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Macedon
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Macedon
Historical Background
On the northern borders of Hellas, surrounded by fierce barbarian tribes, lies the frontier land of Macedon. It has only a thin veneer of Greek culture; the Macedones are a wild people related to the Celts of Illyria. Here the old ways still obtain. It is divided into two major sections; the highlands to the west and the lowlands to the east. The east is more urbanized and agricultural, while in the wild highlands to the west, pastoralism is still the way of life. The land is ruled by strong land barons owing only tentative allegiance to the king. There are absolute rulers of the clans and tribes in the twelve cantons of Macedon: Pieria, Elimotis, Tymphaea, Orestis, Eordaea, Bottiaea, Mygdonia, Bisaltia, Crestonia, Almopia, Lynsestis, and Pelagonia. In Bottiaea, in the capital city of Pella, in a Greek style palace, the king of The Macedones struggles to hold all the barons in thrall. The barons control their own armies, which in theory, are in the service of the king, but their loyalty is to their clan leader, the baron. The king rules only be his personal ability to do so. The Hellenic cities to the south consider the Macedones to be, at best, semi barbarians, but they are of the highest value as they stand, like a wall between the savage tribes, bent upon pillage, to the north and the rich cities to the south. Macedon is a bulwark upon which the rest of Hellas depends for protection. It is a rugged land of towering mountains and precipitous gorges, a land covered with the endless pine forests which provide the timber and pitch necessary to build the great navies of Athens. The forests abound with wild boar, lions, and deer. The Macedones are a hunting people; it is a part of their ancient culture. No man may recline at dinner until he has killed a wild boar without the use of a net. Men wear a special belt which denotes the fact that they have killed an enemy in battle. It is a reminder of the days when a warrior wore the skulls of his enemy on his belt. Those days are not far in the past, and still live a little to the north. This is a warrior culture. It is the home of Philip II, and his son, Alexander, the greatest warriors of all time. They came from the wild frontiers of Hellas to hold power over all the known earth. They were Macedones. "When he speaks, the whole of Macedonia is immediately spread before my gaze....with its mountains, its forests, its torrents, its hard working women and great heavily built men." Nikos Kazantzakis Macedon is the home of Philip, Alexander, Olympias, Antipatros, and Cassander. It is the origin of the biggest story in our history.
Things To Do In Macedon
The Gorgon's Cave
Deep in the forests of Macedon, close to the foothills of the north slope of Mount Olympus, a great gorge cuts through the earth. Few go there as it is here that the a cave is found which the Macedonians call, Gorgon Spilaio, Gorgon Cave. Do you have a question about Alexander or Macedon? Just ask the Gorgon. Click on the image to enter The Cave.
The Oracle of Dodona
Visit our neighbors in Dodona and consult the great oracle of Zeus, one of the oldest in Greece. Don't forget to take home one of 13 different Oracle of Dodona plaques! You can get them here. Click on the image to consult the oracle. The Macedonian Bar & Grill
Visit the taverna of the Alexander The Great group. It's an open board so stop in for some good Macedonian wine and some conversation, or add your drinking vessel to the regulars' shelf. More things to do in Macedon
Credits:
- The Gorgon's Cave, Macedon quiz, Vergina tombs tour, and hood write-up & map: Kallistos Alexandros - May Alexander quiz: Heraklia Aelius and Kallistos Alexandros - The Oracle of Dodona: Bacchus Isocrates (Flash game) and Kallistos Alexandros (article).
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