Epirus: why some people say it is not Greek, while others support the contrary?

Echetlaeus

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Hello bros and broettes,
my point is simple here. Epirus has been the last frontier of the Greek world in the North-Western region. However, many scholars of the past, especially those living in the Greek core, like Thucydides, and others, like Strabo, characterised us as "barbarians" (along with Macedonians I suppose). To tell you the truth this hurts my feelings :disappointed:.

However, there are others, and actually more in numbers, who support that Epirotans are Greeks.

What do scholars have to say about it? Any comments would be appreciated !
 
Hello bros and broettes,
my point is simple here. Epirus has been the last frontier of the Greek world in the North-Western region. However, many scholars of the past, especially those living in the Greek core, like Thucydides, and others, like Strabo, characterised us as "barbarians" (along with Macedonians I suppose). To tell you the truth this hurts my feelings :disappointed:.

However, there are others, and actually more in numbers, who support that Epirotans are Greeks.

What do scholars have to say about it? Any comments would be appreciated !

Good question. You appear a kind of honest Greek who wants to know the truth. Greek historians of Alexander's time wrote that Epirots and Macedonians spoke another language other than Helenic (greek). Had they been the same they should have spoken the same language, no?. It is believed that Epiriots spoke a language of the Albanian family and Macedonians a version of Thrakian. Macedonians were fond of Helenic culture and got their education from greek (hellenic) scholars and gradually adapted the hellenic language as their own. There is evidence in Greek antic literature that up to 4th century AD they spoke Macedonian but after that they completely appear assimilated. Epirots on the other hand appear dick heads, they did not wont to learn anything so they spoke Albanian until 1945 when were forcefully removed from their lands from Zerva. The only evidence that come s to our time is Greek historians of antiquity. Present day greek historians in greek language give a distorted view of Epirots and Macedonians. Macedonians of antiquity have nothing to do with Slav Macedonians of today. There is a book from a Greek origin professor of Columbia University called " Ballkans" i think who explains the difference or there are a lot of western historians who are unbiased. Modern Greek historians give a distorted explanation for nationalistic purposes.
 

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