Albanians in Greece

[Blue Juice]

King Makedon,
Your comrade Risto just mentioned that there were no Greeks. Now your telling me that Philip wanted to destroy all the Greek cities.
Please make up your minds if the Greeks were there or not.

[Risto the Great]

Risoto,
Was Philip trying to unify all the Hellenic States to make them Macedonian or Greeks?

Hi Blew,
since you can't spell "risotto" ... I will assume it was a typo written above. It could have been so funny.

But since you were eager to ask a question, I feel like helping you in your quest for knowledge.

Given that Philip was the leader of the League of Corinth formed after the Macedonians decimated the various Hellenes in the battle of Chaeronea, and Macedonia was not a member of this League, I would suggest that unification was the furthest thing from his mind. It was to RULE them. His son (Uncle) Alexander spread this methodology even further afar ... even adopting Persian customs amongst others along the way.

Modern Greeks don't like hearing this, as a consequence they use the following mantra:

If you can't beat the Macedonians
Be the Macedonians


Let me know how else I can help you.

[Blue Juice]

Thanks for that Risto,
Did the the league of Corinth comprise of ethnic Greeks or a group of people who self identified as such?

Ps.
Don't shout, lower case is fine.

[Risto the Great]

No Bluey,
you know very well there was no such thing as "Greeks" back then.
Why would they want to associate themselves with a Southern Italian tribe called Graecoi?

[Blue Juice]

The Graecoi were part of Magna Graecia.
There are people in the Calabria region of Italia that still speak a dialect of Greek.

[Risto the Great]

The Graecoi were part of Magna Graecia.
There are people in the Calabria region of Italia that still speak a dialect of Greek.

Yeah, I know. In fact I told you that one moment ago. So why use the term "Greek" for the various ancient Hellenic city states. Who NEVER called themselves Greek?

You don't get it do you ?
Have a think about it, drain a little juice and ponder the logic of your wistful thoughts.

[Blue Juice]

The term Greek is an exonym.
They referred to themselves as Hellenic and self identified as such.
Why does this confuse you so much?

[Risto the Great]

Oh, I have heard many modern Greeks call themselves "Greeks".
You used the term for those old races, not me.
You appear to be saying you want to change your statement now?
You know, replace Greek with Hellenic.

Do you think calling them as Hellenes would have quite the same impact on modern young minds? Thereby minimising the distraction of the (modern) Greek term being used interchangeably with Hellene?

But it sounds like you are really into this, please define an Hellene for me. Then define a Greek for me. I like a laugh.

[Blue Juice]

I will repeat it more s-l-o-w-l-y for you.
The word Greek is an exonym (use the dictionary).
There is no such word in the Hellenic Republic.

[Risto the Great]

OK,OK ... we agree.
They were not Greeks.

[Blue Juice]

Ok, Now that you understand the difference between Greeks and Hellenes, we can move on.

[Risto the Great]

I am not sure if I accept your apology.

And you have not attempted to define a Hellene ... or even a Greek for that matter.

Is it really that difficult BJ?
Perhaps the truth is hard to swallow BJ.
I eat a lot of pineapple BJ.

[Blue Juice]

A Greek is someone from Greece, a Hellene is someone from Hellas.
Simple isn't it.

[Soldier of Macedon]

A Greek is someone from Greece, a Hellene is someone from Hellas.
Simple isn't it.

So what's the difference between Greece and Hellas?

[Blue Juice]

In what respect?