11-24-2010, 05:54 PM
Quote:The later expansions during late 5th century and 4th century are mostly at expense of Paionian and Thracian tribes in the basins of Strymon, Nestos and beyond (Alexander III reached the Danube, right?), or so the literary evidence (now contemporary!) suggests. Of course, we can point out there was no monolithic Thracian identity, they did not all spoke the same language, had not the same gods and cults, etc, but at the same time being Thracians they were not Greek speakers, and I guess this is one of the things Paul tried to point out.
I am waiting for Paul's clarification as to what he means by that phrase. Claiming that among the Macedonian peasantry or on the borders of Perdiccas' lands most probably there were at least some Thracian settlements of conquered Thracians not forced to leave / who chose to stay / who were forced to stay e.t.c., is one thing and claiming that the Macedonian peasantry was of Thracian stock another. The latter implies that either there was no Macedonian ethnos, that this ethnos was predominantly Thracian or, if Paul used the word "Macedonian" in a more free way, he might mean that by that time the non-assimilated barbarian populations within Perdicas' dominions which freely worked the land as faithful peasant subjects and contributed to the Macedonian army were by far exceeding in number the Macedonian populations who conquered them years, decades or centuries ago. You could comment on that.
