Achaemenid Macedonia
Achaemenid Macedonia Αχαιμενιδών Μακεδονία | ||
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512/511–499 BC, 492–479 BC | ||
Old Persian | ||
Government |
| |
King | ||
Historical era | Darius I | 512/511–499 BC |
• Macedon becomes a fully subordinate part of Persia.[2] | 492–479 BC | |
• Conclusion of the Second Persian invasion of Greece | 479 BC | |
• Macedon gains independence from Persia.[2] | 479 BC | |
Currency | Siglos, Tetradrachm |
Achaemenid Macedonia refers to the period in which the
512/511 BC: Achaemenid vassal state
Around 513 BC, as part of the military incursions ordered by
Darius's highly regarded commander,
The multi-ethnic Achaemenid army possessed many soldiers from the Balkans. Moreover, many of the Macedonian and Persian elite intermarried. For instance, Megabazus' own son, Bubares, married Amyntas' daughter Gygaea,[3] with the intention of ensuring good relations between the Macedonian and Achaemenid rulers and reinforcing the alliance.[3][8]
492–479 BC: Achaemenid suzerainty
Following the collapse of the
After having crossed to Europe, Mardonius and his army reached the Persian garrison of Doriscus, and from there, the army separated. The Persian navy brought Thasos under Persian suzerainty, while the infantry continued its way towards Mount Pangaeum, and after crossing the Angites, entered the lands of the Paeonians and re-asserted Persian suzerainty there. Heading towards the Thermaic Gulf, the infantry and the navy encountered difficulties; the former was attacked at night by the Byrgi, while a strong storm devastated the latter. The Byrgi were eventually subdued and the remaining Persian navy continued the campaign. Having arrived at the eastern border of Macedon, Alexander I of Macedon was forced to acknowledge Persian suzerainty over his kingdom.[12] As a result of Mardonius' campaign, Macedonia was incorporated into the administrative system of Persia.[13] As Herodotus mentions in his Histories; "and with their army they added the Macedonians to the already existing slaves [of the Persians]; for all the peoples on their side of Macedonia had already been subjected to them".[9][14]
The Persian invasion led indirectly to Macedonia's later rise in power as Persia and Macedon had some common interests in the Balkans. Thanks to the Persians, the Macedonians stood to gain much at the expense of some of the Balkan tribes such as the Paeonians and Thracians. All in all, the Macedonians were "willing and useful Persian allies".[9] Macedonian soldiers fought against Athens and Sparta in Xerxes' army.[15] In Macedon, abundant food supplies of the Persians were stored during their rule. Due to the scarce resources available in Macedon at that time, it is debatable whether Macedon hosted any Persian garrisons.[16]
Although Persian rule in the Balkans was overthrown following the failure of Xerxes' invasion of Greece, the Macedonians (and
References
- ^ Roisman & Worthington 2011, Chapter 5: Johannes Engels, "Macedonians and Greeks", p. 92.
- ^ a b Roisman & Worthington 2011, pp. 135–138, 342–345.
- ^ a b c d e f Roisman & Worthington 2011, p. 343.
- ^ Howe & Reames 2008, p. 239.
- ^ a b "Persian influence on Greece (2)". Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
- ^ Fox 2011, p. 85.
- ^ Roisman & Worthington 2011.
- ^ ISBN 9781107009608.
- ^ a b c Roisman & Worthington 2011, p. 344.
- ^ Herodotus VI 44
- ^ Vasilev 2015, p. 142.
- ^ Vasilev 2015, p. 154.
- ^ Vasilev 2015, p. 156.
- ^ Herodotus 2010, p. 425.
- ^ a b Roisman & Worthington 2011, p. 345.
- ^ Vasilev 2015, p. 157.
Sources
- Fox, Robin J. L. (2011). Brill's Companion to Ancient Macedon: Studies in the Archaeology and History of Macedon, 650 BC - 300 AD. BRILL. ISBN 978-9-00-420650-2.
- Herodotus (2010). Grene, David (ed.). The History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-22-632775-4.
- Howe, Timothy; Reames, Jeanne (2008). Macedonian Legacies: Studies in Ancient Macedonian History and Culture in Honor of Eugene N. Borza. Regina Books. ISBN 978-1-930-05356-4.
- Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (2011). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 978-1-44-435163-7.
- Vasilev, Miroslav Ivanov (2015). The Policy of Darius and Xerxes towards Thrace and Macedonia. BRILL. ISBN 978-9-00-428215-5.