Macedonia (Roman province)

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Macedonia province within the Roman Empire, c. 120.
Macedonia province within the Roman Empire, c. 120.

The Roman province of Macedonia was officially established in 146 BC, after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon in 148 BC, and after the four client republics ("tetrarchy") established by Rome in the region were dissolved. The province incorporated Epirus Vetus, Thessaly, and parts of Illyria and Thrace.

After the reforms of Diocletian in the late 3rd century, Epirus Vetus was split off, and sometime in the 4th century, the province of Macedonia itself was divided into Macedonia Prima in the south and Macedonia Salutaris in the north. These provinces were all subordinate to the Diocese of Macedonia, one of three dioceses which were included in the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, organized in 318. When the Prefecture was divided between the Western and Eastern Empires in 379, the Macedonian provinces were included in Eastern Illyricum. With the permanent division of the Empire in 395, Macedonia passed to the East, which would evolve into the Byzantine Empire.

One important figure to come from Roman Macedonia is the patron saint of the city of Thessaloniki, Saint Demetrius, who martyred in 306.

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[edit] Economy of Roman Macedonia

The reign of Augustus began a long period of peace, prosperity and wealth for Macedonia, although its importance in the economic standing of the Roman world diminished when compared to its neighbor, Asia Minor.

The economy was greatly stimulated by the construction of the Via Egnatia, the installation of Roman merchants in the cities, and the founding of Roman colonies. The Imperial government brought, along with its roads and administrative system, an economic boom, which benefited both the Roman ruling class and the lower classes. With vast arable and rich pastures, the great ruling families amassed huge fortunes in the society based on slave labor.

The improvement of the living conditions of the productive classes brought about an increase in the number artisans and craftspeople to the region. Stone-masons, miners, blacksmiths, etc. were employed in every kind of commercial activity and craft. Greek people were also widely employed as tutors, educators and doctors throughout the Roman world.

The export economy was based essentially on agriculture and livestock, while iron, copper, and gold along with such products as timber, resin, pitch, hemp, flax and fish were also exported. Another source of wealth was the country's ports, such as Dion, Pella, Thessalonica, Cassandreia.[1]

[edit] Notable citizens

  • Damon of Thessalonica 2nd c.BC[2]

[edit] Saints and Clerics

[edit] Writers

[edit] Physicians

[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Macedonia - Province of the Roman Empire
  2. ^ The Letters to the Thessalonians by Gene L. Green
  3. ^ Amphiareion — ca. 80-50 BC Epigraphical Database
  4. ^ *refwww.phl.uoc.gr/eulimene/eulimene03.pdf
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Roman Imperial Provinces (AD 117)
The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, at the death of Trajan (117 AD)