Hi Candour, IMO Livy's text is an easy read. If you have the interest and time, I suggest you read chapters related to Greece and Macedonia.

According to Livy, Macedonians spoke Greek. I don't want to get into a debate whether Macedonians spoke Greek natively or not.

Livy didn't write to prove Macedonia's Greekness; he wrote in order to record Roman history. One part of this history is that Romans came to liberate the Greeks from Macedonians. The chapter on the Proclamation of Greek Freedom is rather telling in terms of how the Greek masses felt towards Romans and Macedonians. Greeks felt the Romans to be their National Liberators from Philip and the Macedonians - regardless of what language Macedonians spoke.

Is the point of this thread to suppose that one's language determine their nationality?? something ancient people had no concept of, at least in the post-french revolution meaning of nationality

does that make all of us kinsmen with 16 century English knights since we communicate in English on this forum?
should we demand the UK change its name and flag??


besides there is little left of the ancient Macedonian language and to white wash the modern turkogreek language as one and the same of the ancient hellenic is stretching the demotiki even after all the kathervousa that was thrown in

what of Arrian's biography of Alexander the Great where he mentions Alexander speaking in Macedonian or the trail of Philotasone of his generals accused of treason. Alexander said to Philotas:

Again, the trial was held in Babylon. By the time he reached the area he had already recruited many foreign elements to the army. It was also a point of contention between Alexander and his Army. This doesnt mean anything and is too ambigous to be used for evidence.

Also, pls note that there is no description stating which language is being used or should of been used.

DRANGIANA not Babylon and facts are facts friend,there is no ambiguity....what Alexander was saying to his friend there was plain as day.


"Also, pls note that there is no description stating which language is being used or should of been used"

Do you think they were speaking Persian?Come on:)

Since you've got Babylon on your mind............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNZcf8WtBiY

"We refuse to be,what you wanted us to be.......we are what we are,thats the way its going to be...if ya dont know":)

Hi Emathius,

I definitely have the desire to read Livy's work that relates to the Greeks and Macedonians. Time however, and unfortunately, is scant....

I don't doubt what you say with regards to the relations between the Greeks and Macedonians and the view that the Greeks had towards the Romans. However I'm weary of drawing conclusions off of this, given how fond ancient people were of selling out their own when it became politically convenient to do so.

I suppose on the flip side, allegiances too were made whenever it was politically convenient, which could account or explain the quote initially discussed in this thread. (I.e. if we were looking for an explanation as to what could be meant by the quote: "The Aetolians, the Acarnanians, the Macedonians, men of the same speech, are united or disunited by trivial causes that arise from time to time; with aliens, with barbarians, all Greeks wage and will wage eternal war; for they are enemies by the will of nature, which is eternal, and not from reasons that change from day to day." it could have been done as a bargaining ploy.)