Macedonia

Anthem of Macedonia
Macedonia ( IPA /ˌmæsəˈdoʊ̯nɪə/, Greek: Μακεδονία, Makedonia) is the largest and second most populous region of Greece. Together with the regions of Thrace and Epirus, it is often referred to unofficially as northern Greece. It is located at coordinates 40°45′N 22°54′E.

The Capital of Macedonia
Peripheries : West Macedonia , Central Macedonia , East Macedonia

Population 2,625,681 (2005)
Area 34,231 km²
Population density 77/km²

Macedonian language

For a long while Macedonian onomastics, which we know relatively well thanks to history, literary authors, and epigraphy, has played a considerable role in the discussion. In our view the Greek character of most names is obvious and it is difficult to think of a Hellenization due to wholesale borrowing... Macedonian may then be seen as a Greek dialect, characterized by its marginal position and by local pronunciations. Yet in contrast with earlier views which made of it an Aeolic dialect we must by now think of a link with North-West Greek... We must wait for new discoveries, but we may tentatively conclude that Macedonian is a dialect related to North-West Greek.

Olivier Masson, eminent Emeritus Professor of the University of Paris

THE OXFORD CLASSICAL DICTIONARY, 3rd edition, 1996, Oxford U. Press, p.905-906

Some other contemporary quotations:

"The toponyms of the Macedonian homeland are the most significant. Nearly all of them are Greek."
"The Macedonian State", 1989

N. G. L. Hammond, the foremost expert on ancient Macedonian history, taught Greek at Bristol University and Clare College, Cambridge University. His many books include Alexander the Great: King, Commander, and Statesman and the three-volume A History of Macedonia.

"The Macedonian people and their kings were of Greek stock, as their traditions and the scanty remains of their language combine to testify."
"A History of Greece to the Death of Alexander the Great", 2nd ed, 1913
John Bagnell Bury, Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge

"Clearly, the language of the ancient Macedonians was Greek"
John C. Roumans, Professor Emeritus of Classics Wisconsin University

"That the Macedonians and their kings did in fact speak a dialect of Greek and bore Greek names may be regarded nowadays as certain."
Malcolm Errington,ancient history at the Philipps-Universität in Marburg, Germany
"A History of Macedonia", p.3, University of California Press, February 1993

"There is no doubt, that Macedonians were Greeks."
Robin Lane Fox, interview with the newspaper TO BHMA (see the movie "Alexander")


Vergina.
The gold diadem worn by a woman found inside the gold larnax in the antechamber. Without exaggeration, it is the most beautiful jewel from antiquity found to date.