Many theories and opinions have been written about the origin and ancestry of the Vlachs. Unfortunately, many of them are characterized by a romantic and rather desperate search for a glorious past and ancestors. Additionally, they are closely tied to political expediencies and Balkan nationalist outbursts, particularly Romanian ambitions and the Greek counterarguments.

This work does not aim to address the distant origins of the Vlachs. This is because, regardless of their origins, they do not seem to have played a significant role in their recent development. The main focus of this work is the presentation of the Vlachs themselves, concentrating on "who the Vlachs are" rather than "what they are"!

Their identification with mountainous regions should not be interpreted as an indication of the insularity of a closed and isolated society. It appears that the initial and for centuries development of their metropolitan centers in mountainous areas provided the Vlachs with the best opportunities for distinction.

Ultimately, the economic and social evolution of various Vlach groups, rather than their linguistic identity or origins, was the determining factor that shaped their relationships with their neighbors, particularly with the other Greeks.

The examples of Vlach settlements in the states of Central and Eastern Macedonia, such as Katerini, Servia, Veria, Naousa, Edessa, Aridaia, Gevgelija, Serres, Herakleia, Alistrati, Nevrokopi, Prosotsani, Drama, Chrysoupoli, and particularly Thessaloniki, come as a great surprise to most and highlight the essential ignorance or, at the very least, the partial knowledge regarding "who the Vlachs are".