Athenian friends, Macedonian Enemies
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Abstract
Who were the ancient Macedonians: Greek or a Greek-like people
inhabiting the mountainous region to the north of Greece proper? This
issue has been debated by scholars through the twentieth century and in
the early 1990s even figured in political discussions from Skopje to
Athens and beyond. The problem is usually approached from a viewpoint of “otherness”, i.e., that Greeks and Macedonians were different.
This paper suggests that the opposite viewpoint be considered, namely
that the differences between Greeks and Macedonians were small, that
only degrees of “sameness” separated them. This paper proceeds from this initial rationale. It investigates the relationships and particularly the friendships cultivated and enjoyed by Athenians and Macedonians, hence the title “Athenian Friends, Macedonian Enemies”. Examination of these relationships suggests that the practice and observance of the Greek ritual of xenia —guest friendship—
found in Homeric times continued into the relatively sophisticated
classical era where it occasionally created misunderstandings of one kind
or another for those bound by it. Yet these practices are part of Hellenic life and suggest another reason for arguing that the ancient Macedonians were Greek.
inhabiting the mountainous region to the north of Greece proper? This
issue has been debated by scholars through the twentieth century and in
the early 1990s even figured in political discussions from Skopje to
Athens and beyond. The problem is usually approached from a viewpoint of “otherness”, i.e., that Greeks and Macedonians were different.
This paper suggests that the opposite viewpoint be considered, namely
that the differences between Greeks and Macedonians were small, that
only degrees of “sameness” separated them. This paper proceeds from this initial rationale. It investigates the relationships and particularly the friendships cultivated and enjoyed by Athenians and Macedonians, hence the title “Athenian Friends, Macedonian Enemies”. Examination of these relationships suggests that the practice and observance of the Greek ritual of xenia —guest friendship—
found in Homeric times continued into the relatively sophisticated
classical era where it occasionally created misunderstandings of one kind
or another for those bound by it. Yet these practices are part of Hellenic life and suggest another reason for arguing that the ancient Macedonians were Greek.
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