and had to be rebuilt, but the motivations of a Greek independent state and its motivations are entirely yours. If the British were the main reason to want an independent Greek country, why did they then abandon the Greeks on their plans for a greater Greece to reclaim their ancient Asia Minor territories? Anyway this is not a history lesson, as you are obviously the world expert who know better than other historians.

As a Turk, Macedonia is Greek whether you or I like it or not. No wonder the you are still refered to as FYROM's by the EU. Basically FYROMIANS are Slavs that want to be Greeks.... by stealing.

Get a life... but make it your own, not your neighbour's.

Anonymous said...

Risto - you are ignorant. Greece finally became a country. Since 1829 Greece has tried to finally unite their lands. They have not stolen Macedonia from you - the Slavs or whatever you want to call yourself. The fact is the area Greece calls Macedonia is already part of Greece. The area you call Macedonia is not even part of Ancient Macedon of Alexander, so the Greeks don't want your region. It seems you want Greece's Alexander and his region, so cut the 'crap'.

All Greece has been trying to do since 1829 is to unite all their Greek territories of which the very last "RHODES" was united in the late 1940's. Greece has not used 2400 history to take Macedonia, they are simply trying to get it back.

You can say all you like, because you cannot change facts or history, so you just keep on talking and trying to look for obscure pieces of nothing to try and find evidence why Alexander is now a Slav and somehow belongs to your inferior sub-IQ moronic tribe thinking they somehow contributed to Western Civilization like Mycenean, Classical, Hellenistic(yes that means Alexander), Byzantine Greek culture.

Greeks were people in ancient times not a country. Finally in 1822 they became a country. They're still changing and growing and adapting to their short modern history.

I am Greek and my name is Alexander. Did I steal my name from you guys, or does not my name directly translate in Greek to "great man". What do the Greek names translate in your moronic culture

Good Luck Moron Risto - hahaha!!!

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of the sick approach of the Serbs in the 90s that thought they were the heavenly people on this earth.

What is this sick website suddenly pretending to change history. I think this author has watched "Back to the Future" too many times and is trying to go back and change.

Alexander is considered one of the greatest military leaders of all time. Born in the Greek city of Pella in 356 BC, his conquests extended to most of his known world by the time of his death at age 32. He opened up Greek civilization from the Mediterranean to India, and is regarded as the first to link Europe, Asia, and Africa.

"Alexander was the captain general of all the Hellenes. He spoke Greek. He went to war on behalf of the Hellenes. No one in the ancient, medieval, or modern world has disputed this," says Michael Wood, a historian and British filmmaker who has produced a work on Alexander and has another in the making.

"The Macedonian state claim has no basis in history; it is a state-sponsored myth. I tell my Macedonian and Greek friends to ignore it," Mr. Wood adds.