Skopje and Alexander the Great - a two-faced story

As if it were not enough to put up that horrible 13-meter-high statue of Alexander the Great in the very center of Skopje, which the Macedonians from the FYROM (meanwhile renamed the Republic of Northern Macedonia) have allegedly tuned down to “Hero on Horseback” (this is at least what they said, see Alexander the Great in Skopje), they now show up with extra reinforcements.

Believe it or not, they just brought in more of Alexander’s army! Eight bronze phalanx soldiers and eight bronze lions are presently being put into place to liven up the scene! (See the article by the Sofia News Agency). Why eight and why eight lions (kingship?), I don’t know. In any case, it makes you wonder whether this is only a first addition or if there is more to come. I fail to see why they renamed the equestrian statue “Hero on Horseback” only a few weeks ago while these bronze soldiers and animals obviously were nearly ready to roll out of the workshops. This Macedonian phalanx clearly belongs to Alexander the Great. So much for the naivety (or stupidity) of the bystanders - and of the politicians!

 

[picture by actualno.com]

They just don’t seem to get it there in Skopje – or they just don’t want to. No wonder Greece is extremely unhappy with this situation and considers it as a provocation, nothing less, and they are right. The event has now even reached the EU where the Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fule, declared that if Macedonia (i.e. FYROM = Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) continues this kind of action and fails to make progress in its reforms (the name Macedonia, even converted into FYROM, is not to Greece’s satisfaction), they will lose their EU candidate status. Will that threat be of any help? I have serious doubts.

Since its independence in 1991, the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has not only “stolen” the name Macedonia but also repeatedly “hijacked” several historical figures from their neighbors, Alexander is not their first. I hear that the Bulgarians have a similar complaint about the five-meter high marble monument of Tsar Samuil recently erected in Skopje, for he was Bulgaria’s greatest hero fighting against Byzantium – nothing to do with Macedonia.

You just cannot “borrow” a hero from a neighboring country simply because you want or need one. That is a basic privilege for each country individually and one that should be respected.

Watch the movie here.

Discovering Pydna

Pydna is generally known for the decisive battle of 22 June 168 BC opposing the Roman general Aemilius-Paulus and King Perseus of Macedonia (179-168 BC). In one single battle, the Romans killed as many as 20,000 Macedonians, an absolute first in history. It meant the end of the Antigonid dynasty of Macedonia, and consequently, the Kingdom of Macedonia ended. Besides the men that fell on the battlefield, another 6,000 fled to Pydna to fall into enemy hands, and another 5,000 were taken prisoner as they tried to escape. A bloody encounter, to say the least. From then on, the Romans divided Macedonia into four republics. It seems that in 150 BC, a certain Andriscus claiming to be the son of the late King Perseus ascended the throne as Philip VI. He just came and went, a victim of another futile war, of course, and in 148 BC, Macedonia was finally subdued and became a Roman province.

To me, Pydna is the place where Queen Olympias took refuge after the death of her son, Alexander the Great, taking his wife Roxane and his son Alexander IV with her. Cassander, who, as the son of Alexander's regent Antipater, had taken over power in Macedonia, besieged and captured the city in 317 BC. Olympias was left with no choice but to surrender to Cassander, who knew no mercy and immediately had her executed. Roxane and Alexander IV were to follow her fate soon.

Well, so much for history, besides the fact that Philip II, Alexander’s father, had annexed the territory in the first place. In any case, enough reason for me to take a look around.

Today’s nearest town is Makrygialos, approximately 65 kilometers south of Thessaloniki, right next to the freeway. Pydna has not really been excavated. The only finds come from occasional discoveries made during construction activities or after illicit diggings. The fertile lands have been inhabited since the 7^th century BC, and many graves and tombs have been unearthed going back that far in time. The finds have been split between the Museum of Thessaloniki and the nearby Museum of Katerini.

It is not easy to read the landscape, especially on this rainy day when I’m driving through sleepy villages and settlements. On my way through Methone, in the curve after the seaside fish restaurants, I am being waved at by King Philip in person! Of course, Methone was one of the main cities that Philip conquered from Athens back in 355-354 BC, but I wasn’t expecting to meet up with his bronze statue in this bend of the road. What a pleasant surprise. It shows the king in his prime, which he most probably was at the time of this battlefield. The Greek, as well as the Macedonian flag, proudly enfold above him. I look around for more signs but cannot find any.

I pick up the road again, heading further south till I reach Pydna or what is left of it. A fenced field on my left overlooking the sea is catching my eye. The entrance gate is ajar, an invitation to enter. This just might be the place of the old fort, and it is!

Once again, I’m struck by the strategic location as I can look north all the way to Methone and beyond, while to the south, on a clear day, we may even see Mount Olympus. This stronghold fits in the center of a wider bay, ideal to watch enemy ships approaching.

Within the perimeter of the fence, the remains are definitely Byzantine. Typical, of course, as they built their forts and churches right on top of older Roman or Greek construction, reusing the stones they found at hand. This site is no different, and as I question the local archaeologist and guardian, he willingly shows me the scattered remains from Greek temples, Macedonian city walls, and Roman olive- or winepresses. Further in the landscape, he also points to the line in the trees, walls, and houses that are supposedly part of this old fort. Excavations over here certainly are still in their infancy, and I can imagine how many archaeologists’ hands are itching to start digging for more treasures before they disappear through the illegal circuit, forever ripped out of their context.

A moment of glory - Macedonia forged by Philip II - 4

A moment of glory in 356 BC

Three years into his kingship, in 356 BC Philip must have looked back at his achievements with some degree of satisfaction. He now had secured most of Macedonia’s borders and built up a nearly invincible army, money was flowing in from the recently acquired mines of Philippi (more than 1,000 talents a year), his race-horse had won at the Olympic games, and most important of all Olympias bore him a son, Alexander.

Towards the end of 355 BC, Philip decided to besiege Methone in order to complete his control of the entire coastline towards Thessaly. Besides, Methone was located on a strategic communication route to Dion, Macedonia’s major religious sanctuary. He generously gave the people a chance to surrender but when they refused, he besieged the city. Methone had huge walls and in spite of Philip’s equipment and repeated efforts, it took him several months to succeed. But while he was inspecting his own siege craft, an arrow from an enemy catapult hit him in the eye. It seems that an eye injury is a bloody affair and one can easily imagine the commotion among his men. The siege may have been brought to a halt for a while, waiting for the outcome of the king’s wounds. The city was eventually taken in the early summer of 354 BC. Methone’s walls and buildings were razed to the ground so that even today it is difficult to locate.

The result of these moves meant that Macedonia’s coastline was now free of Greek cities, that Chalcidice was bound to Macedonia by a thorough treaty, and that the country reaped large revenues from the Crenides mines – more than enough to cover his military expenses and provide regular pay to his soldiers. Athens, by contrast, had exhausted its finances and was lucky enough to be saved by its archon Eubulus who created a special fund to stimulate the city’s economy.

Click here to read the full story about Philip II from the beginning