The “Slavic Philhellenic Network” shall became defunct on 31th of May 2009.

The decision to disband the SPN, the Skoplje-based organization established as an informal body of students in November 2008 to counteract Anti-Greek propaganda, Slavophobia and Fascist ideology of Gruevism was reached today at a working meeting of the four members committee. This decision was based on mutual convergence of attitudes regarding the organization’s specific mission in place and time. It was agreed that the organization fulfilled its mission against Anti-Hellenism and Anti-Slavism produced by the current regime in Skoplje. The organization authored 4 memos send to over 300 politicians, journalists and scholars in Russia, Europe and North America. It’s distribution of leaflets in Skoplje and Kumanovo can be considered successful. The blog of the organization, syndicated on over 60 sites, was widely read in FYROM and abroad and generated much positive feedback. Attempts to discredit the organization orchestrated by the Security Services of the Pseudomacedonian state proved unsuccessful. Nevertheless, recognizing the “spirit of present times” we, the members of the SPN, decided to disband the organization and continue with our Philhellenic cause on individual basis.

We wish to extend our gratitude to all individuals who supported us morally and spiritually

CCD of the Slavic Philhellenic Network,
Skoplje, May 30th 2009

Василије Ђерић, “Неколико главних питања из етнографије Старе Србије и Маћедоније”, 1922

Књига Василија Ђерића “Неколико главних питања из етнографије Старе Србије и Маћедоније” представља етнолошку синтезу која садржи обиље података о присуству словенског и бугарског имена на балкану и о присуству српског имена у Повардарју (углавном у подручју данашање БЈРМ. Приложена је полемичка критика усмерена на дела бугарског и другог порекла којима се настојало доказати искључиво бугарски карактер Словена у Повардарју. Подаци дани у овој књизи, засновани на коришћењу извора, јасно потврђују српско присуство у БЈРМ у позном Средњем веку и за време отоманске владавине, насупрот тренду у савременој историографији БЈРМ да се српско присуство и историја у БЈРМ маргинализују или не спомињу уопште.

http://www.povardarje.info/html/Vasilije-Djeric-Nekoliko-glavnih-pitanja-iz-etnografije-Stare-Srbije-i-Macedonije-1922.html

Đoko Slijepčević, “The Macedonian Question”, Chicago 1958

The monograph “The Macedonian Question” by the exiled Serbian historian and Germanist Đoko Slijepčević, published in 1958 in Chicago represents a classic synthesis of historical and ethnological aspects of Slavic identity in Povardarje, with emphasis on its Serbian aspect which is often neglected in modern-day discourse due to the far greater quantity of Bulgarian and Pseudomacedonian publications in English language dealing with the issue. Although it is dated in some aspects and deficient in review of archeological material and the issue of Hellenism of Macedonia proper, author’s reliance on well-established fact and erudition with regard to Povardarje’s history, especially the medieval period, emergence of 19th century Bulgarian Revival on the area of FYROM and Ecclesiastic History, including the early separatism of what is today known as the so-called “Macedonian Orthodox Church” make this book a worthy addition in every historical research.

Link to the online edition:

http://www.povardarje.info/html/djoko-slijepcevic-the-macedonian-question-1958.html

“Византијски извори за историју народа Југославије“, том. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6

Приложени се 5 тома од едицијата “Византијски извори за историју народа Југославије“, 1955-1986. Наведената хрестоматија содржи критички и аналитички одбрани историјски извори создадени од византиски автори преку кои се согледува источноромејската гледна точка на појавата и развојот на словенските општества на Балканот, од најраните јужнословенски инфилтрации до подоцнежниот Среден век. Читателот-аматер е советуван самите извори да ги проучи со паралелен преглед на поновата археолошка и критичко-аналитичка историографска литература која го вточнува процесот на инфилтрации, напади и упади, транзиторни и постојани населувања на јужните Словени како и појавата на државни формации.

Линк:
“Византијски извори за историју народа Југославије” [“Byzantine Sources for the History of Peoples of Yugoslavia”] , том. 1,2,3,4,6., Београд 1955-1986.

US House of Representatives Resolution 486 [21-V-2009]

HRES 486 IH

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 486

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should work within the framework of the United Nations process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually acceptable composite name, with a geographical qualifier and for all international uses for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2009

Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. SPACE, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. CARNAHAN, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. SIRES, Ms. TITUS, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. MCMAHON, and Mr. JACKSON of Illinois) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should work within the framework of the United Nations process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually acceptable composite name, with a geographical qualifier and for all international uses for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Whereas, on April 8, 1993, the United Nations General Assembly admitted as a member the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, under the name the `former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’;

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 817 (1993) states that the international dispute over the name must be resolved to maintain peaceful relations between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and regional stability;

Whereas Greece is a strategic partner and ally of the United States in bringing political stability and economic development to the Balkan region, having invested over $20 billion in the countries of the region, thereby creating over 200,000 new jobs, and having contributed over $750 million in development aid for the region;

Whereas Greece has invested over $1 billion in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, thereby creating more than 10,000 new jobs and having contributed $110 million in development aid;

Whereas H. Res. 356 of 110th Congress, urged the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to abstain from hostile activities and stop the utilization of materials that violate provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece regarding `hostile activities or propaganda’;

Whereas NATO’s Heads of State and Government unanimously agreed in Bucharest (April 3, 2008) that `. . . within the framework of the UN, many actors have worked hard to resolve the name issue, but the Alliance has noted with regret that these talks have not produced a successful outcome. Therefore we agreed that an invitation to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will be extended as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached. We encourage the negotiations to be resumed without delay and expect them to be concluded as soon as possible’;

Whereas the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Strasbourg/Kehl (April 4, 2009), reiterated their unanimous support for the agreement at the Bucharest Summit `to extend an invitation to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached within the framework of the UN, and urge intensified efforts towards that goal.’;

Whereas the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has consistently engaged in anti-Greek rhetoric, thus creating hostile feeling among its citizens, which violates the principle of good neighborly relations; and

Whereas authorities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia urged their citizens to boycott Greek investments in the country and not to travel to Greece: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

(1) urges the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to work within the framework of the United Nations process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals by finding a mutually acceptable composite name, with a geographical qualifier and for all international uses for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and

(2) urges the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to abstain from hostile activities and stop violating provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece regarding `hostile activities or propaganda’.

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/hr486_ih.xml

Писмо на меѓународна група од 200 академици до Барак Обама против Псевдомакедонизмот на БЈРМ

18 Maj 2009

Уважен Барак Обама,
Претседател, Соединети Американски Држави
Бела Куќа
1600 Авенија Пенсилванија NW
Вашингтон, ОК 20500

Ние, долупотпишаните професори на грчко-римската древност, учтиво побаруваме да интервенирате да се исчисти дел од историјскиот смет оставен во југоисточна Европа од претходната администрација на САД.

На Ноември 4ти 2004, два дена пред повторниот избор на Председателот Џорџ В. Буш, неговата администрација унилатерално ја призна “Република Македонија“. Оваа акција не само што ги видоизмени географските и историјските факти, туку ослободи опасна епидемија на историјски ревизионизам, од кој најочебијните симптоми се присвојувањето од владата во Скопје на најпознатиот Македонец, Александар Велики.

Ние веруваме дека оваа глупост отиде предалеку и дека САД немаат работа да подржуваат субверзија на историјата. Ајде да ги прегледаме фактите. (документација за овие факти може да се најде прикрепена и на http://macedonia-evidence.org/documentation.html)

Земјата за која станува збор, со Скопје како современ главен град, беше наречена Пајонија во древноста. Пл. Барнос и Орбелос (кои ги оформуваат денес северните меѓи на Грција) обезбедуваат природна бариера која ги одделувала и ги одделува Македонија од нејзиниот северен сосед. Единствена вистинска врска е преку реката Аксиос, Вардар и дури оваа долина не оформува линија на комуникација бидејќи е поделена со клисури.
Иако е точно дека Пајонците биле потчинети од Филип Втори, таткото на Александар, во 358 г. п.н.е., тие не беа Македонци и не живееа во Македонија. Исто така, на пример, Египтјаните, кои беа потчинети од Александар, беа владеени од Македонците, вклучително и од фамозната Клеопатра, но тие никогаш не беа самите Македонци, и Египет никогаш не бил нарекуван Македонија.

Попрво, Македонија и македонските Грци беа сместени за барем 2.500 години токму таму каде е современата грчка провинција Македонија. Точно истата релација е вистинска за Атика и атинските Грци, Аргос и аргоските Грци, Коринт и коринтските Грци, итн.

Ние не разбираме како современите жители на Пајонија, кои зборуваат словенски – јазик воведен на Балканот околу милениум по смртта на Александар – можат да го присвојуваат како нивен национален херој. Александар Велики бил целосно и неоспорно Грк. Неговиот пра-пра-прадедо, Александар Први, се натпреварувал на Олимписките игри каде учеството беше ограничено на Грци.

Дури пред Александар Први, Македонците го лоцираа своето потекло во Аргос, и многу од нивните кралеви ја користеа главата на Херкул – суштествениот грчки херој – на нивните монети

Еврипид – кој умрел и бил погребан во Македонија – ја напиша својата пиеса Архелај во чест на прастрикото на Александар, и на грчки. Додека бил во Македонија, Еврипид исто ја напиша Бахаи, повторно на грчки. По презумпција, македонската публика можеше да разбере што напишал и тоа што го слушале.

Татко му на Александар, Филип, добил неколку коњанички победи во Олимпија и Делфи, двете најхеленски од сите светилишта во древна Грција каде на Негрците не им беше дозволено да се натпреваруваат. Уште позначајно, Филип беше назначен да ги раководи Питијските игри на Делфи во 346. г.п.н.е. Со други зборови, татко му на Александар Велики и неговите предци беа целосно Грци. Грчкиот беше јазик ползуван од Демостен и неговата делагација од Атина кога му упатија посети на Филип, исто така во 346 г.п.н.е. Уште еден северен Грк, Аристотел, отиде да студира за скоро 20 години во академијата на Платон. Аристотел последователно се вратил во Македонија и станал тутор на Александар Трети. Тие ползувале грчки во нивната училница која се уште може да се види близу Науса во Македонија.

Александар го носел со себе низ своите освојувања Аристотеловото издание на Хомеровата “Илијада“. Александар исто така ги ширел грчкиот јазик и култура низ неговата империја, основајќи градови и востанувајќи центри за учење. Оттаму натписи кои се однeсуваат на такви типични грчки институции како што е гимназиумот се наоѓаат дури во Афганистан. Сите тие се напишани на грчки.

Се поставува прашањето: зошто грчкиот беше lingua franca преку целата Александрова империја ако тој бил “Македонец“? Зошто беше Новиот Завет, на пример, напишан на грчки?

Одговорите се јасни: Александар Велики беше Грк, а не Словен, и Словените и нивниот јазик не беа никаде блиску до Александар или неговата татковина се до 1.000 години подоцна. Ова не носи назад до географската област позната во древноста како Пајонија. Зошто луѓето кои живеат таму се нарекуваат себеси Македонци и нивната земја Македонија? Зошто тие зграпчуваат целосно грчка фигура и прават од него нивен национален херој?

Древните Пајонци можеби биле или можеби не биле Грци, но тие секако станаа грковидни, и тие никогаш не биле Словени. Тие исто така не биле Македонци. Античка Пајонија била дел од Македонската Империја. Исто тоа беа Јонија и Сирија и Палестина и Египет и Месопотамија и Вавилон и многу други. Така, тие можеби станаа “македонски“ привремено но ниту една од нив не беше “Македонија“. Кражбата на Филип и Александар од земја која никогаш не била Македонија не може да биде оправдано.

Традициите на древна Пајонија можат да бидат усвоени од сегашните жители на тоа географско подрачје со значително оправдување. Но издолжувањето на географскиот термин “Македонија“ да ја покрие јужна Југославија не е можно. Дури во доцниот 19. век, оваа злоупотреба имплицирала нездрави територијални аспирации.

Истата мотивација се гледа во школски мапи кои ја покажуваат псевдо-голема Македонија, протегнувајќи се од Скопје до пл. Олимп и со ознаки на словенски. Истата мапа и нејзините тврдења се на календари, налепници, банкноти итн., кои циркулираат во новата држава постојано од кога таа ја прогласи својата независност од Југославија во 1991. Зошто сиромашна земја без излез на море прави таков историјски нонсенс? Зошто безобразно го исмејува и провоцира својот сосед?

Како год некој да сака да го карактеризира таквото однесување, тоа јасно не е сила за историјска точност ниту за стабилност на Балканот. Тажно е што Соединетите Американски Држави го помогнаа и охрабрија таквото однесување. Ве повикуваме вас, г-не Претседател, да помогнете – на било кој начин кој го сметате за соодветен – на владата во Скопје да разбере дека не може да изгради национален идентитет на трошок на историјската вистина. Нашето заедничко меѓународно општество не може да преживее кога историја е игнорирана, уште помалку кога историјата е фабрикувана.

Искрено,

Harry C. Avery, Professor of Classics, University of Pittsburgh (USA)

Dr. Dirk Backendorf. Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz (Germany)

Elizabeth C. Banks, Associate Professor of Classics (ret.), University of Kansas (USA)

Luigi Beschi, professore emerito di Archeologia Classica, Università di Firenze (Italy)

Josine H. Blok, professor of Ancient History and Classical Civilization, Utrecht University (The Netherlands)

Alan Boegehold, Emeritus Professor of Classics, Brown University (USA)

Efrosyni Boutsikas, Lecturer of Classical Archaeology, University of Kent (UK)

Keith Bradley, Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Professor of Classics, Concurrent Professor of History, University of Notre Dame (USA)

Stanley M. Burstein, Professor Emeritus, California State University, Los Angeles (USA)

Francis Cairns, Professor of Classical Languages, The Florida State University (USA)

John McK. Camp II, Agora Excavations and Professor of Archaeology, ASCSA, Athens (Greece)

Paul Cartledge, A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture, University of Cambridge (UK)

Paavo Castrén, Professor of Classical Philology Emeritus, University of Helsinki (Finland)

William Cavanagh, Professor of Aegean Prehistory, University of Nottingham (UK)

Angelos Chaniotis, Professor, Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford (UK)

Paul Christesen, Professor of Ancient Greek History, Dartmouth College (USA)

Ada Cohen, Associate Professor of Art History, Dartmouth College (USA)

Randall M. Colaizzi, Lecturer in Classical Studies, University of Massachusetts-Boston (USA)

Kathleen M. Coleman, Professor of Latin, Harvard University (USA)

Michael B. Cosmopoulos, Ph.D., Professor and Endowed Chair in Greek Archaeology, University of Missouri-St. Louis (USA)

Kevin F. Daly, Assistant Professor of Classics, Bucknell University (USA)

Wolfgang Decker, Professor emeritus of sport history, Deutsche Sporthochschule, Köln (Germany)

Luc Deitz, Ausserplanmässiger Professor of Mediaeval and Renaissance Latin, University of Trier (Germany), and Curator of manuscripts and rare books, National Library of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

Michael Dewar, Professor of Classics, University of Toronto (Canada)

John D. Dillery, Associate Professor of Classics, University of Virginia (USA)

Sheila Dillon, Associate Professor, Depts. of Art, Art History & Visual Studies and Classical Studies, Duke University (USA)

Douglas Domingo-Forasté, Professor of Classics, California State University, Long Beach (USA)

Pierre Ducrey, professeur honoraire, Université de Lausanne (Switzerland)

Roger Dunkle, Professor of Classics Emeritus, Brooklyn College, City University of New York (USA)

Michael M. Eisman, Associate Professor Ancient History and Classical Archaeology, Department of History, Temple University (USA)

Mostafa El-Abbadi, Professor Emeritus, University of Alexandria (Egypt)

R. Malcolm Errington, Professor für Alte Geschichte (Emeritus) Philipps-Universität, Marburg (Germany)

Panagiotis Faklaris, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Denis Feeney, Giger Professor of Latin, Princeton University (USA)

Elizabeth A. Fisher, Professor of Classics and Art History, Randolph-Macon College (USA)

Nick Fisher, Professor of Ancient History, Cardiff University (UK)

R. Leon Fitts, Asbury J Clarke Professor of Classical Studies, Emeritus, FSA, Scot., Dickinson Colllege (USA)

John M. Fossey FRSC, FSA, Emeritus Professor of Art History (and Archaeology), McGill Univertsity, Montreal, and Curator of Archaeology, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Canada)

Robin Lane Fox, University Reader in Ancient History, New College, Oxford (UK)

Rainer Friedrich, Professor of Classics Emeritus, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. (Canada)

Heide Froning, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Marburg (Germany)

Peter Funke, Professor of Ancient History, University of Muenster (Germany)

Traianos Gagos, Professor of Greek and Papyrology, University of Michigan (USA)

Robert Garland, Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of the Classics, Colgate University, Hamilton NY (USA)

Douglas E. Gerber, Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies, University of Western Ontario (Canada)

Hans R. Goette, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Giessen (Germany); German Archaeological Institute, Berlin (Germany)

Sander M. Goldberg, Professor of Classics, UCLA (USA)

Erich S. Gruen, Gladys Rehard Wood Professor of History and Classics, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Christian Habicht, Professor of Ancient History, Emeritus, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (USA)

Donald C. Haggis, Nicholas A. Cassas Term Professor of Greek Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Judith P. Hallett, Professor of Classics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (USA)

Prof. Paul B. Harvey, Jr. Head, Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, The Pennsylvania State University (USA)

Eleni Hasaki, Associate Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Arizona (USA)

Miltiades B. Hatzopoulos, Director, Research Centre for Greek and Roman Antiquity, National Research Foundation, Athens (Greece)

Wolf-Dieter Heilmeyer, Prof. Dr., Freie Universität Berlin und Antikensammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin (Germany)

Steven W. Hirsch, Associate Professor of Classics and History, Tufts University (USA)

Karl-J. Hölkeskamp, Professor of Ancient History, University of Cologne (Germany)

Frank L. Holt, Professor of Ancient History, University of Houston (USA)

Dan Hooley, Professor of Classics, University of Missouri (USA)

Meredith C. Hoppin, Gagliardi Professor of Classical Languages, Williams College, Williamstown, MA (USA)

Caroline M. Houser, Professor of Art History Emerita, Smith College (USA) and Affiliated Professor, University of Washington (USA)

Georgia Kafka, Visiting Professor of Modern Greek Language, Literature and History, University of New Brunswick (Canada)

Anthony Kaldellis, Professor of Greek and Latin, The Ohio State University (USA)

Andromache Karanika, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of California, Irvine (USA)

Robert A. Kaster, Professor of Classics and Kennedy Foundation Professor of Latin, Princeton University (USA)

Vassiliki Kekela, Adjunct Professor of Greek Studies, Classics Department, Hunter College, City University of New York (USA)

Dietmar Kienast, Professor Emeritus of Ancient History, University of Duesseldorf (Germany)

Karl Kilinski II, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Southern Methodist University (USA)

Dr. Florian Knauss, associate director, Staatliche Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek Muenchen (Germany)

Denis Knoepfler, Professor of Greek Epigraphy and History, Collège de France (Paris)

Ortwin Knorr, Associate Professor of Classics, Willamette University (USA)

Robert B. Koehl, Professor of Archaeology, Department of Classical and Oriental Studies Hunter College, City University of New York (USA)

Georgia Kokkorou-Alevras, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Classical Studies, Brandeis University (USA)

Eric J. Kondratieff, Assistant Professor of Classics and Ancient History, Department of Greek & Roman Classics, Temple University

Haritini Kotsidu, Apl. Prof. Dr. für Klassische Archäologie, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt/M. (Germany)

Lambrini Koutoussaki, Dr., Lecturer of Classical Archaeology, University of Zürich (Switzerland)

David Kovacs, Hugh H. Obear Professor of Classics, University of Virginia (USA)

Peter Krentz, W. R. Grey Professor of Classics and History, Davidson College (USA)

Friedrich Krinzinger, Professor of Classical Archaeology Emeritus, University of Vienna (Austria)

Michael Kumpf, Professor of Classics, Valparaiso University (USA)

Donald G. Kyle, Professor of History, University of Texas at Arlington (USA)

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Helmut Kyrieleis, former president of the German Archaeological Institute, Berlin (Germany)

Gerald V. Lalonde, Benedict Professor of Classics, Grinnell College (USA)

Steven Lattimore, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of California, Los Angeles (USA)

Francis M. Lazarus, President, University of Dallas (USA)

Mary R. Lefkowitz, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, Emerita, Wellesley College (USA)

Iphigeneia Leventi, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Daniel B. Levine, Professor of Classical Studies, University of Arkansas (USA)

Christina Leypold, Dr. phil., Archaeological Institute, University of Zurich (Switzerland)

Vayos Liapis, Associate Professor of Greek, Centre d’Études Classiques & Département de Philosophie, Université de Montréal (Canada)

Hugh Lloyd-Jones, Professor of Greek Emeritus, University of Oxford (UK)

Yannis Lolos, Assistant Professor, History, Archaeology, and Anthropology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Stanley Lombardo, Professor of Classics, University of Kansas, USA

Anthony Long, Professor of Classics and Irving G. Stone Professor of Literature, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Julia Lougovaya, Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Columbia University (USA)

A.D. Macro, Hobart Professor of Classical Languages emeritus, Trinity College (USA)

John Magee, Professor, Department of Classics, Director, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto (Canada)

Dr. Christofilis Maggidis, Associate Professor of Archaeology, Dickinson College (USA)

Jeannette Marchand, Assistant Professor of Classics, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio (USA)

Richard P. Martin, Antony and Isabelle Raubitschek Professor in Classics, Stanford University

Maria Mavroudi, Professor of Byzantine History, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Alexander Mazarakis Ainian, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

James R. McCredie, Sherman Fairchild Professor emeritus; Director, Excavations in Samothrace Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (USA)

James C. McKeown, Professor of Classics, University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA)

Robert A. Mechikoff, Professor and Life Member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, San Diego State University (USA)

Andreas Mehl, Professor of Ancient History, Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg (Germany)

Harald Mielsch, Professor of Classical Archeology, University of Bonn (Germany)

Stephen G. Miller, Professor of Classical Archaeology Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Phillip Mitsis, A.S. Onassis Professor of Classics and Philosophy, New York University (USA)

Peter Franz Mittag, Professor für Alte Geschichte, Universität zu Köln (Germany)

David Gordon Mitten, James Loeb Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Harvard University (USA)

Margaret S. Mook, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, Iowa State University (USA)

Anatole Mori, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, University of Missouri- Columbia (USA)

Jennifer Sheridan Moss, Associate Professor, Wayne State University (USA)

Ioannis Mylonopoulos, Assistant Professor of Greek Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University, New York (USA).

Richard Neudecker, PD of Classical Archaeology, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Rom (Italy)

James M.L. Newhard, Associate Professor of Classics, College of Charleston (USA)

Carole E. Newlands, Professor of Classics, University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA)

John Maxwell O’Brien, Professor of History, Queens College, City University of New York (USA)

James J. O’Hara, Paddison Professor of Latin, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)

Martin Ostwald, Professor of Classics (ret.), Swarthmore College and Professor of Classical Studies (ret.), University of Pennsylvania (USA)

Olga Palagia, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Vassiliki Panoussi, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, The College of William and Mary (USA)

Maria C. Pantelia, Professor of Classics, University of California, Irvine (USA)

Pantos A.Pantos, Adjunct Faculty, Department of History, Archaeology and Social Anthropology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Anthony J. Papalas, Professor of Ancient History, East Carolina University (USA)

Nassos Papalexandrou, Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin (USA)

Polyvia Parara, Visiting Assistant Professor of Greek Language and Civilization, Department of Classics, Georgetown University (USA)

Richard W. Parker, Associate Professor of Classics, Brock University (Canada)

Robert Parker, Wykeham Professor of Ancient History, New College, Oxford (UK)

Anastasia-Erasmia Peponi, Associate Professor of Classics, Stanford University (USA)

Jacques Perreault, Professor of Greek archaeology, Université de Montréal, Québec (Canada)

Yanis Pikoulas, Associate Professor of Ancient Greek History, University of Thessaly (Greece)

John Pollini, Professor of Classical Art & Archaeology, University of Southern California (USA)

David Potter, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Greek and Latin. The University of Michigan (USA)

Robert L. Pounder, Professor Emeritus of Classics, Vassar College (USA)

Nikolaos Poulopoulos, Assistant Professor in History and Chair in Modern Greek Studies, McGill University (Canada)

William H. Race, George L. Paddison Professor of Classics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

John T. Ramsey, Professor of Classics, University of Illinois at Chicago (USA)

Karl Reber, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Lausanne (Switzerland)

Rush Rehm, Professor of Classics and Drama, Stanford University (USA)

Werner Riess, Associate Professor of Classics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Robert H. Rivkin, Ancient Studies Department, University of Maryland Baltimore County (USA)

Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Professor of Classics, The University of Vermont (USA)

Robert H. Rodgers. Lyman-Roberts Professor of Classical Languages and Literature, University of Vermont (USA)

Nathan Rosenstein, Professor of Ancient History, The Ohio State University (USA)

John C. Rouman, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of New Hampshire, (USA)

Dr. James Roy, Reader in Greek History (retired), University of Nottingham (UK)

Steven H. Rutledge, Associate Professor of Classics, Department of Classics, University of Maryland, College Park (USA)

Christina A. Salowey, Associate Professor of Classics, Hollins University (USA)

Guy D. R. Sanders, Resident Director of Corinth Excavations, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Greece)

Theodore Scaltsas, Professor of Ancient Greek Philosophy, University of Edinburgh (UK)

Thomas F. Scanlon, Professor of Classics, University of California, Riverside (USA)

Bernhard Schmaltz, Prof. Dr. Archäologisches Institut der CAU, Kiel (Germany)

Rolf M. Schneider, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München (Germany)

Peter Scholz, Professor of Ancient History and Culture, University of Stuttgart (Germany)

Christof Schuler, director, Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute, Munich (Germany)

Paul D. Scotton, Assoociate Professor Classical Archaeology and Classics, California State University Long Beach (USA)

Danuta Shanzer, Professor of Classics and Medieval Studies, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America (USA)

James P. Sickinger, Associate Professor of Classics, Florida State University (USA)

Marilyn B. Skinner 
Professor of Classics, 
University of Arizona (USA)

Niall W. Slater, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Latin and Greek, Emory University (USA)

Peter M. Smith, Associate Professor of Classics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Dr. Philip J. Smith, Research Associate in Classical Studies, McGill University (Canada)

Susan Kirkpatrick Smith Assistant Professor of Anthropology Kennesaw State University (USA)

Antony Snodgrass, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, University of Cambridge (UK)

Theodosia Stefanidou-Tiveriou, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece).

Andrew Stewart, Nicholas C. Petris Professor of Greek Studies, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Oliver Stoll, Univ.-Prof. Dr., Alte Geschichte/ Ancient History,Universität Passau (Germany)

Richard Stoneman, Honorary Fellow, University of Exeter (England)

Ronald Stroud, Klio Distinguished Professor of Classical Languages and Literature Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Sarah Culpepper Stroup, Associate Professor of Classics, University of Washington (USA)

Nancy Sultan, Professor and Director, Greek & Roman Studies, Illinois Wesleyan University (USA)

David W. Tandy, Professor of Classics, University of Tennessee (USA)

James Tatum, Aaron Lawrence Professor of Classics, Dartmouth College

Martha C. Taylor, Associate Professor of Classics, Loyola College in Maryland

Petros Themelis, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, Athens (Greece)

Eberhard Thomas, Priv.-Doz. Dr.,Archäologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln (Germany)

Michalis Tiverios, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Michael K. Toumazou, Professor of Classics, Davidson College (USA)

Stephen V. Tracy, Professor of Greek and Latin Emeritus, Ohio State University (USA)

Prof. Dr. Erich Trapp, Austrian Academy of Sciences/Vienna resp. University of Bonn (Germany)

Stephen M. Trzaskoma, Associate Professor of Classics, University of New Hampshire (USA)

Vasiliki Tsamakda, Professor of Christian Archaeology and Byzantine History of Art, University of Mainz (Germany)

Christopher Tuplin, Professor of Ancient History, University of Liverpool (UK)

Gretchen Umholtz, Lecturer, Classics and Art History, University of Massachusetts, Boston (USA)

Panos Valavanis, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Athanassios Vergados, Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA

Christina Vester, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of Waterloo (Canada)

Emmanuel Voutiras, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Speros Vryonis, Jr., Alexander S. Onassis Professor (Emeritus) of Hellenic Civilization and Culture, New York University (USA)

Michael B. Walbank, Professor Emeritus of Greek, Latin & Ancient History, The University of Calgary (Canada)

Bonna D. Wescoat, Associate Professor, Art History and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Emory University (USA)

E. Hector Williams, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of British Columbia (Canada)

Roger J. A. Wilson, Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire, and Director, Centre for the Study of Ancient Sicily, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

Engelbert Winter, Professor for Ancient History, University of Münster (Germany)

Timothy F. Winters, Ph.D. Alumni Assn. Distinguished Professor of Classics, Austin Peay State University (USA)

Michael Zahrnt, Professor für Alte Geschichte, Universität zu Köln (Germany)

Paul Zanker, Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies, University of Munich (Germany)

A Global Community of Academics Rejects Pseudomacedonism in a Letter to President Obama

Letter to President Barack Obama

May 18, 2009

The Honorable Barack Obama

President, United States of America

White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

We, the undersigned scholars of Graeco-Roman antiquity, respectfully request that you intervene to clean up some of the historical debris left in southeast Europe by the previous U.S. administration.

On November 4, 2004, two days after the re-election of President George W. Bush, his administration unilaterally recognized the “Republic of Macedonia.” This action not only abrogated geographic and historic fact, but it also has unleashed a dangerous epidemic of historical revisionism, of which the most obvious symptom is the misappropriation by the government in Skopje of the most famous of Macedonians, Alexander the Great.

We believe that this silliness has gone too far, and that the U.S.A. has no business in supporting the subversion of history. Let us review facts. (The documentation for these facts [here in boldface] can be found attached and at: http://macedonia-evidence.org/documentation.html)

The land in question, with its modern capital at Skopje, was called Paionia in antiquity. Mts. Barnous and Orbelos (which form today the northern limits of Greece) provide a natural barrier that separated, and separates, Macedonia from its northern neighbor. The only real connection is along the Axios/Vardar River and even this valley “does not form a line of communication because it is divided by gorges.”

While it is true that the Paionians were subdued by Philip II, father of Alexander, in 358 B.C. they were not Macedonians and did not live in Macedonia. Likewise, for example, the Egyptians, who were subdued by Alexander, may have been ruled by Macedonians, including the famous Cleopatra, but they were never Macedonians themselves, and Egypt was never called Macedonia.

Rather, Macedonia and Macedonian Greeks have been located for at least 2,500 years just where the modern Greek province of Macedonia is. Exactly this same relationship is true for Attica and Athenian Greeks, Argos and Argive Greeks, Corinth and Corinthian Greeks, etc.

We do not understand how the modern inhabitants of ancient Paionia, who speak Slavic – a language introduced into the Balkans about a millennium after the death of Alexander – can claim him as their national hero. Alexander the Great was thoroughly and indisputably Greek. His great-great-great grandfather, Alexander I, competed in the Olympic Games where participation was limited to Greeks.

Even before Alexander I, the Macedonians traced their ancestry to Argos, and many of their kings used the head of Herakles – the quintessential Greek hero – on their coins.

Euripides – who died and was buried in Macedonia– wrote his play Archelaos in honor of the great-uncle of Alexander, and in Greek. While in Macedonia, Euripides also wrote the Bacchai, again in Greek. Presumably the Macedonian audience could understand what he wrote and what they heard.

Alexander’s father, Philip, won several equestrian victories at Olympia and Delphi, the two most Hellenic of all the sanctuaries in ancient Greece where non-Greeks were not allowed to compete. Even more significantly, Philip was appointed to conduct the Pythian Games at Delphi in 346 B.C. In other words, Alexander the Great’s father and his ancestors were thoroughly Greek. Greek was the language used by Demosthenes and his delegation from Athens when they paid visits to Philip, also in 346 B.C. Another northern Greek, Aristotle, went off to study for nearly 20 years in the Academy of Plato. Aristotle subsequently returned to Macedonia and became the tutor of Alexander III. They used Greek in their classroom which can still be seen near Naoussa in Macedonia.

Alexander carried with him throughout his conquests Aristotle’s edition of Homer’s Iliad. Alexander also spread Greek language and culture throughout his empire, founding cities and establishing centers of learning. Hence inscriptions concerning such typical Greek institutions as the gymnasium are found as far away as Afghanistan. They are all written in Greek.

The questions follow: Why was Greek the lingua franca all over Alexander’s empire if he was a “Macedonian”? Why was the New Testament, for example, written in Greek?

The answers are clear: Alexander the Great was Greek, not Slavic, and Slavs and their language were nowhere near Alexander or his homeland until 1000 years later. This brings us back to the geographic area known in antiquity as Paionia. Why would the people who live there now call themselves Macedonians and their land Macedonia? Why would they abduct a completely Greek figure and make him their national hero?

The ancient Paionians may or may not have been Greek, but they certainly became Greekish, and they were never Slavs. They were also not Macedonians. Ancient Paionia was a part of the Macedonian Empire. So were Ionia and Syria and Palestine and Egypt and Mesopotamia and Babylonia and Bactria and many more. They may thus have become “Macedonian” temporarily, but none was ever “Macedonia”. The theft of Philip and Alexander by a land that was never Macedonia cannot be justified.

The traditions of ancient Paionia could be adopted by the current residents of that geographical area with considerable justification. But the extension of the geographic term “Macedonia” to cover southern Yugoslavia cannot. Even in the late 19th century, this misuse implied unhealthy territorial aspirations.

The same motivation is to be seen in school maps that show the pseudo-greater Macedonia, stretching from Skopje to Mt. Olympus and labeled in Slavic. The same map and its claims are in calendars, bumper stickers, bank notes, etc., that have been circulating in the new state ever since it declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Why would a poor land-locked new state attempt such historical nonsense? Why would it brazenly mock and provoke its neighbor?

However one might like to characterize such behavior, it is clearly not a force for historical accuracy, nor for stability in the Balkans. It is sad that the United States of America has abetted and encouraged such behavior.

We call upon you, Mr. President, to help – in whatever ways you deem appropriate – the government in Skopje to understand that it cannot build a national identity at the expense of historic truth. Our common international society cannot survive when history is ignored, much less when history is fabricated.

Sincerely,

NAME TITLE INSTITUTION

Harry C. Avery, Professor of Classics, University of Pittsburgh (USA)

Dr. Dirk Backendorf. Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz (Germany)

Elizabeth C. Banks, Associate Professor of Classics (ret.), University of Kansas (USA)

Luigi Beschi, professore emerito di Archeologia Classica, Università di Firenze (Italy)

Josine H. Blok, professor of Ancient History and Classical Civilization, Utrecht University (The Netherlands)

Alan Boegehold, Emeritus Professor of Classics, Brown University (USA)

Efrosyni Boutsikas, Lecturer of Classical Archaeology, University of Kent (UK)

Keith Bradley, Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Professor of Classics, Concurrent Professor of History, University of Notre Dame (USA)

Stanley M. Burstein, Professor Emeritus, California State University, Los Angeles (USA)

Francis Cairns, Professor of Classical Languages, The Florida State University (USA)

John McK. Camp II, Agora Excavations and Professor of Archaeology, ASCSA, Athens (Greece)

Paul Cartledge, A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture, University of Cambridge (UK)

Paavo Castrén, Professor of Classical Philology Emeritus, University of Helsinki (Finland)

William Cavanagh, Professor of Aegean Prehistory, University of Nottingham (UK)

Angelos Chaniotis, Professor, Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford (UK)

Paul Christesen, Professor of Ancient Greek History, Dartmouth College (USA)

Ada Cohen, Associate Professor of Art History, Dartmouth College (USA)

Randall M. Colaizzi, Lecturer in Classical Studies, University of Massachusetts-Boston (USA)

Kathleen M. Coleman, Professor of Latin, Harvard University (USA)

Michael B. Cosmopoulos, Ph.D., Professor and Endowed Chair in Greek Archaeology, University of Missouri-St. Louis (USA)

Kevin F. Daly, Assistant Professor of Classics, Bucknell University (USA)

Wolfgang Decker, Professor emeritus of sport history, Deutsche Sporthochschule, Köln (Germany)

Luc Deitz, Ausserplanmässiger Professor of Mediaeval and Renaissance Latin, University of Trier (Germany), and Curator of manuscripts and rare books, National Library of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

Michael Dewar, Professor of Classics, University of Toronto (Canada)

John D. Dillery, Associate Professor of Classics, University of Virginia (USA)

Sheila Dillon, Associate Professor, Depts. of Art, Art History & Visual Studies and Classical Studies, Duke University (USA)

Douglas Domingo-Forasté, Professor of Classics, California State University, Long Beach (USA)

Pierre Ducrey, professeur honoraire, Université de Lausanne (Switzerland)

Roger Dunkle, Professor of Classics Emeritus, Brooklyn College, City University of New York (USA)

Michael M. Eisman, Associate Professor Ancient History and Classical Archaeology, Department of History, Temple University (USA)

Mostafa El-Abbadi, Professor Emeritus, University of Alexandria (Egypt)

R. Malcolm Errington, Professor für Alte Geschichte (Emeritus) Philipps-Universität, Marburg (Germany)

Panagiotis Faklaris, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Denis Feeney, Giger Professor of Latin, Princeton University (USA)

Elizabeth A. Fisher, Professor of Classics and Art History, Randolph-Macon College (USA)

Nick Fisher, Professor of Ancient History, Cardiff University (UK)

R. Leon Fitts, Asbury J Clarke Professor of Classical Studies, Emeritus, FSA, Scot., Dickinson Colllege (USA)

John M. Fossey FRSC, FSA, Emeritus Professor of Art History (and Archaeology), McGill Univertsity, Montreal, and Curator of Archaeology, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Canada)

Robin Lane Fox, University Reader in Ancient History, New College, Oxford (UK)

Rainer Friedrich, Professor of Classics Emeritus, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. (Canada)

Heide Froning, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Marburg (Germany)

Peter Funke, Professor of Ancient History, University of Muenster (Germany)

Traianos Gagos, Professor of Greek and Papyrology, University of Michigan (USA)

Robert Garland, Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of the Classics, Colgate University, Hamilton NY (USA)

Douglas E. Gerber, Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies, University of Western Ontario (Canada)

Hans R. Goette, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Giessen (Germany); German Archaeological Institute, Berlin (Germany)

Sander M. Goldberg, Professor of Classics, UCLA (USA)

Erich S. Gruen, Gladys Rehard Wood Professor of History and Classics, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Christian Habicht, Professor of Ancient History, Emeritus, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (USA)

Donald C. Haggis, Nicholas A. Cassas Term Professor of Greek Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Judith P. Hallett, Professor of Classics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (USA)

Prof. Paul B. Harvey, Jr. Head, Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, The Pennsylvania State University (USA)

Eleni Hasaki, Associate Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Arizona (USA)

Miltiades B. Hatzopoulos, Director, Research Centre for Greek and Roman Antiquity, National Research Foundation, Athens (Greece)

Wolf-Dieter Heilmeyer, Prof. Dr., Freie Universität Berlin und Antikensammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin (Germany)

Steven W. Hirsch, Associate Professor of Classics and History, Tufts University (USA)

Karl-J. Hölkeskamp, Professor of Ancient History, University of Cologne (Germany)

Frank L. Holt, Professor of Ancient History, University of Houston (USA)

Dan Hooley, Professor of Classics, University of Missouri (USA)

Meredith C. Hoppin, Gagliardi Professor of Classical Languages, Williams College, Williamstown, MA (USA)

Caroline M. Houser, Professor of Art History Emerita, Smith College (USA) and Affiliated Professor, University of Washington (USA)

Georgia Kafka, Visiting Professor of Modern Greek Language, Literature and History, University of New Brunswick (Canada)

Anthony Kaldellis, Professor of Greek and Latin, The Ohio State University (USA)

Andromache Karanika, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of California, Irvine (USA)

Robert A. Kaster, Professor of Classics and Kennedy Foundation Professor of Latin, Princeton University (USA)

Vassiliki Kekela, Adjunct Professor of Greek Studies, Classics Department, Hunter College, City University of New York (USA)

Dietmar Kienast, Professor Emeritus of Ancient History, University of Duesseldorf (Germany)

Karl Kilinski II, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Southern Methodist University (USA)

Dr. Florian Knauss, associate director, Staatliche Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek Muenchen (Germany)

Denis Knoepfler, Professor of Greek Epigraphy and History, Collège de France (Paris)

Ortwin Knorr, Associate Professor of Classics, Willamette University (USA)

Robert B. Koehl, Professor of Archaeology, Department of Classical and Oriental Studies Hunter College, City University of New York (USA)

Georgia Kokkorou-Alevras, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Classical Studies, Brandeis University (USA)

Eric J. Kondratieff, Assistant Professor of Classics and Ancient History, Department of Greek & Roman Classics, Temple University

Haritini Kotsidu, Apl. Prof. Dr. für Klassische Archäologie, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt/M. (Germany)

Lambrini Koutoussaki, Dr., Lecturer of Classical Archaeology, University of Zürich (Switzerland)

David Kovacs, Hugh H. Obear Professor of Classics, University of Virginia (USA)

Peter Krentz, W. R. Grey Professor of Classics and History, Davidson College (USA)

Friedrich Krinzinger, Professor of Classical Archaeology Emeritus, University of Vienna (Austria)

Michael Kumpf, Professor of Classics, Valparaiso University (USA)

Donald G. Kyle, Professor of History, University of Texas at Arlington (USA)

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Helmut Kyrieleis, former president of the German Archaeological Institute, Berlin (Germany)

Gerald V. Lalonde, Benedict Professor of Classics, Grinnell College (USA)

Steven Lattimore, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of California, Los Angeles (USA)

Francis M. Lazarus, President, University of Dallas (USA)

Mary R. Lefkowitz, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, Emerita, Wellesley College (USA)

Iphigeneia Leventi, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Daniel B. Levine, Professor of Classical Studies, University of Arkansas (USA)

Christina Leypold, Dr. phil., Archaeological Institute, University of Zurich (Switzerland)

Vayos Liapis, Associate Professor of Greek, Centre d’Études Classiques & Département de Philosophie, Université de Montréal (Canada)

Hugh Lloyd-Jones, Professor of Greek Emeritus, University of Oxford (UK)

Yannis Lolos, Assistant Professor, History, Archaeology, and Anthropology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Stanley Lombardo, Professor of Classics, University of Kansas, USA

Anthony Long, Professor of Classics and Irving G. Stone Professor of Literature, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Julia Lougovaya, Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Columbia University (USA)

A.D. Macro, Hobart Professor of Classical Languages emeritus, Trinity College (USA)

John Magee, Professor, Department of Classics, Director, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto (Canada)

Dr. Christofilis Maggidis, Associate Professor of Archaeology, Dickinson College (USA)

Jeannette Marchand, Assistant Professor of Classics, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio (USA)

Richard P. Martin, Antony and Isabelle Raubitschek Professor in Classics, Stanford University

Maria Mavroudi, Professor of Byzantine History, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Alexander Mazarakis Ainian, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

James R. McCredie, Sherman Fairchild Professor emeritus; Director, Excavations in Samothrace Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (USA)

James C. McKeown, Professor of Classics, University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA)

Robert A. Mechikoff, Professor and Life Member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, San Diego State University (USA)

Andreas Mehl, Professor of Ancient History, Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg (Germany)

Harald Mielsch, Professor of Classical Archeology, University of Bonn (Germany)

Stephen G. Miller, Professor of Classical Archaeology Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Phillip Mitsis, A.S. Onassis Professor of Classics and Philosophy, New York University (USA)

Peter Franz Mittag, Professor für Alte Geschichte, Universität zu Köln (Germany)

David Gordon Mitten, James Loeb Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Harvard University (USA)

Margaret S. Mook, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, Iowa State University (USA)

Anatole Mori, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, University of Missouri- Columbia (USA)

Jennifer Sheridan Moss, Associate Professor, Wayne State University (USA)

Ioannis Mylonopoulos, Assistant Professor of Greek Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University, New York (USA).

Richard Neudecker, PD of Classical Archaeology, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Rom (Italy)

James M.L. Newhard, Associate Professor of Classics, College of Charleston (USA)

Carole E. Newlands, Professor of Classics, University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA)

John Maxwell O’Brien, Professor of History, Queens College, City University of New York (USA)

James J. O’Hara, Paddison Professor of Latin, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)

Martin Ostwald, Professor of Classics (ret.), Swarthmore College and Professor of Classical Studies (ret.), University of Pennsylvania (USA)

Olga Palagia, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Vassiliki Panoussi, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, The College of William and Mary (USA)

Maria C. Pantelia, Professor of Classics, University of California, Irvine (USA)

Pantos A.Pantos, Adjunct Faculty, Department of History, Archaeology and Social Anthropology, University of Thessaly (Greece)

Anthony J. Papalas, Professor of Ancient History, East Carolina University (USA)

Nassos Papalexandrou, Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin (USA)

Polyvia Parara, Visiting Assistant Professor of Greek Language and Civilization, Department of Classics, Georgetown University (USA)

Richard W. Parker, Associate Professor of Classics, Brock University (Canada)

Robert Parker, Wykeham Professor of Ancient History, New College, Oxford (UK)

Anastasia-Erasmia Peponi, Associate Professor of Classics, Stanford University (USA)

Jacques Perreault, Professor of Greek archaeology, Université de Montréal, Québec (Canada)

Yanis Pikoulas, Associate Professor of Ancient Greek History, University of Thessaly (Greece)

John Pollini, Professor of Classical Art & Archaeology, University of Southern California (USA)

David Potter, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Greek and Latin. The University of Michigan (USA)

Robert L. Pounder, Professor Emeritus of Classics, Vassar College (USA)

Nikolaos Poulopoulos, Assistant Professor in History and Chair in Modern Greek Studies, McGill University (Canada)

William H. Race, George L. Paddison Professor of Classics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

John T. Ramsey, Professor of Classics, University of Illinois at Chicago (USA)

Karl Reber, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Lausanne (Switzerland)

Rush Rehm, Professor of Classics and Drama, Stanford University (USA)

Werner Riess, Associate Professor of Classics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Robert H. Rivkin, Ancient Studies Department, University of Maryland Baltimore County (USA)

Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Professor of Classics, The University of Vermont (USA)

Robert H. Rodgers. Lyman-Roberts Professor of Classical Languages and Literature, University of Vermont (USA)

Nathan Rosenstein, Professor of Ancient History, The Ohio State University (USA)

John C. Rouman, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of New Hampshire, (USA)

Dr. James Roy, Reader in Greek History (retired), University of Nottingham (UK)

Steven H. Rutledge, Associate Professor of Classics, Department of Classics, University of Maryland, College Park (USA)

Christina A. Salowey, Associate Professor of Classics, Hollins University (USA)

Guy D. R. Sanders, Resident Director of Corinth Excavations, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Greece)

Theodore Scaltsas, Professor of Ancient Greek Philosophy, University of Edinburgh (UK)

Thomas F. Scanlon, Professor of Classics, University of California, Riverside (USA)

Bernhard Schmaltz, Prof. Dr. Archäologisches Institut der CAU, Kiel (Germany)

Rolf M. Schneider, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München (Germany)

Peter Scholz, Professor of Ancient History and Culture, University of Stuttgart (Germany)

Christof Schuler, director, Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute, Munich (Germany)

Paul D. Scotton, Assoociate Professor Classical Archaeology and Classics, California State University Long Beach (USA)

Danuta Shanzer, Professor of Classics and Medieval Studies, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America (USA)

James P. Sickinger, Associate Professor of Classics, Florida State University (USA)

Marilyn B. Skinner 
Professor of Classics, 
University of Arizona (USA)

Niall W. Slater, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Latin and Greek, Emory University (USA)

Peter M. Smith, Associate Professor of Classics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)

Dr. Philip J. Smith, Research Associate in Classical Studies, McGill University (Canada)

Susan Kirkpatrick Smith Assistant Professor of Anthropology Kennesaw State University (USA)

Antony Snodgrass, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, University of Cambridge (UK)

Theodosia Stefanidou-Tiveriou, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece).

Andrew Stewart, Nicholas C. Petris Professor of Greek Studies, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Oliver Stoll, Univ.-Prof. Dr., Alte Geschichte/ Ancient History,Universität Passau (Germany)

Richard Stoneman, Honorary Fellow, University of Exeter (England)

Ronald Stroud, Klio Distinguished Professor of Classical Languages and Literature Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

Sarah Culpepper Stroup, Associate Professor of Classics, University of Washington (USA)

Nancy Sultan, Professor and Director, Greek & Roman Studies, Illinois Wesleyan University (USA)

David W. Tandy, Professor of Classics, University of Tennessee (USA)

James Tatum, Aaron Lawrence Professor of Classics, Dartmouth College

Martha C. Taylor, Associate Professor of Classics, Loyola College in Maryland

Petros Themelis, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, Athens (Greece)

Eberhard Thomas, Priv.-Doz. Dr.,Archäologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln (Germany)

Michalis Tiverios, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Michael K. Toumazou, Professor of Classics, Davidson College (USA)

Stephen V. Tracy, Professor of Greek and Latin Emeritus, Ohio State University (USA)

Prof. Dr. Erich Trapp, Austrian Academy of Sciences/Vienna resp. University of Bonn (Germany)

Stephen M. Trzaskoma, Associate Professor of Classics, University of New Hampshire (USA)

Vasiliki Tsamakda, Professor of Christian Archaeology and Byzantine History of Art, University of Mainz (Germany)

Christopher Tuplin, Professor of Ancient History, University of Liverpool (UK)

Gretchen Umholtz, Lecturer, Classics and Art History, University of Massachusetts, Boston (USA)

Panos Valavanis, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Athens (Greece)

Athanassios Vergados, Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA

Christina Vester, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of Waterloo (Canada)

Emmanuel Voutiras, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Speros Vryonis, Jr., Alexander S. Onassis Professor (Emeritus) of Hellenic Civilization and Culture, New York University (USA)

Michael B. Walbank, Professor Emeritus of Greek, Latin & Ancient History, The University of Calgary (Canada)

Bonna D. Wescoat, Associate Professor, Art History and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Emory University (USA)

E. Hector Williams, Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of British Columbia (Canada)

Roger J. A. Wilson, Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire, and Director, Centre for the Study of Ancient Sicily, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

Engelbert Winter, Professor for Ancient History, University of Münster (Germany)

Timothy F. Winters, Ph.D. Alumni Assn. Distinguished Professor of Classics, Austin Peay State University (USA)

Michael Zahrnt, Professor für Alte Geschichte, Universität zu Köln (Germany)

Paul Zanker, Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies, University of Munich (Germany)

Често поставувани прашања за идентитетот на Древните Македонци

Често поставувани прашања за идентитетот на Древните Македонци


1 ) Како може Александар да биде Грк ако е наречен “Филхелен“? Зарем тоа не е взаемно исклучиво?

2 ) Зарем не постоеше македонски јазик одделен од грчкиот?

3 ) Но што е со сториите кажани од Квинт Куртуис и Плутарх?

4 ) Дури и ако кралевите на Македонија станаа хеленизирани, зарем јазикот и културата на обичните луѓе не покажува негрчка основа?

5 ) Зарем Демостен не го нарече Филип “варвар“; тоест, Негрк?

6 ) Зарем не постои разлика помеѓу Грци и Македонци?

7 ) Како можел Филип да се бори против Грците кај Херонеја ако тој бил вистински Грк?

8 ) Бидејќи Аристотел изјавува дека варварите се робови по природа (на пример во Политика I.ii.18 [1255a29]) дали има смисла да, ако Филип бил варвар и Негрк, ќе го најмел Аристотел да го учи неговиот син?

9 ) Што значат имињата Филип и Александар?

10 ) Ако Македонците беа Грци, зошто тие се нарекуваа Македонци?

1 ) Како може Александар да биде Грк ако е наречен “Филхелен“? Зарем тоа не е взаемно исклучиво?

Филхелен (φιλέλλην) или Гркољубец често се ползува за Негрци, но исто така е добро познат како опис на Грци кои се жртвуваат себеси за општото добро. На пример, во сценирањето на неговата идеална држава, Платон препорачува граѓаните да бидат и Грци и Филхелени (Република 470E). Но зборот исто така се ползува да опише специфични историјски карактери како Агесилај од Спарта кој како добар Грк бил Филхелен (Ксенофон, Агесилај 7.4). Видете
понатаму Liddell, Scott, Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon sv. Φιλέλλην.

2 ) Зарем не постоеше македонски јазик одделен од грчкиот?

Не. Натписите од Македонија се сите напишани на атички (коине) грчки или на грчки дијалект кој бил хибрид кој содржел дорски и аеолски елементи. Ова е македонскиот дијалект на грчкиот. Ако древните документи сочувани денес на камен ги откриваат само овие две возможности, јасно е дека нема основа за одвоен јазик. Може да се забележи дека Платон (Протагора 314C), осврнувајќи се на аеолскиот дијалект на лезбијските автори, го нарекува “варварски“ со што можеби мислел груб или нерафиниран, но сеедно грчки.

3 ) Но што е со сториите кажани од Квинт Куртуис и Плутарх?

Квинт Куртиус (6.9.34-36) го има Александар како му дава на заговорникот Филота возможност да се брани себеси пред неговите македонски трупи, и прашува дали Филота ќе зборува на нив на нивниот домашен јазик (patrio sermone на латински). Нема начин, сепак, да се знае дали референцата е кон посебен јазик или кон дијалект на грчкиот. Древниот текст може да ги дозволи двете интерпретации.

Истото е вистина кога, во средината на епизодата со Клеитос, Александар ги повикува своите стражари на “македонски“ (Плутарх, Александар, 51.6) и кога македонските војници го поздравуваат Еуменес на “македонски“ (Плутарх, Еуменес 14.5). Во секој случај, македонскиот би можел да биде грчки дијалект попрво отколку посебен јазик.

4 ) Дури и ако кралевите на Македонија станаа хеленизирани, зарем јазикот и културата на обичните луѓе не покажува негрчка основа?

Ова прашање често се поставува за Македонија, но не за хелотите од Лаконија или пенестите од Тесалија. Фактички, не постои доказ дека обичните луѓе од Македонија не биле Грци, дури и ако дефинитивен доказ на нивната народност не е сочуван. Но доказите растат – и од археолошки артефакти и од лингвистиката – дека тие биле Грци. Забележете ја, на пример, клетвената плоча од 4. век п.н.е. која била откриена во заедничка гробница во Пела и е напишана во што веројатно бил македонски дијалект на грчкиот кој делел елементи од дорските северозападни краеви на Грција и аеолските од Тесалија. Видете го натписот “јазик“ на овој сајт.

5 ) Зарем Демостен не го нарече Филип “варвар“; тоест, Негрк?

Да, тој го прави тоа. Но преку фактот дека Демостен негувал лична нетрпеливост кон Филип пради неговото понижување кое го претрпел кога ја загубил неговата моќ на говор на македонскиот суд (Аихинес, “Околу пратеништвото“ 35), Демостен можел да го нарече секого кој не му се допаѓал како варвар, вклучително ближни Атињани (на пример, 21.150) . Зборот, барем во некои употреби од Демостен и други, треба да се разбере како генеричка навреда. Така, на пример, во некои делови на САД луѓето се сомничави дека луѓето од другите краеви се “вистински Американци“.

6 ) Зарем не постои разлика помеѓу Грци и Македонци?

Да, но ова е политичка разлика, не етничка. По Битката кај Херонеја во 338 г.п.н.е. Филип ја оформил “Хеленската Лига“ (често нарекувана “Коринтска Лига“ од современите научници по местото на првата средба). Тој беше водач (ηγεμών) на лигата, но беше и се уште беше крал (βασιλεύς) на Македонците. Постоеше, со други зборови, многу изразена разлика во односите помеѓу Филип и неговите сојузници на една и неговите потчинети од друга страна. Лигата беше воглавном околу припремата за и учеството во инвазијата на Персијската Империја, и бројот на гласовите на различните грчки држави или области беше доделен врз основа на големита на војниот придонес на секоја од нив. Членството во Лигата беше, барем во теорија, доброволно, и Спарта одби да се придружи и не беше присилена на тоа. Но македонскиот контингент беше присатен како потчинет на нивниот крал. Со други зборови, разликата беше не дека Македонците не беа Грци, туку дека здружените Грци не беа Македонци, и Александар ги задржа институциите на неговиот татко.

Една последица на овој аранжман се препознава во посветата направена од “Александар и Грците“ (Ариан, Анабасис 1.16.7 и Плутарх, Александар 16.18). Ова е иста разлика како онаа помеѓу Македонците и Грците.

За изворите и добар коментар на некои потешки докази, видете го M.N. Tod, Greek Historical Inscriptions II, no. 177. За поцелосни наративни прикази видете го J.R. Ellis, Philip II and Macedonian Imperialism 204-209 and I. Worthington, Philip II of Macedonia 158-163

7 ) Како можел Филип да се бори против Грците кај Херонеја ако тој бил вистински Грк?

На ист начин како што Грците се бореле еден против друг толку многу пати вклучувајќи го најпознатиот пример на Спартанци против Атињани во Пелопонеската војна.

Но Филип бил всушност кај Херонеја на покана на Делфијскиот Амфиктионски Совет. Веќе во 346 г.п.н.е тој ја доби Третата Света Војна во полза на советот и му беше доделено меато на тој совет (каде ниту еден Негрк не служел). Сега, во 338 г.п.н.е. Афиктионскиот Совет го повика уште еднаш, и Демостен, Филипомразецот, е тој кој го бележи актуелниот декрет на покана од Советот (De Corona 18,155).

Двете страни во битката беа целосно Грци. Едната страна (крајните губитници) беше предводена од Атина и Теба, кои заедно обезбедија повеќе од 60% од силите. На нив им се придружија Коринт, Мегара, Акарнанија, Фокис, Ахаја, Еубоја, Леука и Керкира (Демостен, De Corona 18.237). Забележете ги оние кои недостасуваат: Спарта, Елис, Аигина, Епидаур и многу други.

Другата страна беше доминирана од Македонци, но постоеа и значителен број на Тесалијци како и Аргивци и Аркадијци (Демостен, Писма 4.8). Со други зборови, како многупати низ нивната историја, Битката кај Херонеја беше на Грк против Грк.

8 ) Бидејќи Аристотел изјавува дека варварите се робови по природа (на пример во Политика I.ii.18 [1255a29]) дали има смисла да, ако Филип бил варвар и Негрк, ќе го најмел Аристотел да го учи неговиот син?

Одлично прашање.

9 ) Што значат имињата Филип и Александар?

Двете се чести грчки имиња ползувани од стотици, ако не и илјадници древни Грци.

Името Филип доаѓа од philippos или “љубител на коњи“; фактот дека коњите на Филип Втори добија толку многу победи во Олимпија, Делфи и на други места е веројатно само случајност, но среќна.

Името Александар потекнува од комбинација на два грчки збора: alexo (глагол кој значи да се брани или заштитува) и aner (маж). Заедно значењето е “бранење на мажи” или “заштита на мажи”.

10 ) Ако Македонците беа Грци, зошто тие се нарекуваа Македонци?

Од иста причина поради која Атињаните се нарекувале себеси Атињани. Кога, на пример, Демостен зборува на неговите ближни сограѓани, тој ги нарекува мажи на Атина (на пример De Corona 18.251), не мажи на Грција.

Забележете дека веќе во 479 г.п.н.е. во зората на битката на Плетеја, Александар Први, присилен од околностите да биде во персијскиот табор (како што беа други Грци како Бојотијанците и Тесалијсците), тајно го откри на Атењаните персијскиот план за борба. Тој ја оправда оваа акција изјавувајќи ја неговата грижа за цела Грција бидејќи тој, од древно потекло, е Грк (Херодот 9.45). Јасно е дека Александар немал сомневања за неговата народност.

Превземено од сајтот на Проф. Стивен Милер.
Преведено од Васко Глигоријевиќ.

Macedonian names and makeDonski pseudo-linguistics: The case of the name Attas

pseudo-makedoniansBalkan Illusion – phantasia archaica:

“…it is very interesting to note that many of the authentic ancient Macedonian words, according to their etymology and pronunciation, have a striking resemblance to the appropriate words used in the modern Macedonian language (and other so called “Slav” languages).”

“Ata(s). The root of this name contains the noun “at”, which in the so called “Old Slavic language” meant “a horse”. We note that the ancient Macedonians were great horsemen and horses were very importaint for them. Such names allready(sic) exsists(sic) in onomasticons(sic) of other peoples (for example Bulgarians have their popular name Asparuh, which means “speed horse” in Old Bulgarian language). The same name “Ata” is present in todays’ Macedonian onomasticon.”

From: “Similarities between ancient Macedonian and today’s’ Macedonian Culture (Linguistics and Onomastics)”, by: Aleksandar Donski, celebrity folk “historian” from FYROM.

Attas / Αττας

All the Slavic languages belong to the Satem branch of the Indo-European tree of languages, along with the Iranian and Indic languages, which include old Persian and Sanskrit. One of the modern Slavic tongues is the Slavic dialect spoken in FYROM, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, by the Slav speakers of that country. It belongs to the same sub-branch of south Slavic languages that include Serbo-Croatian and Bulgarian, being a transitional dialect between the two. It is closely related to Bulgarian, but with many similarities and lexical and phonetic affinities to Serbian.

The word for horse in Serbian, Croatian and Makedonski Slavic is: коњ / Konj , while in Bulgarian it is: кон / kоnj or коне / konje. In Russian there are two words for horse: лошадь / loshad, but also конь / konj. In Slovak the horse is called: kôň and in Slovenian: konj, while in Polish it is : Koń.

If all modern Slavs from Beograd to Vladivostok and from Sofia to St. Petersburg call horse by a name that sounds like kon or konj, it would be a linguistic paradox indeed for a word as widely spread among all modern Slavic languages and dialects to have had a totally unrelated root. Of course, not all people of Slavic language and culture consider themselves Slavs. Let us look into this issue and let the horse wait for now.

Some writers from FYROM prefer to use quotation marks before and after the word Slav. They seem to consciously prefer to write: “Slav”. According to their school of Balkan historical revisionism “Slavs” are not Slavs, but descendants of the ancient Macedonians. In other words, the Slavomacedonians, the Bulgarians, the Poles, the Russians, the Belorussians, the Ukrainians, Serbs, Czechs etc, they are all descendants of the ancient Macedonians: they just do not know it yet. It is high time for them to learn the truth of their glorious ancient legacy, it seems. Here steps to the plate one of the apologists of these “theories” and with a book called : “Ancient Macedonian Heritage in Todays’ Macedonian Nation”, he tries to fill that abysmal void:

“There are a certain number of arguments and strong indications in support of the existence of (at least partial) ethno-cultural links between the ancient Macedonians and Veneti.”, tells us Aleksandar Donski of FYROM. And then he continues:

“Before presenting some of these arguments, it is required to affirm that the Veneti were among the oldest nations in Europe. Narratively the Veneti were initially mentioned as people from Asia Minor, and later on as Balkan people as well. Furthermore, there are number of testimonials and evidences that the ancient people Veneti were the ancestors of the so called “Slavs”. This practically means that the ancient Macedonians and the so called “Slavs” should have (at least partial) common ethno-cultural background.”

The writer has made a few claims above, so let us enumerate them and let us examine them one by one:

a. There were supposedly cultural and ethnic links between the Macedonians and the Veneti of ancient times.

b. The Veneti were mentioned as a people of the Asia Minor but also of the Balkans.

c. We are told that there are a number of testimonials and evidences that the ancient Veneti were the ancestors of the so called “Slavs”. (the reader should take note here of the expression: “so called “Slavs” “).

d.The ancient Macedonians and the “so called “Slavs”” should practically have (at least partial) common ethno-cultural background.

Let us take these arguments one at a time:

While we are told that are “a certain number of arguments and strong indications in support of ” links between the Macedonians and the Venetic speaking Veneti of Northwestern Illyria, no such argument or even indication is mentioned, obviously as we are told : “the space on this occasion is limited”. We simply have to wait for a next edition, it seems. In reality, there was never any direct or indirect contact between the Macedonians and the Veneti: none is mentioned in the historical record. Outlandish claims are cheap to make and in the unstable ground of the Balkans, they come by the dozen. The ancient Mediterranean world, thanks in part to the extensive written record left behind primarily by the Greeks and later on by the Latins is a fairly well documented world. The Macedonians had extensive relations with the the southern Illyrians, the Dardani and the Taulantii, of today’s northern Albania Kossovo and Serbia, even the Autariatae of today’s Serbia. The Macedonians fought with them many times and they exchanged brides with them on occasion, to secure the unstable peace among them. They also had many relations with the Thracians and Paeonians to the east and northeast of them. But the Veneti were located where is now Slovenia and northeastern Italy. Venice / Venezzia and Veneto of Italy take their name from the ancient Veneti. The Macedonians were never in those lands, no matter how much closer to Macedonia they seem to be when compared to distant India and Afghanistan.

There are myths which connect the Henetoi / Ενετοι of Paphlagonia / Παφλαγωνια to the Veneti of Italy and Illyria. Strabo the Geographer, quoting from Antinoridae / Αντινοριδαι, a long lost tragedy by Sophocles mentions:

“Σοφοκλη̂ς γου̂ν ἐν τῃ̂ ἁλώσει του̂ Ιλίου παρδαλέαν φησὶ πρὸ τη̂ς θύρας του̂ Αντήνορος προτεθη̂ναι σύμβολον του̂ ἀπόρθητον ἐαθη̂ναι τὴν οἰκίαν. τὸν μὲν οὐ̂ν Αντήνορα καὶ τοὺς παι̂δας μετὰ τω̂ν περιγενομένων Ενετω̂ν εἰς τὴν Θρᾴκην περισωθη̂ναι κἀκει̂θεν διαπεσει̂ν εἰς τὴν λεγομένην κατὰ τὸν Αδρίαν Ενετικήν

Στραβων, Γεωγραφικα, 13.1.53

“At any rate, Sophocles says that at the capture of Troy a Leopard’s skin was put before the doors of Antenor as a sign that his house was to be left un-pillaged; and Antenor and his children safely escaped to Thrace with the survivors of the Heneti, and from there got across to the Adriatic Henetice”

Strabo, Geography 13.1.53

Τhen Virgil comes to repeat this old Greek myth, which helps him with the founding myth of Rome as descending from Αινειας / Aeneas’ Trojans, and speaks of Αντηνωρ / Antenor, who was saved by the Greeks during the sack of Troy for having been sympathetic to their cause, I.e. The return of Helen to Menelaos, and having been a good host to Menelaos himself. Let us hear the myth as poetically sung by Virgil:

Antenor potuit, mediis elapsus Achivis, 242

Illyricos penetrare sinus, atque intima tutus

regna Liburnorum, et fontem superare Timavi,

unde per ora novem vasto cum murmure montis 245

it mare proruptum et pelago premit arva sonanti.

Hic tamen ille urbem Patavi sedesque locavit

Teucrorum, et genti nomen dedit, armaque fixit

Troia; nunc placida compostus pace quiescit:

nos, tua progenies, caeli quibus adnuis arcem, 250

navibus (infandum!) amissis, unius ob iram

prodimur atque Italis longe disiungimur oris.

Hic pietatis honos? Sic nos in sceptra reponis?’

Vergili Maronis Aeneidos Liber Primus

Antenor, though th’ Achaeans pressed him sore, 242

found his way forth, and entered unassailed

Illyria’s haven, and the guarded land

of the Liburni. Straight up stream he sailed 245

where like a swollen sea Timavus pours

a nine-fold flood from roaring mountain gorge,

and whelms with voiceful wave the fields below.

He built Patavium there, and fixed abodes

for Troy’s far-exiled sons; he gave a name 250

to a new land and race; the Trojan arms

were hung on temple walls; and, to this day,

lying in perfect peace, the hero sleeps.

Virgil, Aeniad Book One

So, Virgil tells us that Antenor sailed through the sea of the Illyrians past the Liburnians and finally established his new colony at Patavium, today’s Padova / Padua in Italy. Taking the relay baton from the poets,Livy, the Roman Historian, begins his History of Rome by repeating the same old myth of Antenor, as first related by Sophocles:

Antenorem cum multitudine Enetum, qui seditione ex Paphlagonia pulsi et sedes et ducem rege Pylaemene ad Troiam amisso quaerebant, venisse in intimum maris Hadriatici sinum, Euganeisque qui inter mare Alpesque incolebant pulsis Enetos Troianosque eas tenuisse terras. Et in quem primo egressi sunt locum Troia vocatur pagoque inde Troiano nomen est: gens universa Veneti appellati.

Titus Livius, Gestorum Romanorum I.1

Antenor sailed into the furthest part of the Adriatic, accompanied by a number of Enetians who had been driven from Paphlagonia by a revolution and after losing their king Pylaemenes before Troy were looking for a settlement and a leader. The combined force of Enetians and Trojans defeated the Euganei, who dwelt between the sea and the Alps and occupied their land. The place where they disembarked was called Troy, and the name was extended to the surrounding district; the whole nation were called Veneti.

Livy, History of Rome, Book I.1

So, the myths tell us the basic founding story: Troy falls, Aeneas ends up in central Italy and establishes Roma/Rome and Antenor goes to the end of the Adriatic and establishes Patavium/Padova/Padua.

In his third point the Balkan revisionist “historian” casually informs us that “we are told that there are a number of testimonials and evidences that the ancient Veneti were the ancestors of the so called “Slavs”. (it is obvious that by using quotes when he mentions the so called “Slavs”, he insinuates that the so called “Slavs” are not really…Slavs). In a vague, imprecise and unscientific way he continues his utterly unsubstantiated ramblings: “we are told…that”…and the obvious question screams back : we are told by whom? Yet he continues unabashedly: “there are a number of testimonials and evidences”. Someone testified and forgot to tell us about it? Someone gave evidence that has since been hidden away in a double-locked drawer? Who testified? What testimonies? Where is the evidence? Are we supposed to digest what we are told, just because someone wants us to believe that: “the ancient Veneti were the ancestors of the so called “Slavs”? Are we supposed to accept the old dictum of the medieval Catholic church : “Believe and do not search!” ?

We would much rather go searching. Since there are four different instances of the word Veneti being used to describe ancient peoples, one in prehistory (Henetoi of Paphlagonia) and three in Historical times: a. the Veneti in Northern Italy, b. the Veneti of France and c. the Venedi of the Baltic Sea. Greek and Latin myths connect the Henetoi of Asia Minor and the Venetoi at the frontier of Italy and Illyria. We should never equate myth with history but we cannot discount it either without looking into the evidence if that is available. But we will come back to this issue. Let us look at the Veneti of Gaul, today’s France. In his book on the Gauls, B. Cunliffe informs us that the Veneti of Gaul were a “Maritime tribe living in the southwest of the Amorican peninsula. They were traders and acted as middlemen in shipping goods from Britain to the south. In 56 B.C.E. they rebelled against Caesar but were soundly beaten in a sea battle at Quiberon, and as a result all the leading men were executed and the rest sold as slaves.”

B. Cunliffe , The Celtic World, 1979.

The Gaelic Veneti were according to the sources a Celtic tribe. Their language was a Celtic dialect. Caesar effectively eliminated and exterminated them, through massacre and slavery, and they became extinct as a nation. No connection has ever been attested between them and the Italo-Illyrian Veneti. Trying to relate them to the Slavs, or for that matter to the Azteks or the Patagonian Indians is not going to help anyone’s case, since they became extinct anyway.

If the Italo-Illyrian Veneti were not related to the Gaelic Veneti, then what were they?

The noted University of Chicago Indo-Europeanist linguist Eric P. Hamp in one of his early works (The Relationship of Venetic within Italic, published in The American Journal of Philology, Vol.75, No.2, pp.183-186) and also in his more recent Diagram of the Indo-European languages as shown in the Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European world, Oxford university Press 2006) groups the Venetic language along with Latin in the Italic branch of Languages.

The Venetic language is documented in some 200 to 300 inscriptions dating from the 6th to the 1st century BC, when it was completely absorbed by Latin.

Let us look at some inscriptions, that have been used by the proponents of the Italic linguistic connection. The first inscription is from Este (Es 45):

Venetic : mego donasto sainatei reitiiai porai egeotora aimoi ke louderobos

Latin : me donavit sanatrici reitiae bonae egetora [pro]aemo liberis-que

Translation: Egetora gave me to Good Reitia the Healer on behalf of Aemus and the children

(Prosdocimi in Pellegrini 1967: 149-150)

The second inscription was found written on a situla urn at Cadore (Ca 4 Valle):

Venetic : eik goltanos doto louderai kanei

Latin : hic goltanus dedit liberae cani

Translation: Goltanus sacrificed this for the virgin Kanis

(Prosdocimi in Pellegrini 1967: 464-468)

We are not linguists here, nor do we pretend to be such, but some things are eye-popping obvious! I would definitely say that these inscriptions do not look too good for the “Slavic connection theory” folks. If nothing else, the linguistic evidence corroborates the ancient Greek myths of the Paphlagonian Henetoi/ Ενετοι and Trojan Allies who, under Antenor, followed Aeneias’ Trojans to the west and settled on different areas of Italy: one group going west and another Northeast, next to Illyria. The Myth, as we have come to expect of Greek myths by now, is not hollow poetry, it has historic substance behind it.

One more very interesting piece of linguistic evidence that came to us from the archeologist’s spade comes from a most unexpected geographic location: the village of Kaminia / Καμινια in Lemnos/Λημνος, the North Aegean island across from Troy/ Τροια and the Dardanelles. In the prehistoric citadel of Poliochni / Πολιοχνη, a 6th ce. BC marble funerary stele was discovered ιν 1885. The letters are Greek but the inscription is another, distantly related non-Indo-European language :

The scholarly community went to work and the consensus is that it is a language closely related to Etruscan. The Etruscans are not the Eneti, but it is proven that commercial, linguistic and ethnic links existed between Troy and the area around it, Lemnos in the Aegean on the one hand and central and northern Italy on the other. This of course did not dissuade certain Turkish “scholars” from claiming that the Lemnian was a Proto-Altao-Turano-Turkic inscription, “evidence” that the Mongolian related Turks were in the Aegean circa at least the 6th c BC (almost 1800 years before they stepped their foot on Anatolia, modern Turkey, in other words).

In his well documented book “The Illyrians” , 1992, John Wilkes tells us (on page 76) that: “Enough of the language and vocabulary survives to indicate that Venetic was a northwest Indo-european dialect with several points of correspondence with Latin.” Further down, on the same page, John Wilkes gives us examples of typical Venetic names which include: Axius, Cantius, Carminius, Appuleius, Avitus, Tutor, Barbius, Boniatus, Cervius, Cusonius, Dasimius, Firmius, Laetus, Lucanus, Lucillus, Muttius, Mulvius, Oaetus, Oppius, Plaetorius, Veitor, Titius, Turus, Voltiomnos and Volumnius. Again, the Slavic connection seems to have hit the wall. It is obvious that by using a good Latin dictionary, someone could go much further in helping us decipher the original meaning of each of these names, names of the extinct language of the Veneti than using any dictionary of the Old Slavonic language. So, then how can we explain all the fuss about trying to make a connection between the south Slavs of the Balkans and the Italian Veneti?

Professor Zlatko Skrbis is the author of many books on Sociology, one of which is named: Long-distance Nationalism (1999). In a more recent study on the “The emotional historiography of Venetologists. Slovene diaspora, memory, and nationalism”, professor Zlatko Skrbis (who is himself a Slovene expatriate and a professor of Sociology in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland, Australia), explored what he calls the “Venetological re-interpretations of Slovenes’ Origines”. In accordance to that theory, the Slovenes are not Slavic but Venetic people and indeed they alone are the autochthonous people of prehistoric Europe. It is no wonder, I am thinking, how great minds of the Balkans meet under the same nationalistic umbrella of “autochthonous” existence : The Albanians are Illyrians (though their language is proven to be derived from the Dacian of the Carpathians, north of the Danube), the Slavs of southern Yugoslavia are descendants of the ancient Macedonians of Alexander the Great, and lately some Bulgarians try to convince themselves that they are the ancient Thracians or, better yet, Iranians! Did I fail to mention that the Turks are actually modern Hittites and that Turkic genes are of course “autochthonous” to Anatolia since time immemorial? It all seems like a surreal ball masque’, where extravagant exhibition and theatrical drama is all that counts!

A Balkan circus of the traveling kind, with Thracian horsemen and Macedonian phalanghists, Hittites on chariots and proto-Slavic Veneti! A lunatic asylum, completely out of touch with reality… and why should it be? Most of the instigators of this lunacy are not even living at the scene…they are not experiencing the living hell of dire poverty and unemployment that ravages the Balkans: the ball masque’ is being held in distant Canada or Australia!

Professor Zlatko Skrbis explains that the myth of the Slovene Slavs-turned-ancient Venetoi provides the nationalistic fringe of the Slovenian nation a sense of “historical drama”.

Coming out of a miserably failed Stalinist-Titoist interpretation of Socialism, and the collapse of the Yugoslav multi-ethnic union in a bloodbath of war, genocide and foreign intervention, the Venetological re-interpretation of Slovene history is a “form of interrogation of the present and the search for a suitable past that would correspond to Slovene nationalist imaginings.” I must add that whatever is said of the Venetologists, applies like a glove to the pseudo-makedonists further south, in FYROM. Even the diaspora connection as a major force in revisionist theories of nation-creation and propagation (theories concerning the fabled identity of their people), which professor Zlatko Skrbis so vividly explains, fits the case of the Slavs-turned-Makedonski diaspora of Canada and Australia as if it was written specifically for them.

Finally we come to the Vistula Venedi.

Professor P.M. Barford’ is a British speaker of Polish and Russian among other Slavic languages, and a lecturer of Slavic Archeology in the University of Warsaw. In his recently published book (2001), “The Early Slavs” which took him over 20 years of research to write, he talks about the Vistula Venedi:

“Alongside “Sclavi” and related terms, western sources also use another name for their eastern neighbors. Some medieval western scholars applied (variants of) the name “Wends” (German Wenden) mainly for the Polabian Slavs. The concept had appeared by the time of Fredegar, who uses it (IV.68) in 660, and is also used by Boniface (in a letter of 746/7). It also appears in the Annales Bertiniani of the 860’s and several other ninth-century sources. This generic term derived from bookish traditions when written in Latin. Antique sources (including Tacitus in his Germania) referred to the people living to the east of the Germans as the Venedi, and this term was obviously reused by monkish chroniclers to describe the peoples beyond the expanding frontiers of the Frankish kingdom.”

In other words, we cannot base connections of a similarity of a name because this does not in any way constitute a proof, and the historical record especially of the middle ages needs to be taken with a critical and analytical approach and not as the word of the bible.

The local proponents of the theory that “since the Veneti are “Slavs” and the ancient Macedonians were of a “common ethno-cultural background” (historically they had never even met, and there is not a single proof that they even knew of each others existence), therefore, they exclaim in poppy-eyed delirious revelation:

“the so called “Slavs” should practically have common ethno-cultural background with the Macedonians!”

Aleksandar Donski, as above.

Perfect! A total and utter collapse of any semblance of logic, and a brutal assassination of History, in other words: Since the Macedonians were somehow and in an imaginary way supposedly and possibly related to the Veneti and since the Veneti of Asia Minor who went to Italy and Illyria were possibly and maybe according to who knows whose testimonials “Slavs”, therefore the ancient Macedonians were OF COURSE “Slavs”!

Reductio ad absurdum in perfectio!

Since black is red and red is yellow, therefore purple is green! Whom are they trying to convince?!

Having gone through the cycle of the Slavs that prefer to be called “so called “Slavs””, let us now remember where we originally started from: Attas, we were told is supposed to be a name that contains the noun “at” which in the “Old Slavic language” (their quotes) meant a horse. And they go on to tell us that the ancient Macedonians were great horsemen and horses were important to them. I suppose we do know about the horsemanship of the ancient Macedonians already: both Philip and Alexander always gave the coup de grace through their cavalry, using it as a hammer to give the blow, while the Macedonian phalanx was always being used as the anvil.

A favorite name among Macedonians was Philippos/Φιλιππος, a Greek name (like ALL the Macedonian names) for “the one who loves horses”. It is a name that is derived from Philos/φιλος meaning a friend, one who loves, and Hippos/ιππος a horse, in Greek.

Words like philosopher, philology, philatelic, Philadelphia, philander, philanthropist, philarmonic, etc all have philos as their first part. Words like hippodrome, hippopotamus, hippocampus and Hippocratic (oath), all have the word hippos as a contributing part. Other Greek names ending in -ippos include Alkippos/Ἄ̣λ̣κι̣π̣πος, Ippostratos/Ἱππόστρατος, Kallippos/Κάλλιππος, Lexippos/Ἀλέξιππος, Xanthippos/Ξάνθιππος (the father of Pericles), Hippostratos/Ἱππόστρατος, Euippos/Εὔιππος, Poseidippos/Ποσείδιππος, Phaenippos/Φαίνιπ̣π̣ος and many others.

Now lets us again look at the words which mean horse in various Slavic languages and they all seem to have variables of конь / коњ / konj / koń / kôň, etc.

Why then are we told that “At” means horse in the “old slavic language”? Why are we even given the example of the old Bulgarian name Asparuch, which we are told means “speedy horse” in Slavic?

Unfortunately, this is what happens when one confusion is piled on top of another and folk etymology overstretches its narrow limits. Let us start with the last: It is known that the Bulgarians, before their descent into the Balkans, were not a Slavic people. Asparuch is far from being a Slavic name, by any stretch of imagination. It is an Iranian name of a Turkic Khan of the Pontic steppes, by the Volga (from which the Bulgarians most probably get their ethnic name). We need to remind ourselves that unlike the Slavs who settled in the Illyrian lands, in what later became Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia etc, and the the ones who settled in Macedonia in the areas north of Thessaloniki, and in historic Paeonia, in modern FYROM, the original Bulgarians were not Slavs at all.

The Bulgars were a Turkic nation that moved into Byzantine Thrace, crossing the Danube when Constantinople was under siege by the Arabs, in the 7th century AD. They allied themselves with the early Slavs of the area and moved together into the lands of the Eastern Roman empire. The Turkic speaking Bulgars were later completely assimilated culturally and linguistically by the numerically superior surrounding Slavs, producing the nation of the Bulgarians. The Greek speaking populations continued living in cities along the Black sea and in the Thracian plain around Philipoupolis, the area that was later to be called Eastern Romylia), until the beginning of the 20th century, and the Latin speaking populations moved north of the Danube and joined the ones who later formed the modern nation of Romania.

Coming now back to Asparuch, searching for its etymology we discover that the first part of his name is “aspa”, meaning horse in Iranian and it is followed by “rauk”, meaning shine, also in Iranian, from which the Turks had borrowed extensively to enrich their poor nomadic vocabulary. Asparuch is a hundred percent Iranian name, borrowed by the Turkic speaking Bulgarians from the Persians. It has nothing in common with any Slavic language.

What about “At”? “At”-meaning-horse is not Slavic either, unfortunately, as we could have guessed. No such word for horse exists in any Slavic language, except as borrowed by some of the south Slavs from the Turks during the centuries long Ottoman occupation of the Balkan peninsula. “At” is purely a Turkish word. “At” is one horse, in singular form and “Atlar” many horses, in the plural, in Turkish. In Mongolian it appears as адуу/Aduu, which is closely related linguistically to the Turkish word for horse “At” (the original land of the Turks, before they spread into the central Asian steppes and into the middle East and Anatolia, was indeed Mongolia).

We have established that the ancient name Attas has no relation with neither horses nor “Slavs”, at least not in the way it was presented to us above. Let us then search further for its true etymology. Our Indo-European lexicons tells us that the Indo-European root word is *átta and it means: father. It is a synonym of the *ph₂tḗr from which the English word Father is derrived but also the Latin Pater and the Greek Pater/Πατηρ. Attas/Αττας as father appears in most Indo-European languages. From Hittite attas and Lydian Ata, to Celtic *attyo, Gothic atta and Old Irish aite. Attas as father also appears in Albanian as at, in Ossetian as æда (æda, for “grandfather”), In Slavonic as *otьcь / otjs, in Old Church Slavonic as отьць / otjtsj, modern Serbian and Croatian as otac, in Czech as otec and in Polish as ojciec. In Bulgarian, Russian and Slavo-makedonian attas the father appears as отец / otets, but we also find it in Latin as attas and in Greek as attas / ἄττας.

Attas or Atta appears as a name in several Indo-European languages. Attas according to L. Zgusta (Kleinasiatische Personennamen. Prague 1964 105-108) is a typical Anatolian name, attested in the Hittite language as Atta, in Lydian as Atas and in the Phrygian language also as Atas. In Both Greek and Latin Attas / Αττας means father.

In the first century AD there is mention of a Latin dramatic Poet whose poetic work has only survived in small fragments: Titus Quinctius Atta. His name proves that Atta was also used by the Latins as a personal name.

The Militian colony of Olbe/Ολβη was built on the northern shores of the Black Sea, by the river Hypanis/Υπανις /Southern Bug, between Borysthenes / Βορυσθενης / Dnieper to the east and Tyras /Τυρας/ Dniester, just west of the Taurike/Ταυρικη /Crimean peninsula, where today is the town of Parutino, in southern Ukraine.

It is from Olbia that the following inscription comes to us:

Regions : North Shore of the Black Sea

I.Olbia 87, N. Black Sea — Olbia: Berezan Isl.

ἀγαθῆι τύχηι].

Ἀχιλλεῖ] Ποντάρχηι

οἱ π]ερὶ Δαδακον Ἱ[ε]ρο-

σῶντος τὸ [βʹ στρατηγοί]·

Μο[υγισαγος Ασανου Α]-

μω[σπαδος Ἀχιλλέος, Θυσ]-

κῆς Δ[άδου, Αττας Σωμά]-

χου, Μ[ητρόδωρος Πραξι]-

άνακ[τος, χαριστήριον]

ἐπὶ ἀ[ρχόντων τῶν περὶ]

Ἱεροσ[ῶντα Ἐπικράτους].

Alongside such typical Greek names as Achileus, Dadakos, Metrodoros, Hieroson, Epikrates and Praxianax, in the seventh line from the top, we also read the name :

Attas Somachou/Αττας Σωμάχου/ Attas son of Somachos.

Attas, as clearly proven from this inscription, was also used as a proper first name among Greeks.

———————————–
By M. E. Bolaris

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