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guished themselves. Those who fell in the battle were honoured with public monuments, and their family freed from tribute. In every other respect, the soldiers of Macedonia were treated with great consideration. When the time of

their service expired, or if they were rendered incapable of serving, they were dismissed with ample provision for themselves, that they might enjoy repose, and excite the youth among them to follow in their path of warlike fame.

Thus it appears that the Macedonians were peculiarly a warlike people. They were trained up to the use of arms, and hence they preferred war to peace. Even if their own monarchs were not engaged in spreading desolation in the world, they were ever ready to receive hire for the slaughter of their species from foreign potentates. Lost to every principle of humanity and benevolence, they looked upon the rest of mankind as their prey. Hence it was, that the ambition of Alexander to conquer the known world was fostered and brought into action. He knew the material he held in his hands. He knew that the soldiers of Macedonia were animated, like himself, by a love of conquest; and that they only wanted a leader to conduct them on to rapine and slaughter. This is an awful picture of human nature; testifying at once to the evils that waited on paganism, to the corruption of the heart of man, and to the necessity of his being, in all ages, born again unto righteousness and true holiness, that he may desire to follow the precepts of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

THE COMMONALTY.

History has not preserved any records concerning the gradations of society among the Macedonians. As, however, nothing is related touching revolts among the poorest classes, it may be concluded, that, though they might be in bondage, they were not the victims of rapacity and cruelty. The great landholders, forming the aristocracy, seemed to have resided principally on their estates, avoiding congregating in cities; which insulated condition contributed to the permanence of the Macedonian monarchy.

There was one circumstance, however, unfavourable to the welfare and strength of the kingdom of Macedonia; namely, the practice of placing the younger sons of the royal family in the government of frontier provinces. Having to defend these provinces against neighbouring hostile tribes, their situa

tion was similar to that of the lord marchers of the feudal ages in Christendom. Besides, the system of appenages was productive of prejudicial effects. As in modern ages, they were mostly hereditary; hence the granting such not only weakened the kingdom, but often opened a door to intrigues, disturbances, and foreign intervention. Perdiccas saw this evil, and endeavoured to remedy it; but his success was not equal to his exertions. The evil still continued, and, in process of time, Macedonia was like "a house divided against itself."

LAWS.

It has been seen that the laws of the Macedonians consisted only in the decrees of their princes, founded on the principles of natural equity; and that in capital cases judgment was awarded by the army. It may be here observed, that the accused was suffered to defend himself with the greatest freedom, and that in doubtful cases the torture was permitted without respect of person.

The punishments among the Macedonians were of various kinds. Sometimes the criminals were thrust through with darts, and at others, crucified with their heads downwards. In some cases, they were, also, thrown chained into rivers; but that which was most frequent was stoning to death, wherein the army were alike judges and executioners.

COMMERCE.

The commerce of the Macedonians was very limited. For traffic, indeed, they had very little facility. Nearly the whole of the ports on the coast of Macedonia were in the hands of the Grecian states, or of colonies from Greece, who were always jealous of, and hostile to rival traffic. Hence the Macedonians were generally deprived of those benefits which commerce confers on those by whom it is conducted in an active and enlightened spirit: for

-The band of commerce was designed
To associate all the branches of mankind;
And if a boundless plenty be the robe,
Trade is the golden girdle of the globe.
Wise to promote whatever end he means,
God opens fruitful nature's various scenes:
Each climate needs what other climes produce,
And offers something to the general use:
No land but listens to the common call,

And in return receives supply from all.-COWPER.

It is probable, however, that Macedonia exported some of that box-wood, to which the prophet Ezekiel refers as being "brought out of the isles of Chittim" Ezek. xxvii.

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REVENUE.

The revenue of the Macedonians arose chiefly from their gold and silver mines, which produced an abundance of the precious metals. It was this that enabled the Macedonian monarchs to maintain and reward their troops with so liberal a hand. "Gold's attractive metal" was to them, in truth, the spur of activity," and a powerful incentive to both good and evil; the latter preponderating. In different ages, many coins were struck in Macedonia. One of the most remarkable was the Phillippic, so called from bearing the bust of Philip, the father of Alexander. This coin is frequently mentioned by ancient authors, and it was for a long time the current coin of Greece. Many others are mentioned by antiquarians, and some are yet extant in the cabinets of the lovers of the antique. These not only bear the busts and inscriptions of the princes in whose reign they were coined, but also the names and figures having reference to the cities where they were struck, on their reverses.

CHAPTER IV.

THE KINGDOM OF MACEDONIA, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE MACEDONIAN EMPIRE.

ALTHOUGH no ancient writer has written a connected account of the Macedonian monarchs, yet the pages of Herodotus, Thucydides, Diodorus, Siculus, Strabo, Justin, Pliny, Solinus, etc., afford much light on the origin and development of the Macedonian kingdom. The first monarch was,

CARANUS,

a native of Argos, and a remote descendant of Hercules. Caranus, from some unknown cause, left his country about B. c. 813, accompanied by a considerable body of Greeks, in search of a foreign settlement. Consulting the oracle where he should proceed, and what measures he should take in establishing his colony, it is said he was answered, that he should be guided in his measures by the direction of goats. Caranus proceeded into Macedonia, and particularly the small principality of mathia, then governed by a prince called Midas, and drew near to its capital, Edessa. The sky being suddenly overcast, and a heavy storm coming on, Čaranus observed a herd of goats running for shelter into the city. Recalling to memory the response of the oracle, Caranus commanded his men to follow him closely, and entering the city by surprise, he possessed himself of it, and eventually of the kingdom.

Such is Justin's account of the origin of the mighty Macedonian monarchy; and though there is an air of romance thrown over it, in the matter of the oracle, yet the main facts seem to be substantially correct. It is confirmed, indeed, by the Macedonian standard. In order to perpetuate the memory

of this extraordinary event, Caranus made use of a goat in that standard; and it is remarkable, that in Scripture, a goat was symbolical of Alexander the Great, the most celebrated of the Macedonian monarchs.

At the period when Caranus took possession of the kingdom of mathia, Telegonus, the friend of Priam, and one of the heroes of the Trojan war, governed Pœnia; and there were several other petty princes presiding over the several regions of which Macedonia is composed. Caranus subdued several of these princes, and added their dominions to his own, laying thereby the foundation of that kingdom which his successors rendered so celebrated in history.

Caranus is said to have ruled twenty-eight years, after which he was succeeded in his kingdom by his son.

COENUS.

Coenus reigned for an equal length of time, during which no events are recorded, and then left his throne to his son.

THYRMAS.

Nothing is known concerning the actions of Thyrmas. He possessed the crown of Macedonia forty-five years, and then bequeathed it to his son.

PERDICCAS I.

This prince followed the example set him by his ancestor, Caranus, in the extension of his dominions. Feeling that he was stronger than his neighbours, he carried war into their territories; and he was so successful in his conquests, that the light of his "glory" has been obscured, like that of most other heroes, by the shades of romance which have been cast over it by his panegyrists, particularly the marvel-loving Herodotus. From this circumstance, what Perdiccas in reality performed cannot be stated. The only fact which can be depended upon is that of the period of his death, which occurred after he had reigned forty-five years. When full of years, he is said to have pointed out the place where he desired to be buried, and where he likewise exhorted his son to order his own body to be laid, and those of his posterity; signifying, that till this custom was abolished, there should not want one of his line to sit upon his throne.

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