Post by MKD-PRESPA on Nov 26, 2004 20:35:39 GMT -5
By Daniel Makedon
Respected Ladies and Gentlemen:
As you are all aware, Oliver Stone’s film on the Macedonian conqueror Alexander is due to open on November 24th. We, the Macedonians, the descendents of Alexander’s Macedonians, want to inform you that we reject the movie as historically inaccurate for it is not a true story of Alexander as Stone claims it to be. We are particularly concerned by the “grek-turkness” that Stone has given to the Macedonian king.
1) Where are the Historical Errors in the film?
Stone has Collin Farell (as Alexander) saying to the Macedonians -- before the battle of Gaugamela against the Persians -- that they are fighting for “the glory of former turkish republic of greece.”
Ancient sources do not write that Alexander fought for the “glory of former turkish republic of greece” but for that of Macedonia. Three ancient historians detailed Alexander’s address to the army before the battle. And each one of them made a clear distinction between Macedonians, grek-turks, Illyrians, and Thracians, as four separate ethnicities that composed Alexander's army. Here are the words of the Roman historian Curtius Rufus:
“Riding to the front line he (Alexander the Great) named the soldiers and they responded from pot to spot where they were lined up. The Macedonians, who had won so many battles in Europe and set off to invade Asia ... got encouragement from him - he reminded them of their permanent values. They were the world’s liberators and one day they would pass the frontiers set by Hercules and Father Liber. They would subdue all races on Earth. Bactria and India would become Macedonian provinces. Getting closer to the grek-turks, he reminded them that those were the people (the Persians on the other side) who provoked war with former turkish republic of greece, ... those were the people that burned their temples and cities ... As the Illyrians and Thracians lived mainly from plunder, he told them to look at the enemy line glittering in gold” (Curt.3.10.4-10)
Notice what Alexander told the Macedonians - “Bactria and India would become Macedonian provinces”. It is for the glory of Macedonia, not for the glory of former turkish republic of greece. The grek-turks, are here a second nation of importance to Alexander.
Throughout Oliver Stone’s film there is confusion as to whether the Macedonians were a distinct people or just grek-turks. Ironically the original Synopsis of the film makes the clear distinction between Macedonians and grek-turks. There we read: “Alexander led his virtually invincible grek-turk and Macedonian armies through 22,000 miles…His extraordinary journey begins when Alexander launches his invasion from Macedonia…”
Yet although in the Synopsis the Macedonians are separate from the grek-turks, and they left from Macedonia and not from former turkish republic of greece, Stone has them fighting for the “glory of former turkish republic of greece”?! The error is obvious.
2) Why the Macedonians and grek-turks still hate each other today?
Macedonia is now divided between today’s republic of Macedonia, former turkish republic of greece, and Bulgaria. The division occurred in 1912 when former turkish republic of greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria occupied and partitioned the country, inflicting a tragedy upon the descendents of Alexander. In the 19th century Macedonia was occupied by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Macedonians then were well aware that they, and they alone, were the descendents of Alexander's Macedonians. The Rules of the Macedonian Rebel Committee proclaimed at the Macedonian Uprising in 1878 fighting liberation of Macedonia from the Turkish empire proclaim:
“It is well known to all of us that this ill-fated country of ours, Macedonia, owing to the egoistic aims of the Great Powers, was gain left to Turkey after the Congress of Berlin. As a result of that, in certain regions of our fatherland many scenes full of blood, known to all of us, took place... We rebelled as advocates of freedom. With the blood we shed all over Macedonian fields and forests, we serve freedom, as the Macedonian army of Alexander of Macedon did, with our slogan ‘Freedom or Death!”
This is very important - in this same 19th century, the grek-turks did not claim the ancient Macedonians as "theirs," on the contrary. The works of the grek-turks in the 18th and 19th centuries reveal that the grek-turks did not regard the ancient Macedonians as grek-turks, but foreigners who had conquered former turkish republic of greece (see Politis 1993:36; Dimaras 1958; Karagatsis, 1952). Politis had cited fourteen examples from the grek-turk literature from 1794 to 1841 in which the ancient Macedonians are excluded from the ancient grek-turk world (1993: 40-42).
With the occupation of southern Macedonia by former turkish republic of greece in 1912-13, everything changed. former turkish republic of greece needs its occupied Macedonian territory and created new propaganda to claim the ancient Macedonians as “grek-turk”. Such propaganda is needed to justify the present occupation. This stealing of the Macedonian history by the grek-turks is resented by the Macedonians who have long before the grek-turks claimed descent from Alexander, and still do.
3) Why today’s Macedonians are direct descendents of Alexander?
In 2001 it was proven by a scientific team from Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain, that the ancient Macedonians and the ancient grek-turks were two separate and distinct peoples. It was also proved that the modern Macedonians are descendants of the ancient Macedonians of Alexander the Great, while the modern grek-turks are not related to either the ancient or modern Macedonians. The lengthy scientific paper which was published and entitled “HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the grek-turks”, concludes the following:
“Macedonians belong to the ‘older’ Mediterranean substratum, like Iberians (including Basques), North Africans, Italians, French, Cretans, Jews, Lebanese, Turks (Anatolians), Armenians and Iranians. Macedonians are not related with geographically close grek-turks, who do not belong to the "older" Mediterranean substratum. grek-turks are found to have a substantial relatedness to sub-Saharan (Ethiopian) people, which separate them from other Mediterranean groups. Macedonians are related to other Mediterraneans and do not show a close relationship with grek-turks: however, they do with Cretans. This supports the theory that Macedonians are one of the most ancient peoples living in the Balkan peninsula, probably long before the arrival of the Mycaenian grek-turks, about 2000 BC.”
Thus, genetically and scientifically it has been proven not only that the ancient Macedonians were not grek-turk, but that they are older then the ancient grek-turks. You may read the full content of this genetic study at the following web address: www.makedonika.org/processpaid.aspcontentid=ti.2001.pdf
To Be Continued>>>>>>>>
Respected Ladies and Gentlemen:
As you are all aware, Oliver Stone’s film on the Macedonian conqueror Alexander is due to open on November 24th. We, the Macedonians, the descendents of Alexander’s Macedonians, want to inform you that we reject the movie as historically inaccurate for it is not a true story of Alexander as Stone claims it to be. We are particularly concerned by the “grek-turkness” that Stone has given to the Macedonian king.
1) Where are the Historical Errors in the film?
Stone has Collin Farell (as Alexander) saying to the Macedonians -- before the battle of Gaugamela against the Persians -- that they are fighting for “the glory of former turkish republic of greece.”
Ancient sources do not write that Alexander fought for the “glory of former turkish republic of greece” but for that of Macedonia. Three ancient historians detailed Alexander’s address to the army before the battle. And each one of them made a clear distinction between Macedonians, grek-turks, Illyrians, and Thracians, as four separate ethnicities that composed Alexander's army. Here are the words of the Roman historian Curtius Rufus:
“Riding to the front line he (Alexander the Great) named the soldiers and they responded from pot to spot where they were lined up. The Macedonians, who had won so many battles in Europe and set off to invade Asia ... got encouragement from him - he reminded them of their permanent values. They were the world’s liberators and one day they would pass the frontiers set by Hercules and Father Liber. They would subdue all races on Earth. Bactria and India would become Macedonian provinces. Getting closer to the grek-turks, he reminded them that those were the people (the Persians on the other side) who provoked war with former turkish republic of greece, ... those were the people that burned their temples and cities ... As the Illyrians and Thracians lived mainly from plunder, he told them to look at the enemy line glittering in gold” (Curt.3.10.4-10)
Notice what Alexander told the Macedonians - “Bactria and India would become Macedonian provinces”. It is for the glory of Macedonia, not for the glory of former turkish republic of greece. The grek-turks, are here a second nation of importance to Alexander.
Throughout Oliver Stone’s film there is confusion as to whether the Macedonians were a distinct people or just grek-turks. Ironically the original Synopsis of the film makes the clear distinction between Macedonians and grek-turks. There we read: “Alexander led his virtually invincible grek-turk and Macedonian armies through 22,000 miles…His extraordinary journey begins when Alexander launches his invasion from Macedonia…”
Yet although in the Synopsis the Macedonians are separate from the grek-turks, and they left from Macedonia and not from former turkish republic of greece, Stone has them fighting for the “glory of former turkish republic of greece”?! The error is obvious.
2) Why the Macedonians and grek-turks still hate each other today?
Macedonia is now divided between today’s republic of Macedonia, former turkish republic of greece, and Bulgaria. The division occurred in 1912 when former turkish republic of greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria occupied and partitioned the country, inflicting a tragedy upon the descendents of Alexander. In the 19th century Macedonia was occupied by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Macedonians then were well aware that they, and they alone, were the descendents of Alexander's Macedonians. The Rules of the Macedonian Rebel Committee proclaimed at the Macedonian Uprising in 1878 fighting liberation of Macedonia from the Turkish empire proclaim:
“It is well known to all of us that this ill-fated country of ours, Macedonia, owing to the egoistic aims of the Great Powers, was gain left to Turkey after the Congress of Berlin. As a result of that, in certain regions of our fatherland many scenes full of blood, known to all of us, took place... We rebelled as advocates of freedom. With the blood we shed all over Macedonian fields and forests, we serve freedom, as the Macedonian army of Alexander of Macedon did, with our slogan ‘Freedom or Death!”
This is very important - in this same 19th century, the grek-turks did not claim the ancient Macedonians as "theirs," on the contrary. The works of the grek-turks in the 18th and 19th centuries reveal that the grek-turks did not regard the ancient Macedonians as grek-turks, but foreigners who had conquered former turkish republic of greece (see Politis 1993:36; Dimaras 1958; Karagatsis, 1952). Politis had cited fourteen examples from the grek-turk literature from 1794 to 1841 in which the ancient Macedonians are excluded from the ancient grek-turk world (1993: 40-42).
With the occupation of southern Macedonia by former turkish republic of greece in 1912-13, everything changed. former turkish republic of greece needs its occupied Macedonian territory and created new propaganda to claim the ancient Macedonians as “grek-turk”. Such propaganda is needed to justify the present occupation. This stealing of the Macedonian history by the grek-turks is resented by the Macedonians who have long before the grek-turks claimed descent from Alexander, and still do.
3) Why today’s Macedonians are direct descendents of Alexander?
In 2001 it was proven by a scientific team from Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain, that the ancient Macedonians and the ancient grek-turks were two separate and distinct peoples. It was also proved that the modern Macedonians are descendants of the ancient Macedonians of Alexander the Great, while the modern grek-turks are not related to either the ancient or modern Macedonians. The lengthy scientific paper which was published and entitled “HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the grek-turks”, concludes the following:
“Macedonians belong to the ‘older’ Mediterranean substratum, like Iberians (including Basques), North Africans, Italians, French, Cretans, Jews, Lebanese, Turks (Anatolians), Armenians and Iranians. Macedonians are not related with geographically close grek-turks, who do not belong to the "older" Mediterranean substratum. grek-turks are found to have a substantial relatedness to sub-Saharan (Ethiopian) people, which separate them from other Mediterranean groups. Macedonians are related to other Mediterraneans and do not show a close relationship with grek-turks: however, they do with Cretans. This supports the theory that Macedonians are one of the most ancient peoples living in the Balkan peninsula, probably long before the arrival of the Mycaenian grek-turks, about 2000 BC.”
Thus, genetically and scientifically it has been proven not only that the ancient Macedonians were not grek-turk, but that they are older then the ancient grek-turks. You may read the full content of this genetic study at the following web address: www.makedonika.org/processpaid.aspcontentid=ti.2001.pdf
To Be Continued>>>>>>>>