You say Macedon, I say Macedonia

What gives with this place? Are these titles interchangable? I think that the proper title for the geographic location is Macedon. I think you are a Macedonian if you are from this place. Am I wrong? Does anyone care?

 

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You are broaching a sensitive subject. I don't care, but there are plenty of folks from that part of the world who take the subject very seriously. The internet is filled with news articles and message boards about the controversial subject.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072702653.html

 

They're interchangeable.

 

The Greeks, or Hellenes, as they called themselves, came down from the North on an earlier and more highly-civilized culture, the Minoans. Almost certainly the Hellenes and Minoans mixed their genes and their cultures, with the Hellenes the dominant group. Alexander the Great was Macedonian, and tutored by Aristotle, and his father, Philip, conquered the Greek city states, in 338 BC. That marked the beginnings of a national identity. Do with that what you will.

 

Apparently so. Shortly after Macedonia's independence in 1991, the Greek mint designed a 100 drachmes coin featuring Alexander ("Megas Alexandros, Basileus Makedonon") and the Vergina Sun on the other side. In order to prevent Macedonia fom using that star as the country's symbol, Greece even predated ("1990") the first issue. But all that applies to today's Greece and Macedonia.

Christian

 

I don't see what the problem is, ancient Macedonia is geographically located within the boundaries of modern Greece, so the Greeks can take pride. Modern Maceonians probably moved north sometime in the middle ages, and can still take pride in their ancestors even if they now live slightly north of their ancient borders. Everybody embrace, sing kumbaya my Lord, and learn to live with each other as fellow humans. See, problem solved!

 

i read the article and Macedon is never used so I suppose it goes to -donia.

My question was about proper spelling and pronunciation of the place.

 

That could be a bunch of bolonia

 

Ironically, I just bought this coin yesterday. If you want to know how it should be spelled. This is how they spelled it under Roman rule 2,100 years ago.

 

Even if modern Macedonians have nothing to do with Alexander, who cares? Life is too short for hate. We are all humans, and we all share the same world.

 

Makedonah? Is that how it would be pronounced?

 

FWIW, the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World calls it Macedonia.

 

And you're concluding that off one article on the Internet.

 

The reason I ask the OP question is a guy in my Ancients club raises his eyebrow every time I say "Macedonia". That and i'm reading 2 histories at the moment:
"Dividing the Spoils" by Robin Waterfield where this author shows maps of Macedon and frequently refers to this place and
"Antigonus the One-Eyed" by Jeff Champion who shows maps with of "Macedonia" and frequently uses this term.

WildWinds uses "Macedonia".

 

Isn't there yet a third possibility? The guy in your club with the twitchy eyebrow is a nut.

 

we say in Europe Macedonia

 

I'm concluding that there is no answer, actually. Obviously, you can get away with both terms. But I think Macedonia is a more common use and since the modern Republic is Macedonia I think the -onia wins! Just sayin'.

 

I could be entirely wrong, but I use "Macedonia" to refer to the geographical region, and "Macedon" for the ancient kingdom, as in "Kings of Macedon."

 

Oh, you must know my club!

 

I can live with that!