Author

In this article, we intend to examine the ancient evidence on the way the Ancient Macedonians were defining themselves in reference to their own identity. Concerning their own beliefs about themselves we shall review the available evidence coming from the ancient sources, both Literary and Archaeological.

B. The Archaeological Evidence.

[1] Pella Katadesmos

The Pella curse tablet is a curse or magic spell (Greek: κατάδεσμος, katadesmos) inscribed on a lead scroll, dating to the 4th or 3rd century BC. It was found in Pella (at the time capital of Macedon) in 1986 and published in the Hellenic Dialectology Journal in 1993. It is possibly the only attested text in the ancient Macedonian language (O. Masson).

It is a magic spell or love charm written by a woman, possibly named Dagina, whose lover Dionysophōn (i.e. “Voice of Dionysus“) is apparently about to marry Thetima (i.e. “she who honors the gods”; the standard Attic form would be Theotimē). She invokes “Makron and the demons” (parkattithemai makrōni kai [tois] daimosi, Attic would be para-kata-tithemai) to cause Dionysophon to marry her rather than Thetima, and never to marry another woman unless she herself recovers and unrolls the scroll.

Katadesmoi or defixiones were spells written on non-perishable material, such as lead, stone or baked clay, and were secretly buried to ensure their physical integrity, which would then guarantee the permanence of their intended effects.

The language is a harsh but distinctly recognizable form of North-West or Doric Greek, and the low social status of its writer, as evidenced by her vocabulary, strongly hint that a unique form of Doric Greek was spoken by lay people in Pella at the time the tab was written (see below, Dating and Significance). Brixhe and Panayotou (1994:209) think a Macedonian origin of the text probable, but they suggest that the population of Pella was not homogeneously autochthonic, and they prefer to wait for a second find before making a definitive statement.

Before the publication of the Pella katadesmos’ findings in 1993, it was proposed that Doric Greek may have been spoken in pre-Hellenistic Macedon as a second dialect in addition to a Macedonian dialect (Rhomiopoulou, 1980).

The Greek version:
1. [Θετί]μας και Διονυσοφώντος το τέλος και τον γάμον καταγράφω και ταν αλλάν πασάν γυ-
2. [ναικ]ών και χηράν και παρθένων, μάλιστα δε Θετίμας, και παρκαττίθεμαι Μάκρωνι και
3. [τοις]δαίμοσι, και οπόκα εγώ ταύτα διελ<ί>ξαιμι και αναγνοίην πάλ<L>ιν ανορ<ύ>ξασα
4. [τόκα]γάμαι Διονυσοφώντα, πρότερον δε μη μη γαρ λάβοι άλλαν γυναίκα αλλ’ εμέ,
5. [εμέ δ]έ συνκαταγηράσαι Διονυσοφώντι και μηδεμίαν άλλαν, ικέτις υμώ<ν> γίνο-
6. [μαι, Φίλ]αν οικτίρετε δαίμονες φίλ[ο]ι, ΔΑΓΙΝΑΓΑΡΙΜΕ φίλων πάντων και έρημα, αλλά
7. [....]α φυλάσσετε εμίν ό[π]ως μη γίνεται τα[ύ]τα και κακά κακώς Θετίμα απόληται.
8. [....]ΑΛ[-].ΥΝΜ .. ΕΣΠΛΗΝ εμός, εμέ δε [ε]υ[δ]αίμονα και μακαρίαν γενέσται.
9. [-]ΤΟ[.].[-].[..]..Ε.Ε.Ω[?]Α.[.]Ε..ΜΕΓΕ [-]

The English Translation:

1. On the formal wedding of [Theti]ma and Dionysophon I write a curse, and of all other

2. wo[men], widows and virgins, but of Thetima in particular, and I entrust upon Makron and

3. [the] demons that only whenever I dig out and unroll and re-read this,

4. [then] may they wed Dionysophon, but not before; and may he never wed any woman but me;

5. and may [I] grow old with Dionysophon, and no one else. I [am] your supplicant:

6. Have mercy on [your dear one], dear demons, Dagina(?), for I am abandoned of all my dear ones.

7. But please keep this for my sake so that these events do not happen and wretched Thetima perishes miserably

8. and to me grant [ha]ppiness and bliss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pella_katadesmos

[2] Decree from Boule and Demos of Ephesos making month of Artemision holy; AD 162/164

Transl of the underlined text:  “Macedonians and the REST of Greek ethnes (”Makedosin kai tis loipois ethnesin tois Ellinikois“)

[3] Damon’s Decree

Around 143/142 BC, Damon the Macedonian, son of Nicanor, from the city of Thessalonica, paid with his own money and erected a statue of copper in Olympia, honouring Q.Caecilius Metellus. In the statue’s inscription it is written as motives of this honouring the virtue of the honoured and the sympathetic actions of Quintus Metellus to “Macedonians and the rest of Greeks“. What is more interesting is that the statue was erected from Damon the Macedonian in Olympia, the most important Hellenic centre of that era and it reveals Macedonians saw themselves as Greeks. 

 

The original language of the inscription is:

[Resolved by the boule and demos....Theos Soter [founded] a Greek city in [the Thebaid]…making its name Ptolemais [fron himself, and becoming its patron] To it the king sent [...settlers from...]and from Argos [and from..and from Lacedaimo]n and from Thes[saly?] and from..the [council and people] decreed [to...]

Decree about the founding of Ptolemais from Ptolemy I. The inscription itself is a Hadrianic copy of an early Ptolemaic decree.

[5] Dedication by Alexander the Great to Athena Polias

 

 

 

“διατελεί εις τε αυτόν και την πατρίδα και τους λοιπούς μακεδόνας και τους άλλους Έλληνας“

 

[4]Decree about the founding of Ptolemais from Ptolemy I.

Greek, around 330 BC
From Priene, Asia Minor

In 336 BC Alexander the Great embarked on a programme of territorial expansion, which would eventually extend the boundaries of the Greek world to Egypt in the south and to India in the East. In 334 BC Alexander crossed the Hellespont, the narrow strait separating Europe and Asia, and went first to Troy. There he dedicated his armour to Athena and laid a wreath at the tomb of Achilles, the legendary hero and champion of the Greeks in the Trojan War. This act prefigured Alexander’s role as a new Achilles liberating the Greek cities of Asia Minor from Asiatic rule.

That same summer of 334 BC, a successful engagement with the Persian army at the river Granicus, east of Troy, opened the gates of Asia Minor, and Alexander proceeded to tour the Greek cities of the west coast, expelling their Persian garrisons.

On reaching Priene, he made a further dedication to Athena. There the townspeople were laying out their new city and building a temple to its patron goddess. Alexander offered funds to complete the temple, and the inscription on this wall block, cut into a block of marble, records his gift. The inscription was found in the nineteenth century by the architect-archaeologist Richard Pullan leading an expedition on behalf of the Society of Dilettanti. It reads: ‘King Alexander dedicated the Temple to Athena Polias’.

B.F. Cook, Greek inscriptions (London, The British Museum Press, 1987)

Gift of the Society of Dilettanti
GR 1870.3-20.88 (Inscription 399 and 400)
Room 78, Classical inscriptions, north wall

B.F. Cook, Greek inscriptions (London, The British Museum Press, 1987), pp. 21-22, fig. 12

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/gr/d/dedication_by_alexander.aspx

[6] Ptolemaios, son of Glaukias testimony 

In 163 BC the Macedonian Ptolemaios, son of Glaukias living in Memphis of Ptolemaic Egypt, sends a letter to the ruler of his place because he is getting harrased from the Egyptians of one temple despite the fact that he is…GREEK.

 

eisebiazonto boulomenoi exspasai me kai agagisai, kathaper kai en tois proteron xronois epexeirisan ousis apostaseos, para to Ellina me einai

[7] Alexander’s letter to Chians

In 334 BCE, Alexander invaded Asia as leader (hegemon) of the Corinthian league, the alliance of Greek cities and the Macedonian king that was to fight against the Achaemenid Empire.

One of the articles of the Corinthian treaty stated that the Greek towns were to remain autonomous, and that their constitutions were to remain unchanged.

However, the Greek cities in Asia Minor were no members, and Alexander did interfere with their internal affairs, as is shown in the following letter to the people of the island of Chios.

The inscription was translated by J.C. Yardley.

From king Alexander to the people of Chios,
written in the prytany of Deisitheos:[1]

All those exiled from Chios are to return [2], and the constitution on Chios is to be democratic. Drafters of legislation are to be selected to write and emend the laws so as to ensure that there be no impediment to a democratic constitution and the return of the exiles. Anything already emended or drafted is to be referred to Alexander.

The people of Chios are to supply twenty triremes, with crews, at their own expense, and these are to sail for as long as the rest of the Greek naval force accompanies us at sea.

With respect to those men who betrayed the city to the barbarians, all those who escaped are to be exiled from all the cities that share the peace [of Corinth], and to be liable to seizure under the decree of the Greeks. Those who have been caught are to be brought back and tried in the Council of the Greeks. In the event of disagreement between those who have returned and those in the city, in that matter they are to be judged by us.

Until a reconciliation is reached among the people of Chios, they are to have in their midst a garrison of appropriate strength installed by king Alexander. The people of Chios are to maintain the garrison.

Remark 1:
The prytany of Deisitheos was probably in 334, but the formula “from king Alexander” is not common before the battle of Issus in 333.

Remark 2:
One of the returned exiles was the historian Theopompus.

[8] The Trial of Agonippos

One, not so wide known inscription, stating the same, is the inscription of Mytilene in 332 BC. Its about the imminent conviction of Agonipos, tyrant of Eressos. He was put in that seat from Memnon and afterwards Agonippos fought in the side of Persians. In the following inscription it says clearly Agonnipos went on war against “Alexander and the Greeks”. Of course Macedonians are included as Greeks.

B. Fragment 2 (front face). The trial of Agonippos

[those] who had been besieged [on the] acropolis he [--] and from the ci|tizens he exacted twenty thousand slaters, [and] | he repeatedly plun dered the Greeks with his raids, and the altars he razed || to the ground, (the altars) of Zeus [Ph|ilippi[os]; and after a war had been instituted by him against Alexander and the Greeks, | he stripped the citizens of their weapons, excluded (them) from the city en masse, and, after their wiv|es and their daughters had been seized by him and imprisoned || on the acropolis, three thousand and two hundred | slaters he exacted (from them); the city and the temples | he pillaged with his pirates and burned down, and | (he) burned along with them the bodies [of the] citizens; and finally he went to Alexander and gave || a false account and slandered the citizens. They shall try | him under oath by secret vote regarding | (whether to put him to) death. And if the death penalty is voted, after a counter-proposal (for punishment) has been put forward by Agonippos, the second vote | shall be made, (to indicate) in what way he ought to di||e. If, after Agonippos has been convicted by the court, [ anyone tries to restore any of the family of Agonippos or makes a motion or proposal I about (their) return or about the restoration of their property, ac|cursed shall be that man both himself and his family, and in all other respects let him be liable to the law [that] (is aimed at anyone) by whom the stele || is destroyed, (the stele) that concerns the tyrants and their descend|ants- And a solemn vow shall be made in the assembly imm\ediatelyy that the man who in making his judgement also brings assistance to (he city | and to justice shall prosper but that to those who contrary to justjice cast their vote the opposite of this (shall happen). [| A decision was reached, (There were) eight
hundred and eighty-three (voters). Out of | these, seven acquitted, the rest condem|ned.

[9] The Stele of Xanthos

 

“The early cemetery of the marketplace of Pella gave us the most important findings. From the end of 5th c. BC. originates the tomb stele of Xanthos, a relatively poor child. In order to construct the small stele, a piece of marble was re-used. The inscription of the stele writes:

ΞΑΝΘΟΣ/
ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟ/
Υ ΚΑΙ ΑΜΑ/
ΔΙΚΑΣ ΥΙΟΣ

“Special interest displays the mitronymic Amadika. The name appears to originate from the root am- where it derives also the homeric verb ‘amao’ αμά-ω (mow) and the macedonian ending -dika. Remember the name Eurydika. Observe the normal formation of the Macedonian ending in -a instead of -i.
So while the examples before a few years were few, today almost daily they are increasing with the discoveries of archaeology”

Translating from John Akamatis.

Ç ãëþóóá ôùÃ* áñ÷áßùÃ* ÌáêåäüÃ*ùÃ* - ÍÝá óôïé÷åßá áðü ôçÃ* ÐÝëëá

A collection of Decrees related to Alexander the Great. All the decrees left behind from ancient Macedonians of course are written in Greek.

1-Letter to chian-king alexander

2- 2 letter to chians-king alexander

3- ionia priene-king alexander,334bc

4- delphi-king alexander,324 bc-

5-maked-kalindria-king alexandros.4cth bc

6-letter to chian by king alexander,334 bc

7-delphi-king alexandros,321 bc

8-amorgos-king alexander

9-delphi-alexandros,170 bc

10. maked-samos-king alexandros

THE DECREES WERE KINDLY SENT TO US BY SAMIOS MAKEDONAS

Conclusion:

These are only a few of the numerous inscriptions which Archaeologists brought to light in Macedonia and elsewhere. More than 5,000 inscriptions written in Greek is the best evidence of the Greek ethnicity of ancient Macedonians. Once again the conslusion is inescapable: Archaeological Evidence in conjunction with
linguistic analysis of inscriptions and names proves the diachronic cultural identification of the Macedonians with the rest of the Greeks.

The Translation of the inscription in English:

1 Divine gift granted to the holy and all-glorious martyr Demetrius by the Lord of the whole universe, Flavius Justinianus, the God-crowned and peace-maker Emperor, of the salina of our God-guarded

2 city of Thessalonica, at the time of Peter, its holiest archbishop. In the name of the Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, the autocrat peaceable benefactor, Flavius

3 Justinianus, the faithful Emperor in Jesus Christ the Lord: gift to the holy church of the saint and glorious great martyr Demetrius, in which reposes his holy relic. Always having eager thought

4 concerning the support of the holy churches of God, we wish to grant them that which contributes to their consolation and effective maintenance. Therefore

5 we are convinced that God who has crowned us is always the benevolent champion of our piety and most abundantly grants victories to us. Thus, since we have come

6 to this city of Thessalonica, according to the powerful aid of God who has crowned us; since we have obtained the helpful support of the holy great martyr

7 Demetrius, in various wars which we had made against his and our own enemies, we, having thought that it would be just to recompense

8- 9 him now as our ally, who manifestly gives his particular aid to those who are even out of the city, by gifts of gratitude, grant to his holy church in which reposes his holy relic, the whole salina lying near by in this great city of the Thessaloncans with all

10 rights which have been connected with it from the beginning, in order that this holy church shall be possessor of that salina, beginning with the month of September of the current

11 second indiction, and its lord and master for all following and everlasting years; and that all this (salina) shall be taken (by the church) for its own profit, for the purpose of illumination and daily sustenance of

12 the God-loved clergy and for all (other) needs of the clergy; as well as for the purpose of the restoration of the said holy church. This glorious church, that is to say . . .

14 the God-loved clergy must not, by any means, give or intend (to give) to any military person whatsoever the right of using the salina which has been granted by our serenity; because as has been said, this whole free salina has been granted by us to it (to the church) for the purpose of illumination (and daily sustenance) of the God-loved clergy as well as for other

15 ecclesiastical needs, in order that the holy great martyr Demetrius being unin-termittingly worshipped may always intercede

16 for our pious Empire with God who has crowned us . . . only of this our pious gift.

The following are inscriptions found on Thrace and the Lower Danube.

Notice the mention of Basileios II as ” Bulgaroktonos” from the Byzantines. A death blow to the modern propaganda of FYROM which claims Samouil state was “Macedonian” and not Bulgarian.

Basileos Baseiliou tou Boulgaroktonou 1025 AD

1275-1300 AD Komninos Palaiologos

By Samios Makedonas

By Samios Makedonas

By Chr. Saatchoglou-Paliadeli,

Fresco from the facade of the Macedonian tomb  in the tumulus Bella (Photo: Magazine “Αρχαιολογία”)

Our knowledge about the ancient Greek painting is quite fragmentary, due to the perishable nature ot wood, leather or stuccoed walls on which monumental paintings were created. Apart from some direct information deriving form a few original works (tombs and tombsto­nes) our knowledge of the evolution of ancient Greek painting is mainly based on the ancient sources; on vase painting the representations of which reflect to a certain extent the quests and the accomplishments of their great contemporary painters; on Roman wall-paintings which either copy or get inspiration from works of art of the Classical and the Hellenistic periods. The combined use ol the above has helped us record the stages, repertoire, quests and achievements of an art which was especially praised by the ancient writers.

Vergina, Stele of Kleonymos (Photo: Magazine “Αρχαιολογία”)

Yet, it is only thanks to the superb wall-paintings recently dscovered by Manolis Andronikos at Vergina that we were given the opportunity to evaluate the quality, (eats and pursuits of the great painters of Classical antiquity. During the Geometric and the Archaic periods ancient Greek pai­nting, mostly myth-bound, as re­gards its repertoire, was especially concerned with the understanding and the rendering of the human ot animal form and their combination in a two-dimensional conception. During the fifth century it achieved full mastering of a more complex figurative composition imprinting gradually through line or colour the three-dimensionality of figures and objects in space. By the end of the Iffth and during the fourth centuiy it completed its course, by having achieved the game of light and shade on bodies and objects; by having expressed the ethos and the passion of the represented figures; by having succeeded in composing impressive scenes ot multi-figure action.

Vergina, Arpage of Persephone (Photo: Magazine “Αρχαιολογία”)

All these accomplishements and the full mastering of the painted media do actually prevail in the technique and style of the excellent wall paintings at Vergina. Landscape was not an end in itself either in the Archaic or in the Classical Period, although it was abstractively used in order to com­plement the meaning of the repre­sentation. Despite its impressive rendering on the hunting scene decorating the facade of Philips tomb at Vergina it was only during the Hellenistic period that it gained importance. The thorough study of the naked human body, in light or shade, as it is moving in space, in order to fully exhibit its beauty in a three-dimensional concept was re-approached again only during the Renaissance period.

Αsbstract from Greek magazine “Αρχαιολογία”, issue June 1995,  page 53,

By Dimitrios Pantermalis

Sanctuary of Demeter in Dion (Photo from the Greek Mag. “Archaeologia)

Dion (fr Gr Ζεύς, gen, Διός) means a holy, sanctified site Dion, in Macedo­nia, occupies a very narrow stnp of land between Mount Olympus foot and the Thermalhos Sea. The Olympian Zeus temenos, the main sanctuary of all Macedonians In antiquity was located there. Its history is related to the royal names ot Macedonia, such as Archelaos, Philipos II, Alexander. Cassandros, Philipos V and Perseus.

Prof. Soteriades (Left) & Prof Bakalakis (Right), Photo from the Greek Mag. “Archaeologia”

In 1928 G Soteriadis, Professor and Lector, at that time, of the University ol Thessaioniki started excavating the site. The excavation was carried on un­til 1931 and brought to light a number of Hellenistic and Roman buildings Most important among them was a vaulted Macedonian tomb with a Doric facade, an Ionian anteroom and a spacious funerary chamber with a large marble bed. A second phase of excava­tions started In 1963 and lasted, with a tew Intervals, until 1972. During this phase, which was realized due to Pro­fessor G. Bakalakis^. Initiative, the south part ot the fortification wall as well as the Roman theater have been research­ed. Since 1973 the excavation has been supervised by Professor D. Pandermalis. The steadily progressing works had as a primary objective the research of the sanctuaries and then that of tha town and cemetery. The feast of Olympian Zeus in Dion was the most venerated event In the religious life of ancient Macedonians The festive activities were lasting for nine days and, besides sacrifices, theatrical and athletic competitions were also included. In the temple of Olympian Zeus the statues of the Macedonian kings were in display as well as the stelae Inscribed with Impor­tant official texts, such as treaties of alliance, definition of borders, honorary decrees.

Head of Goddess Demeter found in Dion (Photo from the Greek Mag. “Archaeologia”)

Demeter, the goddess ol earth fertility, was also venerated in Dion as in most of the Greek sanctuaries. Demeter’s temple was discovered in 1973 a few meters away from the town walls ot Dion. The older edifices are Iwo small lemples of the sixth century BC, that were replaced by  bigger ones in the early Hellenistic period. The meticulous research through the layers of destruc­tion produced a late fourth century BC marble head of the goddess, a number of sculpture, an abundance of clay idols, pottery, coins and jewels. The sanctuary was repaired in the Roman penod and its life lasted until the fourth century AD.

To the east ot Demeter’s temple was discovered in 1978 a temenos dedi­cated to the cult of the Egyptian gods Sarapis, Isis and Anubis were worship­ped there, but mainly Isis Lochia, tha goddess who was taking care of women during the critical period after childbirth. The central temple of the sanctuary was dedicated to her. However, from inscriptional and other sources we draw the conclusion that another goddess of childbirth has originally been worshipped here, the goddess Artemis Eileithyia, who in the Hellenistic period has been succeeded by Isis Lochia.

Statue of a Muse (probably Terpsichore), Photo from the Greek Mag. “Archaeologia”

Another temple was dedicated lo Isis as goddess of Luck, while a third to Aphrodite Hypolympidia (=Aphrodite worshipped at the foot of Mount Olympos); a charming cult statue of this goddess, dating from the second century BC, has been discove­red during the excavations. The theater of Dion is located at the area of the sanctuaries outside the town walls. It has been constructed by accumulating large quantities of earth in the years of Philipos V; its seats are made of big Hellenistic bricks. The theater displays a spacious orchestra and a coelon so designed as to ac­comodate a large number of people, since it was the theater not of a local, but of an important, famous sanctuary. A strong wall over 2,600 m. long, built in the years of Cassandros, was protec­ting the town. The fortification was fur­ther reinforced by a number of lowers standing 33 m. from each other. This wall was once repaired in the Hellenistic period and was rebuilt in the second half of the third century AD, when fierce barbaric raids had to be repelled. In the fourth century AD a new, but mediocre, wall was built around the Early Christian settlement, a small, faded reminiscence of the an­cient town.

The public baths, excavated in the south sector of the town, is an impressive group of buildings of 200 AD: Shops and workshops, public lava­tories, a court for gymnastics, a small roofed theater ( = odeum), bathing areas, recreation rooms and a chamber dedicated to the cult of Asclepius. A unique group of sculptures represen­ting Asclepius’ whole family has been found in it.

A large villa with a roomy bath, two atriums, a spacious banquet hall, a series of shops etc, is under excavation to the east of the town. The villa has been endowned with a wonderful mosaic pavement showing the trium­phal epiphany of Dionysus. This central theme is framed by six smaller panels decorated with theatrical masks.

Dionysus Mosaic, Photo from the Greek Mag. “Archaeologia”

Four statues of philosophers have been discoverd in the same room, while in another, smaller one with a niche, the statue of the venerated god Dionysus. The cemetery of Dion lies, mainly, to the north and east. Its funerary monuments date from the fifth century BC to the fifth century AD. Most impor­tant among them are the vaulted Macedonian tombs and most eminent of all the one with the Doric facade, the Ionian anteroom and the largo funeral chamber with the decorated marble bed.

Since 1980 are excavated to the west of Dion tymboi ol the Early Iron Age (1000-700 BC). They usually contain box-shaped graves, whose funeral offerings is, mainly, pottery. The women’s jewelry is made of copper, rarely of gold and semi-precious stones like sard. The pottery is closely related to that of Thessaly.

The central area of the Early Christian Dion is occupied by a three-aisled basilica of the late fourth century AD, decorated with mosaic pavements and wall paintings. The church was ruined by an earthquake and was rebuilt in the early fifth century, but on a much higher level. Another Early Christian basilica has been recently discovered outside the town walls —at the border of a

cementery - and is now excavated. In the stoa outside its narthex a marble, built trapeza has been found; its relation to an adjacent cenotaph probably sug­gests the worship of a Christian martyr. Dion seems to become abandoned dur­ing the fifth century AD due to a succes­sion of natural disasters (earthquakes, flood). Since then its inhabitants found shelter on safer locations at the foot of Mount Olympos, where new settlements were built.

Source: Greek Magazine ”Archaiologia”, Dec. 1989.

Ενα διώροφο και σε μέγεθος μεγαλύτερο από τη σημερινή Βουλή των Ελλήνων ανάκτορο, ο αρχιτέκτονάς του, η έννοια της Ενωμένης Ευρώπης(!) και ο συνδετικός κρίκος τους: ο βασιλιάς Φίλιππος Β Δ . Την αναπαράσταση του ανακτόρου του Φιλίππου Β Δ στις Αιγές, βασισμένη για πρώτη φορά σε ανασκαφικά στοιχεία και νέες μετρήσεις, παρουσίασε την Τετάρτη το βράδυ η αρχαιολόγος δρ Αγγελική Κοτταρίδη σε επιστημονική ανακοίνωση η οποία έγινε στο Εθνικό Ιδρυμα Ερευνών για την επέτειο του εορτασμού των 50 χρόνων από την ίδρυσή του. Με μήκος πρόσοψης 78 μ. και ύψος 13,60 μ., με εντυπωσιακό σε μέγεθος και σχεδίαση πρόπυλο στο κέντρο και στοές με κίονες εκατέρωθενγια τη μία εκ των οποίων υπάρχουν ενδείξεις ότι λειτουργούσε ως πινακοθήκη -, αυτό το κτίριο, συνολικής έκτασης 12 στρεμμάτων, φαίνεται ότι ήταν πραγματικά το μεγαλοπρεπέστερο της εποχής του. Οπως ανέφερε μάλιστα η κυρία Κοτταρίδη, η οποία υπηρετεί στην ΙΖ Δ Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων και εργάζεται στις Αιγές, τα νέα ανασκαφικά δεδομένα χρονολογούν ασφαλώς το ανάκτορο στα χρόνια του Φιλίππου Β Δ (350- 340 π.Χ.).

«Παρθενώνα της Μακεδονίας» και «το δεύτερο σημαντικό έργο της αρχαίας Ελλάδας» χαρακτήρισε η ίδια το ανάκτορο, το οποίο στην πραγματικότητα ήταν όσο τρεις Παρθενώνες. Για την ανέγερσή του απαιτήθηκαν περί τα 10 ή 12 χρόνια, ενώ ήταν ενταγμένο στο ευρύ οικοδομικό πρόγραμμα του Φιλίππου Β Δ το οποίο περιλάμβανε και το θέατρο των Αιγών. Μεγάλος αριθμός διασωθέντων αρχιτεκτονικών μελών και η χρήση των νέων τεχνολογιών επέτρεψαν την αναπαράσταση του ανακτόρου, με το οποίο, όπως φαίνεται, εισήχθηκαν πολλές καινοτομίες. Χτισμένο από πωρόλιθο ως το ύψος του 1,60 μ. και το υπόλοιπο από πλίνθους, ήταν «ντυμένο» με κονίαμα εξαιρετικής ποιότητας από μείγμα θηραϊκής γης (η οποία χρησιμοποιείται εκεί για πρώτη φορά), ασβέστη και χαλίκι σε ιδανικές αναλογίες ώστε ακόμη και σήμερα να διατηρείται σε άριστη κατάσταση. Οι όψεις του μάλιστα πρέπει να έλαμπαν εξαιτίας αυτού ακριβώς του κονιάματος.

Ηαναπαράσταση είναι κατά προσέγγιση και όχι υποθετική, διαβεβαίωσε η αρχαιολόγος. Συγκεκριμένα: στην πρόσοψη του κτιρίου, το οποίο ήταν στραμμένο στα ανατολικά όπως οι ναοί, υπήρχαν δύο στοές με δέκα δωρικούς κίονες η καθεμία, επάνω από τους οποίους υπήρχε το επιστήλιο με τη ζωφόρο και το γείσο τους, το οποίο χρησίμευε ως στυλοβάτης της ιωνικής στοάς του δεύτερου ορόφου. «Υπήρχε δηλαδή διώροφη στοά 200 χρόνια πριν από τη στοά του Αττάλου», όπως τόνισε η αρχαιολόγος. Το πρόπυλο-είσοδος του ανακτόρου είχε έξι ιωνικούς αμφιπεσσοκίονες ανά δύο σε τρεις σειρές. Ολα τα δάπεδα των δωματίων ήταν ψηφιδωτά, μερικά από τα οποία με παραστάσεις, μερικά βοτσαλωτά και άλλα με κομμάτια μαρμάρου σε χρωματιστό κονίαμα. Στο κέντρο του κτιρίου εξάλλου βρισκόταν μια τεράστια περίστυλη αυλή δύο στρεμμάτων με 60 ιωνικούς κίονες. Περί τα 13.000 κυβικά μέτρα επεξεργασμένου πωρόλιθου υπολογίζεται ότι χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την ανέγερση του ανακτόρου. Σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία που παρουσίασε εξάλλου η κυρία Κοτταρίδη, η χρονολόγηση του ανακτόρου προήλθε από τα ανασκαφικά ευρήματα (κεραμική: λήκυθος, σκύφος, τμήμα κρατήρα) που εντοπίστηκαν μέσα στο αρχαίο σκάμμα της θεμελίωσης. Πέρα από όλα αυτά όμως το σημαντικό είναι ότι υπάρχει σήμερα ικανός αριθμός αρχιτεκτονικών μελών ώστε να είναι δυνατή μια αναστήλωση η οποία θα αναδείξει τη μεγαλοπρέπειά του.

Ο αρχιτέκτονας Πύθεος

Ενας σπουδαίος αρχιτέκτονας του 4ου αι. π.Χ. θα μπορούσε να έχει χτίσει το ανάκτορο του Φιλίππου Β’ στις Αιγές, όπως καταθέτει ως υπόθεση εργασίας η κυρία Αγγελική Κοτταρίδη. Πρόκειται για τον Πύθεο από τη Μικρά Ασία, αρχιτέκτονα του ναού της Αθηνάς Πολιάδος στην Πριήνη και του Μαυσωλείου του Μαύσωλου, αλλά και πολεοδόμο επίσης, ο οποίος εφάρμοζε στα έργα του καθαρούς μαθηματικούς λόγους. Στην περίπτωση μάλιστα του ανακτόρου των Αιγών ο αριθμός 8 φαίνεται να είναι το κλειδί σε διάφορες διαστάσεις. Ο ίδιος άλλωστε είχε συνεργαστεί στο Μαυσωλείο με τον γλύπτη Λεωχάρη, ο οποίος εργάστηκε για τον Φίλιππο Β Δ στο ανάκτορο.

Ο πρώτος ευρωπαίος ηγεμόνας

Ενα μεγάλο τετράγωνο δωμάτιο με ψηφιδωτό δάπεδο στο οποίο υπάρχει παράσταση της Αρπαγής της Ευρώπης αφήνει το περιθώριο μιας ερμηνείας όπως αυτή που θέλει τον Φίλιππο Β Δ ως τον πρώτο ευρωπαίο ηγεμόνα! «…Μηδέποτε ενηνοχέναι Ευρώπη τοιούτον άνδραν παράπαν οίον τον του Αμύντου Φίλιππον» αναφέρει άλλωστε ο ιστορικός Θεόπομπος, ενώ μετά την αναχώρηση του Αλέξανδρου για την Ασία, ο Αντίπατρος, που έμεινε πίσω, αποκαλούνταν «στρατηγός της Ευρώπης».

http://www.tovima.gr/default.asp?pid=2&ct=4&artId=245348

Ευχαριστούμε την Σωτηρία για την επισήμανση.

ATHENS, Greece – A 6,000 year-old set of household gear, including crockery and two wood-fired ovens, has been found in the buried ruins of a prehistoric farmhouse in northern Greece, officials said Thursday.

A Culture Ministry statement said the discovery “provides invaluable, unique information” on late Neolithic domestic architecture and household organization.

“This is a very rare case where the remains have stayed undisturbed by farming or other external intervention for about 6,000 years,” the ministry statement said. “The household goods are in excellent condition.”

The rectangular building, which covers some 624 square feet, was discovered during work to lay water pipes earlier this year at the village of Sosandra near Aridaia, some 360 miles north of Athens.

Archaeologists who excavated the site between March and July found a large number of clay vessels for cooking and eating, stone tools, mills for grinding cereals and two ovens.

The house was separated into three rooms. It had walls made of branches and reeds covered with clay, supported by strong wooden posts. The building was destroyed by fire, which baked the clay, preserving impressions of the wooden building elements, as well as the post holes.

Archaeologists believe the inhabitants managed to escape the fire, taking with them their valued stone blades and axes.

“They left behind the large stone tools which would have been difficult to move away,” the ministry statement said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27348143/

It appears to be really embarassing for Skopjans, whenever they find any archaeological discovery, this will reveal explicitly the…Greekness of ancient Macedonians. Furthermore, the archaeological evidence completely shatters their own illusions of grandeur.

Pics from the statue of goddess Nike unearthed today by archaeologists working at the modern Styberra locality, near the remains of a gymnasium. Seems that Skopjans must…re-consider their own petty allegations that ancient Macedonians didnt share the same gods like the rest of Greeks. After all archaeology prove them always false!!!

By Vasco