In these rare maps of 17th c. coming from various countries of Europe like Belgium, Netherlands, Italy we can witness the general notion of the era that Macedonia is a part of Greece. Of course Skopje was always OUT of Macedonia.

 Ptolemaeus, Claudius

Publish 1621 in Padua

Map of Hellas 1624, from Belgium

 

Muenster, Sebastian
Das Sechste Buch Griechenlandt nach seinen Landtschafften unnd Eigenschafften.

Basel, Henricus Petri. 1628 [16 x 12,7 cm]
Woodcut, hand colored in wash. Decorative hand colored woodcut map with a view of the country of Greece, published in a German text edition of the ‘Cosmographia’ by Sebastian Muenster.

 

Greece
Blaeu, Joan & Guiljelmus

Graecia. - Joh. et Corn. Blaeu exc. - Illustri, & incomparab, viro, Claudio Salmasio, Equiti, et comiti consistoriano, tabulam hanc D. D. D. Joh. et Cornelius Blaeu.

Amsterdam, Blaeu, J. & G. 1666 [41 x 52,4 cm]

By CHRISTOS

Tags: claudius, graecia, Greece, macedonia, maps, padua, ptolemaeeus

An excellent article by Chris Philipou which deserves further attention.

Nationalists from The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia along with their diaspora cohorts constantly advertise maps which depict what they claim is “historic Macedonia”. There are numerous examples of such maps posted in all sorts of nationalist “Macedonian” websites and forums.

This is an example of such a map:

Notice the legend in the map above which defines the “historic borders”, and notice that these borders encompass territory that belongs to Greece and Bulgaria.

So, how “historic” are these borders? Nationalists from The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia along with their diaspora cohorts will allege that “Macedonia” has been defined with such boundaries for dozens of centuries. This is, afterall, what they have been led to believe by their own state sponsored institutions including the education system in F.Y.R.O.M. The following map, taken from a F.Y.R.O.M school text book, illustrates how Macedonia was defined and populated circa the period of the Slavic Migrations (6th-7th century AD):

Taken from: Grade 7 History, Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Skopje 1992, page 155 

In reality, these boundaries as well as the notion of a “Macedonian” ethnicity were unknown at the time (circa 7th century AD)! The implication of this misinformation and propaganda is that we now have a whole generation of people in F.Y.R.O.M believing that “Macedonia” existed as an ethno/social entity defined by borders that have remained roughly the same for millenia! From this they conclude that Greece and Bulgaria are occupying territory that rightfully belongs to a “Macedonian” nation. In reality a consensus on their definition of “Macedonia” was only established in the 19th century. Even academics from Skopje concede this fact in their publication “Macedonia and its Relations With Greece” published in 1993:

 

So much for “Historic Boundaries”!! Unless of course 100+ years, in the context of Balkan history, is supposed to be “historic”!

The geographic region of Macedonia has never belonged to a “Macedonian” nation or ethnos, has never been part of a “Macedonian” state and the geographic descriptor “Macedonian” did not have any ethnic signficance until certain Balkan states manufactured and promoted a “Macedonian” identity in the late 19th century. As a matter of fact, prior to the 19th century there were a vast number of depictions of Macedonia produced that did not even include most of the geography that F.Y.R.O.M is located on today:

Example 1: 1747 DG. De L’Isle. Nova et accurata Regni Hungariae Tabula, ad usum Serenissimi Burgundiae Ducis.

Notice how “Macedoine” is depicted as part of the geography of “Grece”

Example 2: 1651 - A depiction of “GRAECIA” (Greece) by the cartographer J. Janssonius.
This depiction of Macedonia hardly coincides with the version being peddled by FYROM’s institutions today:

Example 3: During the Byzantine period “Macedonia” was defined as an administrative province called a ‘Theme’. The following map depicts the contemporary Byzantine themes including theme of Macedonia. F.Y.R.O.M’s current geography is located in what was the Byzantine theme of BULGARIA

Example 4: Ptolemaic Map produced in 1480. Notice that the depiction of Macedonia hardly coincides with the current geography of F.Y.R.O.M

Example 5: G. Mercator. Macedonia and Epirus 1609. The depiction of Macedonia barely overlaps the current geography of F.Y.R.O.M.

Example 6: Macedonia Alexandri M. Patria - Janssonius à Waesberghe ,ca. 1684. Notice that the depiction of Macedonia barely touches the current geography of F.Y.R.O.M:

Example 7: Macedonia, Epirus et Achaia. - Blaeu ,1659-72. Notice that the depiction of Macedonia barely overlaps the current geography of F.Y.R.O.M.

Example 8: Nova Totius GRAECIAE descriptio - Mercator-Hondius-Jansson ,ca. 1633. Notice that the depiction of Macedonia not only barely overlaps the current geography of F.Y.R.O.M, the geography of Macedonia is also depicted within the cartographer’s contemporary definition of ‘Greece’.

As usual, claims from official F.Y.R.O.M sources have no basis in fact or reality. Macedonia surely did not have static boundaries for centuries on end. As shown above, even academics from Skopje concede that the modern geographic definition of “Macedonia”, as espoused by nationalists from F.Y.R.O.M, was established during the 19th century. Prior to the 19th century most of F.Y.R.O.M’s current geography, including the region encompassing Skopje, was not included in a vast number of depictions of Macedonia that were produced by European cartographers. This is why the name NEW Macedonia would be an accurate and appropriate name for the new Balkan state. In light of the fact that the “Macedonian” ethno/national identity is a 19th century construct the name “New Macedonia” would be the best compromise for the name dispute involving Greece and F.Y.R.O.M.

By Chris Philipou

Tags: blaeu, bulgaria, chris, fyrom, gaecia, grece, historic, janssonius, macedonia, maps, philipou, skopje, yugoslav

In this rare British Edition Map of Greece from 1829, the whole of Macedonia is in Greece proper and considered a Greek province. Also notice that all the names of cities in Macedonia are Greek. Skopje (Scupi) is outside of the territory of Macedonia and is in Dardania Propria.

From the book: ‘Macedonia, The Macedonia Struggle, Greece-Macedonia 4000 Years’ by Konstantinos Douflias, Aegean Publications, 1992, page 11.

By Christos

Tags: dardania, greek, macedonia, map, skopje, thrace

 

Many people often ask me what is the difference between a Greek and a Macedonian, and if Macedonians were Greeks of a different nation. Actually this is the same question that most foreign people with little or a basic -and we all have to admit rich and many times complicated - historical knowledge have.  Basically this is the exact lack of knowledge over the Greek history which the propaganda of fyrom uses, in order to create a huge confusion and chaos in people’s minds between the term ”Macedonians” and ”Greeks.”

This article will not proceed further in whether Macedonians were Greeks or not, because as it has already been mentioned and proved thousands of times not only from this blog, but from every valid historical ancient and modern source, that Macedonians were and are Greeks! This article aims in giving a very plain but essential explanation related to the way the fyromians used the confusion and lack of historic details of foreign people, -even the lack of knowledge of the Greek language.- in the names of the Kingdoms of the Greek Cities and how Greeks were calling each other and continue to call until today, according to their heritage, descent and lineage.

Plain and simple for every foreign friend. Greece was divided in Greek City States, all of them under the definition of the Greek nation according to Herodotus «όμοαιμον, ομόγλωσσον, ομόθρησκον, ομότροπον» (omemon – same blood, omoglosson – same language, omothriskon – same religion, omotropon – same ways, behaviour.), but with any Greek City State maintaining it’s independent leadership and rulers, with their own alliances and their own civil wars in the Greek region. From Homer up to Herodotus who also mentions that ” το Ελληνικόν γλώσση αιεί τη αυτή διαχράται ” (a general translation as ”the Greek language has always been spoken”) and in the pass of time, in this long Greek history, the Greeks were calling themselves with a variety of names. (Ex. Hellenes, Achaeans, Ionians, Grecians, etc. ) they also had their personal introduction beyond their father’s names, who preserves the tendency for a Greek to distinguish himself with pride for the City he comes from. This localism is something we continue to have as Greeks until today.

Ancient Greeks after all never had flags, but they had symbols:

Athenians had the owl:

Corinthians had the Pegasus:

Spartans had the Λ which stated their origin: ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΟΙ (Lacedemonians) 

And of course Macedonians had the Star of Vergina:

So this is where we reach the word ”macedonian” and the fyromian’s trick. The two maps below shows the major Greek City States of antiquity and the third one, the modern Greek Provinces which maintained the same names and the same political map’s distinction.

Every Greek then and every Greek today, continue to introduce to each other with their family name and the place they live or the place they descend from. When a Greek wanted back then or wants until today to introduce himself according to their birthplace and local heritage, mentions that he is for example Thessalian from the town of Trikala, or Volos, of that he is a Thracian from Alexandroupolis, or Kavala, or that he is a Cretan from Chania or Heraklion, or that he is Macedonian from Kilkis or Thessaloniki, or that he is a Peloponnesian from Sparta. A very specific and simple introduction which of course foreigners ignore, as it is natural to ignore the Greek language and habits that the Greeks like any other nation, have with each other.

A very bright example of that is the words of Alexander:

The speech of Alexander I, when he was admitted to the Olympic games

“Men of Athens…
Had I not greatly at heart the common welfare of Hellas I should not have come to tell you; but I am myself Hellene by descent, and I would not willingly see Hellas exchange freedom for slavery….

If you prosper in this war, forget not to do something for my freedom; consider the risk I have run, out of zeal for the Hellenic cause, to acquaint you with what Mardonius intends, and to save you from being surprised by the barbarians.

I am Alexander of Macedon.”

(Herodotus, The Histories, 9.45)

Really interesting isn’t it?

So the fyromian propaganda based an entire falsification in taking advantage of people’s lack of knowledge, in creating step by step the impression that the Macedonians were something ”different”, something ”distant” from the rest of the Greeks, who after all were not conquered from Phillip, but agreed in an alliance with him in uniting all the Greeks under his guidance, against Persia, after the battle of Chaeronia, which was not the first civil war from the many civil conflicts, the Greek Cities had between them.

By Ariadni_Nefeli

Tags: athenians, city-states, greeks, herodotus, ομόαιμον, ομόγλωσσον, ομόθρησκον, ομότροπον, lacedaimonians, macedonians, nation, omoaimon, omoglosson, omothriskon, omotropon, spartans

1. Map of 1581

Macedonia and Greece in 1581

The Belgian geographer Abraham Ortelius was appointed Geographer to the king of Spain in 1580. At the time the Low Countries were under Spanish control. This map of Greece was printed in 1581. It shows Macedonia, of course, as a part of Greece. It also shows that Greece existed then at least in the minds of geographers, even as it was subjugated to the Ottoman empire. The word Macedonia (MA - CE - DONIA) is written in three lines over the area of Mt Olympus). The map is clearly labelled as a map of “Graeciae Universae”, the “whole of Greece”.

It also shows Thessaloniki as “Salonichi”, the Gulf of Thessalonica as Golfo de Salonichi and modern FYROM as TOPLIZA.

2. Map between 1600-1630

Mercator Hondius map of Greece showing Macedonia 1600-1630

Jodocus Hondius was a Dutch mapmaker and engraver from Amsterdam. This is a map of his published sometime between 1600-1630 and based on the Gerard Mercator Atlas, an earlier standard, contemporary to the Ortelius maps. The maps became known as the Mercator-Hondius maps. The map is clearly labelled GRAECIA. It shows Macedonia as a part of Greece, at the time subjugated to the Ottoman empire. The word Macedonia in four lines (MA-CE-DO-NIA) is written over the area of Pieria and Mt Olympus. It also shows Thessalonica (and not the wishful thinking of FYROM nationalists) and its location.

3. Map of 1645

 

Map of Greece, showing Macedonia, from 1645

Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638) founded one of history’s greatest cartographic publishing firms in 1599. Using skills learned from the celebrated Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, Blaeu set up a shop in Amsterdam as a globe and scientific instrument maker. He soon expanded the business to include map, chart and book publishing.

This map, published by his company after his death, shows Greece at the time subjugated to the Ottoman empire, as indicated also by the Turks in the bottom left hand corner, around the label. The word Macedonia is written in three lines (MACE-DO-NIA) over the western part of modern Macedonia (in Greece). The words Castoria and Thessalonica are also just visible, as well as G. de Thessalonica, the Gulf of Thessalonica. The Slavonic words Kostur and Solun are absent from the European maps. These maps also ridicule the claim that Greece did not exist until 1830. Unless one speaks of a constitutional and free state with that specific name, which is a laughable claim because no country in that sense existed before the 19th Century with the possible exceptions of France and the United States of America.

4. Map of 1707

Map of Greece 1707

French map of Greece by Guillaune de L’Isle published originally for the Royal Academy of Science in Paris. This copy is from 1707, published by Covens et Mortier in Amsterdam. Macedonia is of course a part of Greece.

Detail of the map above showing Macedonia

The names of several cities are visible: Castoria, Veria, Seres, Ceres, Cavalla Edessa and Salonique (French version of Thessalonica), all the original Greek names - not Slavic ones.

5. Map of 1745

Map of Greece 1745

Carte de la Grece. French map by Buache circa 1745 based on a map by Guillaume de L’Isle (1675-1726) published in 1707 for the Royal Academy of Science in Paris . Once more Macedonia is a part of Greece.

6. Map of 1742

Graeciae pars Sepentrionalis 1742
French map by Guillaume de L’Isle published by Covens et Mortier in 1974. Macedonia is of course a part of Greece.

7. Ancient Greece 1823

 

 

 

8 Time Atlas of Greece 1922

 Times Atlas of Greece 1922

Here is the Times Atlas for “Greece and the Aegean” from 1922, Published in the UK by John Bartholomew and Son. It has the word “Macedonia” over the Greek administrative district that bears the same name today. Note, the name Macedonia is not printed elsewhere in Serbia, Bulgaria, etc. The map also has the Greek names for cities such as Kastoria, Florina and “Salonika”. The Skopians claim that the names were changed from the slavonic Kostur, Lerin and Solun to the modern Greek names in 1926. This map is clear proof against their propaganda.

Detail of Macedonia

 

National Geographic map of Europe and the Mediterannean from 1915

National Geographic map of Europe and the Mediterannean from 1938

National Geographic map of Europe and the Mediterannean from 1949

Taken by http://journaloforiginalthinking.com/pb/wp_8b12f8b2/wp_8b12f8b2.html

Tags: fyrom, Greece, kastoria, macedonia, map, maps, salonica