Macedonia

mas-e-do'nia, an ancient kingdom northwest of Greece proper. The people were of Grecian blood, but were not recognized as such at the Olympian games and other national festivities. About 346 B. C., Philip, king of Macedon, forced his way into Grecian affairs despite the patriotic protests of the orator, Demosthenes. His son, Alexander the Great, practically made ancient Greece a province of the Macedonian empire. Macedonia is now divided into provinces or villayets of Turkey. It is inhabited largely by a mixed people, Greeks, Jews, Bulgarians, Servians, Wallachians, Albanians, and Turks. They differ in language, in customs, and in religion, but are practically united in a desire to throw off Turkish rule. Numerous uprisings have taken place. It is only a matter of time until the region joins the sisterhood of small nations about the mouth of the Danube, or is absorbed by one of the greater powers. See Thrace