Persian general Mardonius says Macedonians were Greeks

Whereupon Mardonius took the word, and said: "Of a
truth, my lord, thou dost surpass, not only all living Persians, but
likewise those yet unborn. Most true and right is each word that
thou hast now uttered; but best of all thy resolve not to let the
Ionians who live in Europe- a worthless crew- mock us any more. It
were indeed a monstrous thing if, after conquering and enslaving the
Sacae, the Indians, the Ethiopians, the Assyrians, and many other
mighty nations, not for any wrong that they had done us, but only to
increase our empire, we should then allow the Greeks, who have done us
such wanton injury, to escape our vengeance. What is it that we fear
in them?- not surely their numbers?- not the greatness of their
wealth? We know the manner of their battle- we know how weak their
power is; already have we subdued their children who dwell in our
country, the Ionians, Aeolians, and Dorians. I myself have had
experience of these men when I marched against them by the orders of
thy father; and though I went as far as Macedonia, and came but a
little short of reaching Athens itself, yet not a soul ventured to
come out against me to battle. (SS 2.) And yet, I am told, these
very Greeks are wont to wage wars against one another in the most
foolish way, through sheer perversity and doltishness. For no sooner
is war proclaimed than they search out the smoothest and fairest plain
that is to be found in all the land, and there they assemble and
fight; whence it comes to pass that even the conquerors depart with
great loss: I say nothing of the conquered, for they are destroyed
altogether. Now surely, as they are all of one speech, they ought to
interchange heralds and messengers, and make up their differences by
any means rather than battle; or, at the worst, if they must needs
fight one against another, they ought to post themselves as strongly
as possible, and so try their quarrels. But, notwithstanding that they
have so foolish a manner of warfare, yet these Greeks, when I led my
army against them to the very borders of Macedonia, did not so much as think of offering me battle. (SS 3.) Who then will dare, O king! to
meet thee in arms, when thou comest with all Asia's warriors at thy
back, and with all her ships? For my part I do not believe the Greek
people will be so foolhardy. Grant, however, that I am mistaken
herein, and that they are foolish enough to meet us in open fight;
in that case they will learn that there are no such soldiers in the
whole world as we. Nevertheless let us spare no pains; for nothing
comes without trouble; but all that men acquire is got by
painstaking."


So Mardonius says he marched against Greeks, he "went as far as Macedonia, and came but a little short of reaching Athens itself".

Persians considered Macedonians as Greeks!!!