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MACEDONIA HISTORY

Macedonia, a small kingdom in northern Greece, established a growing empire from 359 B.C. to 323 B.C. through the reign of several kings. With Alexander the Great, Macedonia would come to conquer many lands and usher in the Hellenistic age in the region.

Ancient Macedonia was a small kingdom located in northern Greece. The Mackednoi (Mahk-ed-noy) tribe first inhabited the area and gave the country its name. According to the ancient historian, Herodotus, they were the first people to call themselves “hellenes.” The term Hellenistic later became synonymous with all things Greek. However, the Mackednoi tribe had little to do with southern Greece for centuries.

The history of the Macedonian monarchy began in 808 B.C.E. with Caranus, who was the first known king of Macedonia. In 359 B.C.E., when King Phillip II became the ruler, he united the southern Greek city-states with the north, and brought them all under Macedonian rule. King Phillip II improved his army and began to devise plans to conquer other lands in the Mediterranean region. He died before he was able to put his plans into action. His son Alexander, later known as Alexander the Great, was able to expand Macedonia.