Greeks always fought outnumbered?

[Lyceum]

... For Macedonians as Greeks: Honestly I find it rather amusing that you can so tritely state that they were "100% Greek" in Lang, Hist, Culture, Religion etc when so many good Classicists can say nothing so sternly of the sort. With all due respect I would say that you really haven't availed yourself of the evidence ...

Well, I'm not sure if that statement was in response to my comment about Alexander himself (and Makedone royalty/nobility). But if it was, then it ignores the point I made that I was not referring to all the peoples of ancient Makedonia - merely its famous heirarchy. Therefore, if you read my words again you will see I was specifically saying Alexander himself was Greek. That is correct. He was a Temenid. His own personal ancestry can be traced as Greek through both parents. I was quite clear on that point. I suggest you read my post again.

Regarding the general mass of peoples in ancient Makedon, then I agree that nobody would/could make such a generalised statement. I would hazard a guess that the coastal peoples of Lower Makedonia (the original heartland) were of Greek stock, and possibly either North West Greek, Dorian or a branch of that ethnos. As the kingdom/state expanded and Upper Makedonia developed then other peoples fell within the territory. Some of these may have been Thrakians; Paionians; Illyrians; Pelagonians etc. There were also of course other Greeks scattered along the coasts and in Khalkidiki and they eventually fell under Makedonian control. A certain amount of mixing would have taken place I suppose and therefore a large portion of Makedonians would be Greek; another portion non-Greek; and yet another portion perhaps a fairly mixed bunch.

This discussion really belongs somewhere else of course, and I am sure Robert or one of the other mods will remind us of that sooner or later, but regarding Alexander himself, and his immediate family and coterie - I think it is completely fair to say he was 100% Greek in all those various attributes I mentioned.

Regarding the whole F.Y.R.O.M. issue - well, I think we would probably be in 100% accord over that one - but we are not allowed to discuss such sensitive political issues here (more's the pity). So I will defer from pursuing that line of discussion about these Slavic (mainly Bulgarian if truth be told) Fyromians or whatever we are supposed to call them.

Alas you're right, the discussion does belong somewhere else (especially since regarding we don't quite agree, but if I start quoting Hesiod etc I'm guessing we will get told of ) especially due to the FYROM thing. Ah well, meet and part friends. :-)