Macedon

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

MACEDON, EPIRE, AND ACHAJA, VVITH which ALBANIA is described. (Book Macedon)

SOME have divided Greece in another manner. But wee will follow Mercator, who doth accurately describe the parts thereof in three Tables. But in this Table he setteth forth 3. Provinces of Greece, Macedon, Epire and Achaja, afterward Morea, and in the third and last place Candia. The first is Macedon, being a large Country, and so called from King Macedon the sonne of Orsiis, some say that it was so denominated from Iupiter and Thia, or as Salinus thinketh, from Ducalions Nephew. It was heretofore called Emathia, as Pliny and Trogus doe witnesse. Livy writeth that it was first called Paeonia, afterward Aemonia, Solinus calls it Edonia, and Pieria. Trogus writeth that it was heretofore called Baeotia. Stephanus and Hesychius doe write that a part of it was called Macetia, and from thence Eustathius reporteth that the whole Country was so called. It is also called in the Booke of Machabees, Cethim, where we reade that Alexander went out of the Land of Cethim. It is situate in the middle of two great Seas, the Jonian Sea on the West, and the Aegaean on the East: on the North it hath a part of Dalmatia, and the higher Maesia: on the South it toucheth Epirus and Achaja. The Country is every where fruitfull; and encompassed with great Mountaines; and the borders thereof toward the Jonian Sea are plaine and woody: for that part which is called Albania is well knowne to bee large, fruitfull, and pleasant. Moreover, it is very rich in Gold and Silver, and as Aristotle witnesseth, a kinde of strange Gold was heretofore found here, there is also Brimstone digged out of the Earth. Moreover Macedon doth produce a Precious stone called Paeantides, which doth helpe women to conceive, and bring forth children, as Solinus writeth. This is that Macedon (saith Pliny) which heretofore had the Empire of the whole World, that is, that Country which passed over Asia, Armenia, Iberia, Albania, Cappadocia, Syria, Aegypt, Taurus, and Causasus: this Country had Dominion over the Bactrians, Medes, and Persians, and possessed all the East, this conquerd India, following the steps of Bacchus and Hercules, this is that Macedon, in which ou• Emperour Paulus Aemilius in one day tooke 72. Citties and sold them. Such was the change of Fortune. Macedon containeth many Countries, among the which Thessaly is the chiefe, which Castaldus calleth Comenolitari. There are also many faire Citties in Macedon. The chiefe now are Thessalonia, which was and is now frequented by divers Christian Nations, and Jewes, who have there 80. Synagogues. The Sangiack of Macedon resideth here. He at the command of the Beglerbeg, as often as the Turke setteth forth any Army hath 500. Horsemen well appointed, an hundred whereof he keepeth neere him to defend his owne borders. Neere unto this Citty is Siderocapsa famous for Gold Mettall. And Pella where the Kings Treasure is kept, and 3000. of the Kings Mares are kept to breed, as Pliny and Strabo doe witnesse. Stagira was the Towne where Aristotle was borne. Also Apollonia where Augustus Caesar learned the Greeke tongue. Dyrrachium which was heretofore called Epidaurus, is in the Country of Brundusium: also Aulon, Croja, and Cavalla. The Rivers of Macedon next to Strimon, in the borders of Thrace, are Axius, Erigonus, Aliacmon, and Peleus. It hath these Mountaines, Pelion, Ossa, Pindus, Nimphaeus, and Athon. Athos is a great steepe rugged Mountaine, which casteth a shaddow even to the Iland Lemnos: it is planted with Vines, Olives, Bay-trees, Mirtle-trees, and Apple-trees. Now it is inhabited by the Colojerians, who are so religious, that even the Turkes doe abstaine from this part alone, and doe often give the Monkes gifts, and benevolences.

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Macedonia, is a Kingdom of great antiquity and fame in Greece. Anciently bounded by the Adriatick Sea to the West; the Aegean Sea to the East, (now called the Archipelago;) the Ʋpper Moesia, a part of Illyricum, (now called Servia, cut off by Mount Sandus) to the North; and on the South it had Epirus, Thessalia, and Achaia. It was then divided into four parts, as Livy saith; under which were twenty six Provinces: and at this day, though Albania, (which was of old a part of it) is dismembred, yet the remainder is divided into four parts by the Turks. 1. Jamboli, of old Macedonia prima, and secunda; which lies East between Thrace and the Bay of Thessalonica. 2. Macedonia, properly so called, lies between Mount Karoponitze to the North, Thessalia to the South, and the Bay of Thessalonica to the East. 3. Comenolitari, the third part, (Macedonia tertia, and part of Thessalia,) has Macedonia properly so called, on the North; Albania on the West, Thessalia on the South, and the same Bay on the East. 4. Janna, lies yet more South; and is the remainder of that which was anciently called Thessalia: on the North it has Commenolitari, on the West Epirus, on the South Livadia, and on the East the Archipelago and Bay of Negropont. The Reader may observe, that Thessalia is now a part of Macedonia, though anciently not; and Albania which anciently was a part of it, now is a separate Kingdom: both are under the Turks. This Country, anciently divided into one hundred and fifty Tribes or Nations, (as Pliny saith,) was by Philip and Alexander his Son, reduced first into one great and formidable body: which spread its Conquests not only over all the rest of Greece; but passing the Hellespont, Alexander the Great overthrew the Persian Empire; and became Lord of all those Countries between the Caspian and Euxine Seas to the North; Mount Imaus to the East; the Persian Sea, Red Sea, the Cataracts of Nile to the South; the Desarts of Lybia, and the Adriatick Sea to the West: which Empire at his death became divided into four great Kingdoms, whereof Macedonia was the least. Philip of Macedon, (the two and twentieth King of the first Race,) began in the year of the World 3155. which ended in Alexander the Great, in 3642. or thereabouts. Cassander extirpated the first Family; and began a second in 3648. which ended in Perseus XI. in that Succession, subdued by the Romans in 3789. But it became not intirely subject, till the Turks first entered this Province under Bajazet their fourth King; who took Nicopolis, (a Town upon the Bay of Thessalonica,) in 1392. The Conquest thereof was finished by Amurath II. (their sixth King) in 1429. by the Conquest of Thessalonica, and all the other places in this Kingdom, considered without Albania. Now governed by a Turkish Sangiack, under the Beglerbeg of Greece, who has 8000. Crowns the year Revenue; and finds in Peace only one hundred Horse for the defence of the Country, in times of War four hundred. All the ancient Cities are ruined, except Thessalonica, and Larissa.