Upper Macedonia

Upper Macedonia (Greek: Ἄνω Μακεδονία, Ánō Makedonía) is a geographical and tribal term to describe the upper/western of the two parts in which, together with Lower Macedonia, the ancient kingdom of Macedon was roughly divided.

The middle and southern parts of Upper Macedonia corresponds roughly to the modern Greek region of West Macedonia while the northern part of Upper Macedonia corresponds to the southwestern corner of the Republic of North Macedonia.

History
During the late Bronze Age numerous matt painted vases have been unearthed in the region that are connected to the middle Helladic ware found southern Greece. This type of ware has been typically used by northwestern Greek tribes. Various unearthed artifacts of that time also point to the possible existence of Mycenaean Greek settlements in Upper Macedonia.

Following the withdrawal of the Bryges in c. 800 BC the local populations of the Eordoi, Elimiontae, Orestae, Lyncestae and Pelagonians formed their separate political entities. As early as the 7th century BC occasional Illyrian invasions against Argead Macedonia inevitably also involved the Upper Macedonian regions of Lynkestis, Orestis, Eordaea, Elimea and Tymphaea, because they were located between Illyrian territory and the lands of the Argeads, who were based at Aegae.

The populations of Upper Macedonia shared a common language and a common way of life with that of Lower Macedonia which differed from those inhabiting Illyria and Thrace. Available inscriptional and ancient literature points that the local population spoke a Northwest Greek dialect in contrast to those of Lower Macedonia who spoke Aeolic Greek. The region witnessed occasional raids and became a constant threat by Illyrian invasions from the rise of the Argead dynasty until the reign of Philip II of Macedon.

Unification of Upper and Lower Macedonia into a single kingdom was achieved by Phillip II in the mid-4th century. From that date, its inhabitants were politically equal to Lower Macedonians. Upper Macedonia was divided in the regions of Elimeia, Eordaea, Orestis, Lynkestis, Pelagonia, Deuriopus, Tymphaea, and later incorporated Atintania and eastern Dassaretis until Roman intervention.

Three of the most important Hellenistic dynasties originated from Upper Macedonia: the Lagids from Eordaea, the Seleucids from Orestis and the Antigonids from Elimiotis.