Ancient Macedonia: The History and Legacy of Alexander the Great and the Macedonians in Antiquity

“There is nothing impossible to him that will but try.” - Alexander the Great  

The role of Macedonia and the Macedonians in the ancient world is apparent to those with even a cursory knowledge of the period. After all, Alexander the Great and his father, Philip II, were both Macedonians, and most know at least a little about their violent struggles to conquer Greece and the Near East. However, Macedonian history began long before Philip II and Alexander III and continued for some time after they were gone. Thus, in many ways, the historical memory of Macedonia and the Macedonians is the victim of historical myopia which is, in part, the result of popular entertainment. Alexander the Great makes for great fiction, so the more “tedious” aspects of Macedonian culture are often overlooked.  

An examination of ancient Macedonian culture, from its earliest known references to the arrival of the Romans, reveals that the Greeks’ northern neighbors played an integral role in the development of Hellenic civilization. Although many of the traditional Greeks may not have considered the Macedonians to be fellow Hellenes at first, they were forced to accept them due to the Macedonian's superior military strength.  

By the time Alexander the Great had led his army across the Persian Empire, he and his fellow Macedonians had been, for the most part, accepted as Greeks by most other Greeks, but it was a long process. As the Athenians developed their government and philosophies, the Macedonians dedicated themselves to the art of war. Because of this, ancient Macedonia was, in many ways, a stark contrast to the republics and democracies of classical Greece.