Talk:Battle of Thessalonica (995)

Rename page
As per WP:ENGLISH and WP:NAME, I propose moving the page to "Battle of Salonica" or "Battle of Thessalonica". "Solun" is the Bulgarian name for the city, which however at no time was the official name of it. To any English-speaker, "Solun" does not suggest anything, while "Salonica" is much more familiar. If no objections are raised, I shall make the move within a few days.Cplakidas 12:14, 6 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I would agree, but you then should change the battle of Kleidion to battle of Klyuch, as its official name is. And, if changing, let it be Salonica. Regards, --Gligan 21:38, 6 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Except, Kleidion was the actual "official" (if one can say that) name of the pass during the Byzantine Empire, plus this is the name by which the battle has been known in relevant international scholarship ever since. It's quite a different case. Anyway, I too prefer "Salonica", since this was the more appropriate medieval form of the name. Regards, Cplakidas 22:21, 6 May 2007 (UTC)


 * But in 1014 when the battle took place it used to be in Bulgarian territory, and Kleidion is better known because there are only Byzantine accounts to describe the battle, and it is natural that the Byzantine scholars would use their own names for all places, not the Bulgarian ones... Best, --Gligan 07:26, 7 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Naturally... That is the case with most ancient and medieval battles. Kleidion however is an established term, while the ambush of Taronites does not have any "official", i.e. established and widely accepted, uniquely identifiable name, as far as I know (not in Greece or in any English book I've read at least). Thus, the name by which we will call it here is primarily descriptive, which is why it must be in a form that will have some meaning to the average reader. Hence my intention to rename (I have likewise proposed the same with the Battle of Trayanovi Vrata). Just wanted to clarify that... Cheers, Cplakidas 10:16, 7 May 2007 (UTC)

I don't like it, but the encyclopedia is not for what I like or not. You are right and I should agree. : ) Regerds, --Gligan 08:58, 8 May 2007 (UTC)