Republic Of Macedonia

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Ancient history of the territory The ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis, a city founded by Philip II of Macedon in the 4th century BC In antiquity, the central and northern zones of what is now the Republic of Macedonia was inhabited by Paeonians,[16] whilst the Lakeland region (Erigon) was inhabited by tribes known historically as Enchelae, Pelagones and Lyncestae; the latter two are generally regarded as Molossian or Upper Macedonian tribes, whilst the former is considered "Illyrian".[17][18][19][20][21][22] The linguistic affinities of the various tribes is difficult to equivocally establish due to the paucity of data. Moreover, ancient sources did not necessarily categorize tribes on a detailed dialectical knowledge of the area, but on a political basis. For example, the Pelagones or Lyncestae were at times part of the Molossian koinon, the Macedonian Kingdom, or even the "Illyrian Kingdom" of Glaucias; and were therefore variously referred to as Epirotian or Upper Macedonian tribes. Similarly, the Paeonians at times expanded their rule over much of Macedonia, including over the south-western Thracian tribes (Edonoi, Krestonoi, etc.). Whatever the native languages, Greek began to be used as early as the sixth century BCE (coin issued by the Paeonian Kings were in Greek).[23] Strabo remarked that many tribes between Corcyra, Macedonia and the Via Egnatia were bilingual (δίγλωττοι) [Strabo C 327]. After the early victories of Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC, he absorbed[24] the regions of Upper Macedonia into the Kingdom of Macedon, including Lynkestis, Pelagonia, and the southern part of Paeonia (Deuriopus), which now lie within the Republic of Macedonia.[25] Philip did not make the people of Upper Macedonia subject but instead made them equal to the Macedonians of Lower Macedonia.[24] Philip's son Alexander the Great conquered the remainder of the region, reaching
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