Plutarch and the Greekness of Macedonians

8/14/2019 Plutarch and the Greekness of Macedonians

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Source : http://history-of-macedonia.com/wordpress/2007/12/28/plutarch-and-greekness-of-macedonians/

Plutarch in Alexanders Bios signifies the Greekness of Alexander and theMacedonians. In reality even the few references to the gradual consolidation of Macedonian hegemony in Greek worl where Macedonians are distinguished from therest of Greeks for clearly practical reasons since they were warring, but wthout anethnological difference (see Alex 9.2, 13, ch 11, 12.5 ). Similarly Plutarch in hislives uses the same method distinguishing the warring Spartans from the rest of

Greeks.

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Agesilaos was accused that he exposed the city as an accomplice in the crimes against the Hellenes.

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Thus, the Hellenes were wondering what the state of theLakedaimonian army would be had it been commanded by Agesilaos or the old Leonidas.

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Since the Lakedaimonians made peace with all the Hellenes,they were in war only with the Thebans

and the Atheneans from the rest of Greeks.

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He soothed the Athenians pride by promising them that the Hellenes would accepttheir leadership

In reality Plutarch reveals the Greekness of the expeditionary force of Alexandereventhough the main army consists of Macedonians.


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neighbouring tribes of Barbarians would not tolerate their servitude, and longedfor their hereditary kingdoms

[Plut. Alexander 11.3]

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The Macedonian counsellors of Alexander had fears of the crisis, and thought heshould give up the Greek states altogether and use no more compulsion there, andthat he should call the revolting Barbarians back to their allegiance by mildmeasures and try to arrest the first symptoms of their revolutions


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Then, while he was thus engaged with Rhoesaces, Spithridates rode up from one side,raised himself up on his horse, and with all his might came down with a barbarianbattle-axe upon Alexanders head

[Plut. Alexander 16.]

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Of the Barbarians, we are told, twenty thousand footmen fell, and twenty-fivehundred horsemen.30 But on Alexanders side , Aristobulus says there were thirty-four dead in all, of whom nine were footmen.


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he sent to the Athenians in particular three hundred of the captured shields, and uponthe rest of the spoils in general he ordered a most ambitious inscription to be wrought:18 Alexander the son of Philip and all the Greeks except the Lacedaemoniansfrom the Barbarians who dwell in Asia .


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He found his Macedonians carrying off the wealth from the camp of theBarbarians , and the wealth was of surpassing abundance, although its owners hadcome to the battle in light marching order and had left most of their baggage inDamascus


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Then for the first time the Macedonians got a taste of gold and silver and womenand barbaric luxury of life , and now that they had struck the trail, they were likedogs in their eagerness to pursue and track down the wealth of the Persians.


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Two Barbarians who were sitting at the fire he [Alexander] despatched with hisdagger, and snatching up a fire-brand, brought it to his own party.


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In general, he bore himself haughtily towards the Barbarians , and like one fullypersuaded of his divine birth and parentage, but with the Greeks it was within limitsand somewhat rarely that he assumed his own divinity.


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On this occasion, he made a very long speech to the Thessalians and the otherGreeks,63 and when he saw that they encouraged him with shouts to lead themagainst the Barbarians , he shifted his lance into his left hand, and with his rightappealed to the gods, as Callisthenes tells us, praying them, if he was really sprungfrom Zeus, to defend and strengthen the Greeks


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But before the foremost ranks were engaged the Barbarians gave way, and werehotly pursued , Alexander driving the conquered foe towards the centre of their array,where Dareius was


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To show its nature and power, the Barbarians sprinkled the street leading toAlexanders quarters with small quantities of the liquid; then, standing at the fartherend of the street, they applied their torches to the moistened spots; for it was nowgetting dark.


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company followed with shouts and revelry and surrounded the palace, while the restof the Macedonians who learned about it ran thither with torches and were full of joy.7 For they hoped that the burning and destruction of the palace was the act of one whohad fixed his thoughts on home, and did not intend to dwell among Barbarians .


Plutarch and the Greekness of Macedonians

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