11-22-2010, 12:12 AM
This, posted by myself elsewhere, might be of interest....
Interesting Thucydides notes that Brasidas takes along Perdiccas and "the forces of his Macedonian subjects" as well as hoplites "composed of Hellenes domiciled in the country". A clear distinction - not only on the basis of arming - being made between the two for, in an army composed of Peloponnesians, Chacidians, Acanthians and Macedonians, he later says: "there were about three thousand Hellenic heavy infantry, accompanied by all the Macedonian cavalry with the Chalcidians, near one thousand strong, besides an immense crowd of barbarians" (4.124.1-2).. Then later again (4.125.1) "the next night, the Macedonians and multitude of barbarians" decamp in the night.
Thucydides thrice refers to the "Macedonians" in this description. It is a pity it is not Arrian. The first is a clear reference to those that Perdiccas "rules over", aka his subject Macedonians. The second is a clear reference to cavalry in Thucydides' listing of the army. Again we have the allies, Macedonian hippies and the large "crowd of barabarians". The third refers "the Makedones" and the "plethos ton barbaron" (the many barbarians) having scarpered.
The question here is who are the "barbarians"? Clearly they are not the Illyrians for they have caused the scarpering by changing sides. Given this is not the kingdom of Philip II they can hardly be the Paeonians, Thracians or others. Thucydides notes only the Acanthians and Chalcidians as well as those Peloponesians Brasidas brought with him (including mercenaries). The Macedonian kingdom at this time is likely to have comprised only the lower plain and not all of that (the Greek poleis of the coast for example).
I think that Thucydides here speaks of the Macedonian nobility - the cavalry - as "Makedones". At this time the "general" population were indentured serf-farmers at the beck and call of their "feudal lord". What I think Thucydides is indicating is that these are the crowd of barbaroi. Again, at this time it is rather difficult to see Perdiccas - in "control" only of the lower Macedonian plain - mustering a "crowd of barbarians" who are somehow respondent to him for Brasidas has not raised them. It is unlikely he had the money to hire them all and, if he did, from where did he get them?
These, I'm sure, are those whom Philip II will make Makedones as he expands his kingdom and grants land. Those that Alexander refers to as having been transformed from transhumant pastoralists / farmers dressed in hides and at the whim of their overlords to owners of empire. Thus the barbarians are the vast bulk of the Macedonians who are still servile farmers and yet to become the Makedones of Philip II.
Interesting Thucydides notes that Brasidas takes along Perdiccas and "the forces of his Macedonian subjects" as well as hoplites "composed of Hellenes domiciled in the country". A clear distinction - not only on the basis of arming - being made between the two for, in an army composed of Peloponnesians, Chacidians, Acanthians and Macedonians, he later says: "there were about three thousand Hellenic heavy infantry, accompanied by all the Macedonian cavalry with the Chalcidians, near one thousand strong, besides an immense crowd of barbarians" (4.124.1-2).. Then later again (4.125.1) "the next night, the Macedonians and multitude of barbarians" decamp in the night.
Thucydides thrice refers to the "Macedonians" in this description. It is a pity it is not Arrian. The first is a clear reference to those that Perdiccas "rules over", aka his subject Macedonians. The second is a clear reference to cavalry in Thucydides' listing of the army. Again we have the allies, Macedonian hippies and the large "crowd of barabarians". The third refers "the Makedones" and the "plethos ton barbaron" (the many barbarians) having scarpered.
The question here is who are the "barbarians"? Clearly they are not the Illyrians for they have caused the scarpering by changing sides. Given this is not the kingdom of Philip II they can hardly be the Paeonians, Thracians or others. Thucydides notes only the Acanthians and Chalcidians as well as those Peloponesians Brasidas brought with him (including mercenaries). The Macedonian kingdom at this time is likely to have comprised only the lower plain and not all of that (the Greek poleis of the coast for example).
I think that Thucydides here speaks of the Macedonian nobility - the cavalry - as "Makedones". At this time the "general" population were indentured serf-farmers at the beck and call of their "feudal lord". What I think Thucydides is indicating is that these are the crowd of barbaroi. Again, at this time it is rather difficult to see Perdiccas - in "control" only of the lower Macedonian plain - mustering a "crowd of barbarians" who are somehow respondent to him for Brasidas has not raised them. It is unlikely he had the money to hire them all and, if he did, from where did he get them?
These, I'm sure, are those whom Philip II will make Makedones as he expands his kingdom and grants land. Those that Alexander refers to as having been transformed from transhumant pastoralists / farmers dressed in hides and at the whim of their overlords to owners of empire. Thus the barbarians are the vast bulk of the Macedonians who are still servile farmers and yet to become the Makedones of Philip II.
Paralus|Michael Park
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
