Self-identification

[makedonin]

And because they couldn't compete they made suspicious claims about their Greek origin.

exactly and the Greeks in General knew this, thats why the Lacademonians said:

141. ........ In compensation for this the Lacedemonians and their allies make offer to support your wives and all those of your households who are unfitted for war, so long as this war shall last: but let not Alexander the Macedonian persuade you, making smooth the speech of Mardonios; for these things are fitting for him to do, since being himself a despot he is working in league with a despot: for you however they are not fitting to do, if ye chance to be rightly minded; for ye know that in Barbarians there is neither faith nor truth at all.

source

This is called Politics and Art of War....

[Delodephius]

And because they couldn't compete they made suspicious claims about their Greek origin.

[mbourdes]

Barbarians couldn't compete in the Olympics. Macedonians did.

Click here to see what Alexander meant.
No escape from here either...

[makedonin]

Greeks of the time also knew about Athenians, Spartans, Corinthians etc, etc.

And those "Hellens" i.e. "Greek" were never known as BARBARIANS, while Persian Thracians Macedonians were called and known as such.... and thats why they were considered as Foreigners....



Klick here to learn what Barbarus meant

You can't get away from it....

[mbourdes]

thats good reply to the dilusional Herodotus quotes.

Greeks of the times knew who the Macedonians were:

BARBARIANS from Bara Bara for someone they could not understan i.e. non inteligeble language for the Hellens.

Greeks of the time also knew about Athenians, Spartans, Corinthians etc, etc.

[makedonin]

No confusion in the normal world.

thats good reply to the dilusional Herodotus quotes.

Greeks of the times knew who the Macedonians were:

BARBARIANS from Bara Bara for someone they could not understan i.e. non inteligeble language for the Hellens.

[mbourdes]

Romania met the requirements. Maybe they can teach prospective members a thing or two.

[Risto the Great]

The normal world that is non delusional and recognises the Greeks in the UN, Nato, and the EU, whilst others are still looking through the window.

Wow, you got me there.
Romania is in the EU along with Bulgaria and Greece. Enough said.

[mbourdes]

The normal world that is non delusional and recognises the Greeks in the UN, Nato, and the EU, whilst others are still looking through the window.

[Risto the Great]

Really? The "normal world" thinks modern Greeks are the same as Hellenes? Or is it just the modern Greeks that suffer this delusion?

[mbourdes]

No confusion in the normal world.

[Risto the Great]

Yes the Hellenic one that the normal world refers to when talking about Greek things.

Hang on, Hellenic or modern Greek. I view them as completely separate identities. And the ancient Greeks (or Graecoi) were a little tribe that did not matter much in Hellenic matters. So please do not get things confused.

[makedonin]

Who was eligible to participate in the Olympics in those times?

he was denied at first, and than he came up with his "Hellenic" descent, which was more likely that he told a story which no one could prove anyways. And than again, only the Royal House was sometimes seen as Hellenic, while the rest of the Macedonians as Barbarians.

And even so, what was Hellenic, read my signature for that.

[mbourdes]

Who was eligible to participate in the Olympics in those times?

[makedonin]

This quote seen alone would appear as self Identification. The problem is that it is seen out of context. If one see this quote in the whole context, several problems arise. It is as first the trustworthiness of Herodotus Report. Let's take a closer look at it.

In Book IX Herodotus report to us that Alexander was in the Persian Camp and that:

44. After the inquiry about the oracles and the exhortation given by Mardonios night came on and the guards were set: and when night was far advanced, and it seemed that there was quiet everywhere in the camps, and that the men were in their deepest sleep, then Alexander the son of Amyntas, commander and king of the Macedonians, rode his horse up to the guard-posts of the Athenians and requested that he might have speech with their generals. So while the greater number of the guards stayed at their posts, some ran to the generals, and when they reached them they said that a man had come riding on a horse out of the camp of the Medes, who discovered nothing further, but only named the generals and said that he desired to have speech with them.

source

What is wrong with this description?
1) The Persians i.e. Medes set their guards, which was usual, but than Herodotus would like us to believe that while the night advanced, this man were in their deepest sleep and Alexander had no problem riding his horse out of the Persian camp.

This is more than unlikely, since the next morning the Battle was to be fought.

2) The simple fact that the Athenians guards in the Athenian camp were awake and Alexander was stopped by them i.e. he could not pass through, makes this story much more untrustworthy, cause if he could not pass to the Athenian guards, he would not able to pass to the Persian guards. That is why he would like us to believe that all of the Persian men fell a sleep.

3) This would be highly risky mission for one King to undertake. Instead he would send one of his trustworthy messengers to do the job. But Herodotus want us to believe the opposite of the common practice.

But let us say, Herodotus Bad night Story was true, and Alexander did managed to go to the Camp.
Herodotus him self gave an Interview in his book VIII which would explain why would Alexander would make such a statement, advancing that Herodotus didn't make up this story in book IX.

Alexander speaks here before the Athenians and he is the messenger of the Persians and Mardonios:

141. ........ In compensation for this the Lacedemonians and their allies make offer to support your wives and all those of your households who are unfitted for war, so long as this war shall last: but let not Alexander the Macedonian persuade you, making smooth the speech of Mardonios; for these things are fitting for him to do, since being himself a despot he is working in league with a despot: for you however they are not fitting to do, if ye chance to be rightly minded; for ye know that in Barbarians there is neither faith nor truth at all.

source

So, what would it be, the Herodotus the Truth story teller, or the Herodotus the bad night story teller, my Greek friends?

Since if you say, he did declared his ancestry "Greek", than Herodotus him self tells us what the other Greeks thought of Alexander.

And it is certain that he had Interest in playing political games and labeling him as Greek, since he knew that he is not trusted, so he tried to gain the trust of the Athenians, but does that makes him a Greek?

Either way, Herodotus is untrustworthy reporter, and he can be proven twisting the story as it fits him.
He even said that he will bring evidence for Alexander being a Greek, but he never did so.