Hellenic Host Countries

[Magister Militum Titus Pullo]

I was wondering if the Greek and Makedonian settlers refered to themselves, to outsiders, by the name of their host nation, or simply by their ethnicity and culture? I'm pretty sure that Greek-Bactrians were Bactrians and Greek- Egyptians were Egyptians, but what did the Greeks serving under the Seleukids call themselves? I realise that many thought of them as Syrians for much of their history, although, at their territorial height, they were mostly composed of Persians and Babylonians as well many other nationalities.

[Timoleon]

I believe that at least the first settlers referred to themselves by the name of their city. For example a settler (or even a mercenary) from Athens would always call himself an Athenian, no matter were he lived.
Generally in ancient Greek world people used to define themselves using their city of origin. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that even in 200BC a Greek habitant of Alexandria would call himself an Alexandrian, not a Ptolemaic nor an Egyptian.

[The General]

Considering the poor relations between the ruling Greco-Macedonian class and the Egyptian commonfolk, I doubt the Greeks/Makedonians living in the Ptolemaioi lands called themselves 'Egyptians'.

(Or, well, I don't know about the relations between the common folk, but quite a bit of the Hellenic immigrants seem to have been in an upper position and thus probably wanted to set themselves apart from the commons, and the native Egyptians revolted numerous times against the Ptolemaioi rule.)

Or, well, that's what I'd think, but I can't claim that I'd know. If someone actually knows something, please, come correct any and all mistakes I've made. 8D

[CirdanDharix]

They would call themselves Hellenes or Makedones, or indentify themselves by their city. An Athenian would still be an Athenian unless he took up citizenship in a local city, in which case he would be an Alexandrian or an Antiocheian (or a Seleukeian, Laodikeian, etc). Later, ( starting 2nd century BCE) lines did begin to blurr some, especially in Alexandria, with the lower classes of the settlers taking up some native habits while the upper classes of the natives were Hellenised; eventually "Makedone" came to take on, in Alexandria at least, a more general sense of Greek-speaking and Hellenised--e.g. Alexandrian Jews came to be listed as "Makedones".

EDIT: In the 3rd Century BCE, "Egyptian" was used as an insult in Alexandria--for instance, the poet Kallimachos/Callimachus slandered a rival by calling him an "Egyptian ibis".

[Pharnakes]

EDIT: In the 3rd Century BCE, "Egyptian" was used as an insult in Alexandria--for instance, the poet Kallimachos/Callimachus slandered a rival by calling him an "Egyptian ibis".

What a wonderfu way to get the locals to like you.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I was wondering if the Greek and Makedonian settlers refered to themselves, to outsiders, by the name of their host nation, or simply by their ethnicity and culture? I'm pretty sure that Greek-Bactrians were Bactrians and Greek- Egyptians were Egyptians, but what did the Greeks serving under the Seleukids call themselves? I realise that many thought of them as Syrians for much of their history, although, at their territorial height, they were mostly composed of Persians and Babylonians as well many other nationalities.

By their ethnicity, i.e. Makedones. All the Basileis (sp?) reffered to themselves as Makedones when they had cause to, regardless of the land they ruled over.

Also, "Hellenic" means "Southern Greek" the word you were looking for is Hellenistic, i.e. "Like Southern Greeks".

[The General]

What a wonderfu way to get the locals to like you.

Meh, it's not like they could understand Greek anyway.

[Magister Militum Titus Pullo]

I didn't think that they would name their nation after the dynasty that ruled over them. So then, they personally and individually refered to themselves by their ancestry or origins, whilst their neighbours and enemies may have refered to them collectively by the name of the country where they resided?