Macedonia

Macedonia, anciently the name of a country lying NW. of the Ægean Sea. Originally of small extent, it stretched at the period of its greatest area from the Hæmus (mod. Balkan) range on the N. to Thessaly and the Ægean on the S., and from Epirus and Illyria on the W. to Thrace on the E. The country is on the whole mountainous, especially in the south and west, but there are several large plains of great fertility. The principal rivers were the Strymon, Axius, and Haliacmon. Compare TURKEY. Macedonia was famous for its gold and silver mines, and its oil and wine. It contained a number of flourishing cities, of which the names are well known in ancient history, particularly Ægæ (Edessa) and Pella, the capitals, Pydna, Thessalonica, Potidæa, Olynthos, Philippi, and Amphipolis. Perdiccas I. (cirea 700 B.C.) is reputed to have been the first king and founder of the Macedonian monarchy. In 490 B.C. and again ten years later Macedonia was compelled to take part with the Persians in their invasions of Greece. Under the wise and vigorous reign of Archelaus (413-399 B.C.), an admirer of Greek art and civilisation, Macedonia greatly increased in prosperity and power. But a period of civil wars and anarchy then ensued, and was only terminated by the accession of Philip II. (359 B.C.), who, having seated himself firmly on the throne, developed the resources of his kingdom, and laid the foundation of its future greatness (see GREECE). His son, Alexander III., surnamed the Great, brought half the then known world under his sway; but after his death the Macedonian empire was broken up, and, after twenty-two years of incessant warfare, was formed into four kingdoms under his principal generals (see PHILIP and ALEXANDER). Macedonia, with Greece, fell to Antipater's son Cassander. But in the wars against the Gauls, the civil strifes of the descendants of Alexander's generals, and in the ambitious designs of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, Macedonia almost perished as a kingdom. It was, however, once more established securely by Antigonus Gonatas (277-239), the grandson of Alexander's general Antigonus, who had obtained part of Asia Minor. The kingdom preserved the limits set it by Antigonus down to its conquest by the Romans in 168 B.C. Twenty-five years later Macedonia was made a Roman province, in which Thessaly and part of Illyria were included. On the partition of the Roman world, it was incorporated in the eastern empire. In the end of the 6th century it was settled by Slavonic races, and subsequently formed part of the kingdoms of the Bulgarians (10th century), Salonica (ruled by Bouiface, Marquis of Montferrat), Thessalonica (1224), the Servians (14th century), and finally the Turks, who still hold it. The population of the coast districts are Greeks, whilst in the interior Christian Bulgarians greatly preponderate.