Derveni Krater: A Masterpiece of Metalwork in Ancient Greece

Derveni Krater
A detail of the vase. Credit: CC BY-SA 2.5/Wikipedia

The Derveni Krater exhibited at the Archeological Museum of Thessaloniki is one of the most elaborate metal vessels from ancient Greece yet discovered.

Found in 1962 in an undisturbed Macedonian tomb of the late 4th century B.C. at Derveni not far from Thessaloniki, the krater is a tour de force of highly sophisticated methods of bronze working.

Weighing 40 kg, it was made of bronze with a high tin content (of 15 percent), which endows it with a superb golden sheen without the use of any gold at all.

Derveni Krater
The elaborate vase. Credit: Michael Greenhalgh, CC BY-SA 2.5/Wikipedia

Large bronze vessels with figural registers in relief, such as the Derveni krater, were extremely rare in ancient Greece.

The most significant reason for this may not have been technical since large pieces of armor were decorated using precisely the same techniques at the same time. Rather, this rarity may reflect the high cost of labor-intensive work, says Jasper Gaunt of the Emory University in Atlanta.

It is most unusual to find figural decoration at a large scale on the bodies of substantial Greek bronze vessels of the Archaic and Classical periods.

“The figural decoration on the body of the Derveni krater was well outside the usual canon even at the time of manufacture, far removed from the generally austere appearance of Archaic and Classical bronze vessels,” Gaunt says.

The Derveni Krater was a funerary urn for ancient Greek aristocrat

The krater was discovered buried, as a funerary urn for a Thessalian aristocrat whose name is engraved on the vase: Astiouneios, son of Anaxagoras, from Larissa.

The funerary inscription on the krater reads: ΑΣΤΙΟΥΝΕΙΟΣ ΑΝΑΞΑΓΟΡΑΙΟΙ ΕΣ ΛΑΡΙΣΑΣ, meaning: “Astiouneios, son of Anaxagoras, from Larisa.”

Kraters (mixing bowls) were vessels used for mixing undiluted wine with water and most likely various spices, as well. The drink was then ladled out to fellow banqueters at ritual or festive celebrations.

When excavated, the Derveni krater contained burnt bones that belonged to a man aged 35 to 50 and to a younger woman.

Derveni Krater
A detail in the vase. Credit: CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikipedia

The exact date and place of making are disputed. Most believe it was made around 370 BC in Athens. Based on the dialectal forms used in the inscription, some commentators think it was fabricated in Thessaly at the time of the revolt of the Aleuadae, around 350 BC.

Others date it between 330 and 320 BC and credit it to bronzesmiths of the royal court of Alexander the Great.

The vase is composed of two leaves of metal which were hammered and then joined although the handles and the volutes (scrolls) were cast and attached. The main alloy used gives it its golden color, but at various points, the decoration is worked with different metals as overlays or inlays of silver, copper, bronze, and other base metals.

Snakes with copper and silver inlaid stripes frame the rising handles, wrapping their bodies around masks of underworld deities. On the shoulder sit four cast bronze figures: on one side a youthful Dionysos with an exhausted maenad and a sleeping Silenos and a maenad handling a snake on the other.

In the major repoussé frieze on the body, a bearded hunter is associated with Dionysian figures.

Beryl Barr-Sharrar, Professor of Fine Arts at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, recently wrote a book about Derveni Krater. The artifact is placed in its Macedonian archaeological context and within the context of art history as a highly elaborated, early-4th-century version of a metal type known in Athens by about 470 B.C.

David Mitten of Harvard University said that her book “elevates this masterpiece of later classical Greek art to a status alongside those of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Alexander Sarcophagus as the most important monuments of Greek art in the fourth century B.C.”

 

Greece Detains Eight Suspects in Connection With Terrorist Group

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Greek police terrorist group
The police operation to detain suspects was held in Attica. Credit: AMNA

Counter-terrorism officers in Greece on Tuesday detained eight suspects in connection with a terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for three bomb attacks and has leveled threats against judges.

According to police, another two individuals who are prison inmates are also being investigated in the same case.

During the course of the operation, police searched ten residences and seized material that will be examined as evidence.

The case concerns the group “Sympraxi Ekdikisis” (Revenge Partnership), which has claimed responsibility for three terrorist actions via a known anti-establishment website.

These include:

– A grenade attack on the vehicle of a prison officer in Haidari in July, 2023.

– A bomb attack against a construction company in Kifissia in November, 2023

– A bomb explosion at a National Bank building in Petralona on January 25, 2024.

Police will make announcements after the conclusion of the operation.

Terrorist group resurgence in Greece

Officials have expressed fears of a resurgence of terrorism in Greece. Earlier in February, a bomb exploded in the heart of Athens across the Ministry of Labor.

Initially, Greek Police (ELAS) believed the bomb that exploded early in the morning was intended to destroy a bank on Stadiou Street. However, further investigations revealed that the actual target was the government building on the opposite side of the street.

Police experts now believe that the bombing is part of an organized and extensive plan to use urban guerrilla tactics in Greece’s capital. They also believe it was a symbolic act and wasn’t meant to lead to any victims.

A few days later, explosives sent to the Thessaloniki’s Courthouse enclosed in an envelope were successfully defused by the bomb disposal unit.

The parcel, addressed to a female senior judge, reached her third-floor office at the Thessaloniki Courthouse on Monday. It contained gelatin dynamite.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Similar attacks have been carried out in recent years by small far-left militant groups targeting symbols of authority.

Last week, police were placed on high alert after phone calls to TV stations warned about the placement of bombs in the embassies of Israel, Egypt, and the US in Athens, as well as at the Parliament.

Special bomb squad teams that rushed to the embassy buildings in Athens found no explosive devices, leading experts to conclude it was a hoax.

Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis recently said the government will not allow a terrorism resurgence in Greece.

“We are not going to let terrorism be revived,” he stressed speaking to SKAI television. “We will not allow it.”

“Some brazen and dangerous people did an act that could endanger the lives of our fellow citizens,” Chrysochoidis said. “We will do everything we can so that the perpetrators of such criminal acts are brought to justice and punished.”

Queen Camilla Leads Memorial Service for Ex-King of Greece Constantine

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Constantine Greece
Former king Constantine died in January 2023. Credit: AMNA

Queen Camilla took the reins as head of the British Royal family as she led a memorial service for the ex-King Constantine of Greece at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

King Charles III missed the service as his treatment for cancer continues, while Prince William had been due to give a reading but pulled out for “personal reasons.”

Camilla and other family members were joined by the late ex-king’s widow Queen Anne-Marie, their eldest son, Prince Pavlos and other members of the deposed Greek royal family for the service in the nave of the 15th-century chapel.

Prince Andrew was present along with Sarah, Duchess of York and his daughters Princess Eugenie and Beatrice because it was deemed a personal family event.

The service was held in honor of the King’s close friend and second cousin Constantine II, the former ruler and last king of Greece.

The King has reportedly sought spiritual advice from his friend Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Greek Orthodox Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos.

Abbot Ephraim is said to have told Greek media outlets: “Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe he’ll overcome it. Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life.”

In January a memorial service was held at the former royal residence of Tatoi, north of Athens, for the former King of Greece.

His children, grandchildren and his wife Anna Maria attended the service of the former King who passed away at the age of 83. Some supporters of the monarchy, which was abolished by a referendum in 1974, were also in attendance.

Constantine was a first cousin once removed and sailing partner of the late Duke of Edinburgh, and died at the age of 82 in January last year, decades after being toppled from the throne in a military coup.

The King had a close friendship with Constantine, choosing him as a godfather for his son William, now the Prince of Wales.

Life and reign of Constantine in Greece and abroad

Constantine was born on June 2, 1940, in a suburb of Athens. He was the second child and only legitimate son of Prince Paul, the heir presumptive of Greece. His mother, Princess Frederica, was a German aristocrat and princess of Hannover.

Constantine was sent to a boarding school in his younger years and then attended Victoria College of Alexandria, Egypt, where he crossed paths with fellow royalty, King Hussein of Jordan. Actor Omar Sharif was another one of his classmates.

The young crown prince served in all three branches of the Greek military and attended each of their academies. This also gave him the opportunity to attend the NATO Air Force Special Weapons School in Germany.

On March 6, 1964, King Paul died of cancer, and Constantine inherited the throne. He was just twenty-three at the time. He had already been appointed regent prior to this due to his father’s worsening health

The new king inherited a precarious political position in Greece. The country was still shaken by the civil war which lasted from 1944 to 1949. Greek society remained polarized between the conservative and royalist right versus the liberal and socialist left.

On April 21, 1967, a group of middle-ranking army officers led by Colonel George Papadopoulos took advantage of the political turmoil destabilizing Greece and successfully took control of the government during a coup.

Ultimately, the political instability in Greece proved fatal for the Greek royal family who were essentially exiled. Although Constantine officially remained king until 1973, he never returned to Greece as the reigning monarch.

In July 1973 the Greek military junta called a referendum, which abolished the monarchy for the second time in Greek history. Then in 1974, the democratically elected prime minister, Konstantinos Karamanlis, called a referendum which legitimately confirmed the abolition.

Constantine spent most of the remainder of his life in London. He was a close friend of King Charles III and became the godfather of Prince William.

With his wife Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, whom he married in 1964, he had five children.

Ancient Greek Mathematical Formula Reveals Cutest Dog Breeds

Greek formula dogs
How does he score according to the ancient Greek formula? Public Domain

An ancient Greek formula, known as the Golden Ratio, that was used to identify “physical perfection” was recently adopted by pet experts to identify the cutest dog breeds.

The mathematical equation, that compares the measurements, ratios, and symmetry of facial features, has been adapted by scientists to determine the Greek definition of perfect beauty with celebrities like actor George Clooney and supermodel Bella Hadid scoring high according to the formula.

The ancient Greek formula was used by Leonardo Da Vinci for the perfect human male body in his famous work, the Vitruvian Man. Some 20th-century artists and architects, including Le Corbusier and Salvador Dalí, have proportioned their works to approximate the golden ratio, believing this to be aesthetically pleasing.

US website MoneyBeach, which compares pet insurance, looked at face-on photos of each canine. It then calculated their level of attractiveness based on the distance between the breed’s eyes, ears and nostrils.

Ancient Greek formula and dog breeds

The top ten cutest dog breeds according to the ancient Greek formula are (in reverse order):

10: Golden Retriever – 62.52%

The Golden Retriever’s name comes from its ability to bring back fowl and birds unharmed due to its soft mouth. Its retrieving ability has made it a popular hunting dog for hunting parties over the centuries. Golden Retrievers are also now well known disability assistance dogs, as they are intelligent and highly trainable.

9: Saint Bernard – 62.94%

Famous for its large size and its role in search and rescue operations, the Saint Bernard breed is a working dog originally from the Alps in Switzerland. Its name comes from the traveler’s hospice on the treacherous Great Saint Bernard Pass between Switzerland and Italy named after an Italian monk from the eleventh century. The collective name for a large group of Saint Bernards is a ‘floof.’

8. Rottweiler – 63.65%:

Best known as a guard dog in modern times, Rottweilers were originally bred to drive cattle to market and were later used to pull carts for butchers, according to Dog Time. They are considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds with origins dating back to Roman times. Although still used to herd stock in many parts of the world, Rottweilers are now also used as search and rescue or police dogs.

7. Jack Russell Terrier – 63.86%:

The second terrier to feature in the top 10, Jack Russells were also originally bred to hunt foxes but were increasingly used as family and companion dogs after World War II. They are an energetic breed that require a high level of exercise.

6. Samoyed – 63.86%:

Samoyeds take their name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia, nomadic reindeer herders who bred the fluffy white dogs to help guard and round up their flock. The dogs were also used for hunting and hauling sledges in the cold winter climate. The Samoyed’s tail is one of the breed’s distinguishing features, as it is carried curled over the back, and they often have brown tints on the tips of their ears.

5. Basset Hound – 64.43%:

The Basset Hound has an excellent sense of smell and so was bred for hunting small game such as rabbits. The short-legged breed of dog has loose face skin and large drooping ears like other hounds, which gives it a sad look.

4. Labrador Retriever – 64.67%:

The Labrador Retriever, often abbreviated to Labrador, is one of the most popular dog breeds in the western world. The breed originated from ‘fishing dogs’ imported from Canada, where they take their name from a region in the country. They would help fishermen haul nets, fetch ropes, and retrieve fish. It was then bred into a retriever-gun dog by pet owners in the UK. Their friendly nature means Labradors now have lots of different roles, including assistance and search and rescue dogs.

3. Wire-Haired Fox Terrier – 65.53%:

The Wire-Haired Fox Terrier breed was part of a much wider breed of terriers bred to chase small game from their dens. Once a mainstay of traditional British foxhunts, this type of terrier was taught to chase foxes. The breed was made popular when Wire-Haired Fox Terrier Caesar was revealed as the favorite dog of King Edward VII.

2. Irish Water Spaniel – 66.26%:

The Irish Water Spaniel is the largest of the spaniel breeds and can often be mistaken for a brown poodle because of its top knot and the tight curls that cover its body. The dogs of this breed typically have high intelligence and learn easily, but experts warn they also have a stubborn side that does not make them ideal pets for first-time dog owners.

1. Dalmatian – 67.03%:

Greek formula dogs
Dalmatian. Credit: Томасина, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 , Wikipedia

So-named because its origins can be traced back to the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, this breed originated as a hunting dog in Eastern Europe. The large-sized dog has a white coat covered with black or liver-colored spots, and they are active, muscular, strong animals that require a lot of exercise.

The Ten Oldest Inhabited Cities in Greece

Temple of Hephaestus, Ancient Agora of Athens, Greece
The temple of Hephaestus, as seen from the Ancient Agora, Athens, Greece. Credit: public domain from Wikimedia Commons

Many of the oldest inhabited cities in Greece are still standing against all odds. They have survived to this day to narrate the history of Ancient Greece and confirm its influence in Western civilization. In these cities, one finds remarkable architecture that is beautiful beyond words.

The 10 oldest inhabited cities in Greece:

No: 10. Thessaloniki: one of the oldest inhabited in Greece

thessaloniki, Greece, ancient roman agora
Thessaloniki ancient roman Agora. Credit: Marco Verch / Flickr CC BY 2.0

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. It is on the Thermaic Gulf at the northwestern part of Aegean Sea. There are over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. The city has a rich history stretching from antiquity to the modern era.

It was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife Thessalonike, daughter of Philip II of Macedon and sister of Alexander the Great. It was an important metropolis by the Roman period and the second largest, wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. During that time, in terms of its wealth and influence, Thessaloniki competed with the great city of Constantinople.

The Ottomans conquered it in 1430. Nevertheless, it remained an important seaport and multi-ethnic metropolis during the almost five centuries of Turkish rule. It became part of the Kingdom of Greece on November 8, 1912.

No 9: Corfu Town: a great 5th century Naval power

Corfu old fortress, Greece
Corfu Old Fortress. Credit: Thierry / Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Corfu Town is on the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea. It is the capital of the municipality and regional unit of Corfu. The township serves as a capital for the region of the Ionian Islands. In 2011, the city numbered around 39,674 residents.

Corfu Town is a major tourist attraction and Greek regional center. It has also played an important role in Greek history since antiquity. Its old town in particular has a rich background of Ancient Greek, Venetian, French, and British conquest.

The ancient city, known as Korkyra, was founded around 700 BC, as a colony of the Ancient Greek city of Corinth, therefore making it another of the oldest inhabited cities in Greece. It took part in the Battle of Sybota, which was a catalyst for the Peloponnesian War. According to Thucydides, it was the largest naval conflict between Greek city-states until that time.

Thucydides reports that Korkyra was one of the three great naval powers of fifth century BC Greece, along with Athens and Corinth. Under the Venetians, who remained on Corfu for nearly four hundred years from 1386 to 1797, Corfu Town was a thriving economic center within the northern Adriatic area.

When the Republic of Venice fell in 1797, France took control. French rule did not last for long, however, as, during the complex events of the Napoleonic Wars, Corfu became capital of the newly instituted State of the Ionian Islands (1799-1807). The island then faced yet another French conquest (1807-1814) before the British subsequently took control of the island. The British ruled Corfu up until 1864 when the island was ceded to the Kingdom of Greece.

No 8: Patras: from the 3rd millennium B.C.

Castle of Patra, Greece
Castle of Patra. credit: C messier/ wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Patras is Greece’s third-largest city and the regional capital of Western Greece in the northern Peloponnese. It is 215 kilometers west of Athens. Today, Patras—apart from being a vibrant student center—is busy due to its port which serves ferries to the Ionian islands and Italy all year long. As of 2011, its population was 167,446.

The first traces of a settlement in Patras date to as early as the third millennium BC in the area of modern Aroi. Ancient Patras was formed by the unification of three villages in modern Aroi, namely ancient Aroe, Antheia, and Mesatis.

According to a version by Greek mythology, after the Dorian invasion, a group of Achaeans from Laconia led by the eponymous Patreus established the colony of Patras. It flourished later on during the post-Helladic, or Mycenean, period (1580–1100 BC).

In antiquity, it remained a farming city. After the Battle of Actium (31 BCE), the Roman emperor Augustus colonized it. As such, it prospered commercially until around the 3rd century CE. In 1205, it became a Frankish barony and the seat of an autonomous Latin archbishop, who later sold it to Venice (1408). This was long contested by Venetians and Turks.

Finally, Patras was the seat of Bishop Germanos, who, in 1821, raised the standard of the Greek War of Independence at Kalávrita. The Turks burned the city (which was not freed until 1828) before retreating, and the current grid plan of Patras dates back to the reconstruction.

No 7: Chalcis: a 3,000-year-old city

Temple of Avlidia Artemis, Greece
Temple of Avlidia Artemis, between Chalcis and Aulis. Credit: oedipusculturalroute

Chalcis, or Chalkida, is the chief town of the island of Euboea—otherwise known as Evia—in Greece. The city has preserved its name, which comes from the Greek word “χαλκός,” meaning “copper,” from antiquity. It numbers around 102,223 residents as of the 2011 census.

Its influence in antiquity was far-reaching, and it had colonies in Sicily and Italy. Much like other areas in Greece, it later fell to a succession of rulers, including the Franks, Venetians, Ottomans, and Germans.

The earliest recorded mention of Chalcis is in the Iliad, where it is mentioned in the same line as its rival Eretria. In ancient times, Chalcis was settled by Ionian Greeks from Attica as an important trade post. It was founded sometime before 1200 BC.

In the Hellenistic period, it gained importance as a fortress by which Macedonian rulers controlled central Greece. It was used by kings Antiochus III of Syria (192 BC) and Mithradates VI of Pontus (88 BC) as a base for invading Greece.

Under Roman rule, Chalcis retained a measure of commercial prosperity within the province of Achaea (the north half of Greece). The Ottomans captured Chalcis in 1470. Yet, the city became part of independent Greece in 1833.

No 6: Trikala: inhabited since prehistoric times

ancient Asclepeion of Trikala, greece
Ancient Asclepeion (healing temple) of Trikala, Greece. Credit: GNantin / wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly. It is the capital of the Trikala regional unit. The city is in central Greece and located around 330 kilometers north of Athens.

The region of Trikala exhibits signs of habitation since prehistoric times. The first indications of permanent settlement were discovered in the cave of Theopetra and date back to approximately 49,000 BC. Neolithic settlements dating back to 6,000 BC have been discovered in Megalo Kefalovriso and other locations.

The city of Trikala is built on the Ancient Greek town of Trikki, which was founded around 3,000 BC. It adopted its name either from the nymph Trikki, daughter of the Pinios River or, according to others, from the mythical hero Asopos. During the prehistoric ages, this town was an important cultural center since it is the birthplace of Asclepius, god of medicine.

Throughout its history, Trikala saw many invaders including the Persians, Goths, Huns, Slavs, Bulgarians, Normans, and Franks. In 1393, it was conquered by the Ottomans, who developed the city into an important center with emphasis on wool weaving and production of leather products.

On August 23, 1881, with the signing of the Treaty of Constantinople, Trikala was reunited with the rest of Greece. Present day Trikala has a population of about sixty-one thousand inhabitants.

No 5: Nafplio: the first capital of the Greek State

Palamidi fortress view from akronafplia, nafplio, greece
Palamidi view from Akronafplia, Nafplio, Greece. credit: George E. Koronaios / wikimedia commons CC0 1.0

Nafplio (Greek: Ναύπλιο) is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis. According to the 2011 census, the city numbers around 14,203 residents.

The area surrounding Nafplio has been inhabited since ancient times, but there are few signs of this aside from the walls of the Acronauplia that remain visible. According to the ancient geographer Strabo, the ancient city’s walls were built by the massive Cyclops, who came from the region of Lycia in Anatolia.

For a great deal of its ancient history, Nafplio played the role of a port city to the neighboring city of Argos. Popular beliefs claim that the area adopted its name from Nauplius, the son of Poseidon and Queen Amymone. Poseidon was the god of the sea.

Nafplio saw numerous rulers throughout the ages. From the Argives and Romans to the Byzantines and Franks, Venetians, and Turks, Nafplio was always at the center of attention due to its critical location as a port in the Eastern Peloponnese. It became the base for the revolutionary Greek government on January 18, 1823 less than two years after the revolution against Turkish occupation broke out.

Four years later, in 1827, the third National Assembly of Trizina designated the city of Nafplio as ”the Cathedral of the Government,” officially making the ancient port Greece’s first-ever capital city.

No 4: Thebes: a Bronze Age city

Kadmeion. Mycenaean palace complex of Thebes., Greece
Kadmeion. Mycenaean palace complex of Thebes. Credit: Zde / wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Another of the oldest inhabited cities in Greece is Thebes in Beotia, Central Greece. The city has a history that dates back to the Bronze Age. The ancient Greek township played a crucial role throughout Greek history, appearing in many of the age-old legends of Greek mythology. It was part of the Mycenaean civilization during the Bronze Age.

Thebes was once the setting for the exploits of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus, Heracles, and other figures from Greek mythology. The Greeks attributed its foundation to Cadmus, the  Greek king of Phoenician Tyre (now in Lebanon) and the brother of Queen Europa. Cadmus was famous for teaching the alphabet and building Thebes’ Acropolis.

Archaeological digs in Thebes and its vicinity have revealed evidence of a Mycenaean-era settlement, as well as clay tablets with the Linear B script, indicating the importance of the site in the Bronze Age. Prior to its destruction by Alexander the Great in 335 BC, Thebes was such a major force in Greek history that it was the most dominant city-state at the time of the Macedonian conquest.

During the early Byzantine period, Thebes served as a refuge against foreign invaders and as a center of the silk trade. By the middle of the 12th century, the city had become the biggest producer of silk in the entire Byzantine Empire, surpassing even Constantinople.

Notable people who hailed from Thebes in ancient times include: the poet Pindar (c. 518–443 BC), the painters Aristides of Thebes (4th century BC) and Nicomachus of Thebes (4th century BC); and the Cynic philosopher Crates of Thebes (c. 365 – c. 285 BC).

No 3: Chania: an ancient Minoan settlement named Kydonia

Excavations of Minoan city of Kydonia in the in Kastelli-quarter in Chania, Crete, Greece.
Excavations of Minoan city of Kydonia in the in Kastelli-quarter in Chania, Crete, Greece. Credit: Moonik / wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Chania is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the northwest coast of the island of Crete about seventy kilometers west of Rethymno and 145 kilometers west of Heraklion. As of 2011, the city numbers 108,642. The town has had signs of habitation since the end of the Stone Age, or the Neolithic period.

It is on the list of the oldest and longest inhabited Greek cities as archaeologists have been able to find evidence of the city’s Minoan history (3500 BC – c. 1100 BC) as well as its more distant past. The modern city lies on the site of the Minoan settlement named Kydonia in Linear B, which acted as a namesake for the quince fruit (Greek: kydoni). Later, in 69 BC, the island was taken over by the Romans, who granted Chania the status of an independent city-state.

The first era of Byzantine rule lasted from 395 AD to 824 AD, and the city was briefly ruled by the Arabs for around a century. They renamed the city “Al Hanim” (meaning “the inn”) before it was retaken by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire then reverted back to calling the city by its Greek name, Chania. After the Fourth Crusade (1204) and the fall of Byzantium, Venice ruled over Chania. They renamed the town “La Canea” and strengthened its fortifications.

Finally, the Ottoman Empire defeated the Venetians during the beginning of the Cretan War, taking over Chania. During the 19th and early 20th centuries after the island was liberated from Ottoman occupation, much of the island’s local Muslim population moved to other Mediterranean islands or coastal cities.

No 2: Athens: the birthplace of Western Civilization

The Acropolis of Athes, Greece
The Acropolis of Athens. credit: Christophe Meneboeuf / wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Athens is one of the world’s oldest and longest inhabited cities. Its recorded history spans over 3,400 years. The oldest known human presence in Athens is the Cave of Schist, which scientists have dated to between the 11th and 7th millennia BC. Indeed, people have lived in Athens for at least five thousand years since around 3000 BC.

By 1400 BC, Athens had become an important center of the Mycenaean civilization. The Acropolis was the site of a major Mycenaean fortress, whose remains can be recognized from sections of the characteristic Cyclopean walls.

It is the ancient home of philosophy and the birthplace of Western civilization and democracy. It is also the original home of the most ideal system of government. According to Greek mythology, Athens was once one of the most powerful city-states. As a result, two gods fought to become its patrons—the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, and Poseidon, the God of the Sea.

At the top of the Acropolis, each God offered the citizens of Athens a gift. Poseidon promised safety at sea while Athena created the first olive tree. The gods proclaimed Athena the winner and thus gave her name to the city of Athens. Some of Athens’ most famous citizens include Socrates, Plato, Solon, and Pericles.

Following the Greek War of Independence and the establishment of the Greek Kingdom, Athens was chosen as the capital of the newly independent Greek state in 1834, largely for historical and sentimental reasons.

No 1: Argos: Europe’s oldest inhabited dwellings

Lion Gate , Mycenae , Greece
Lion Gate , Mycenae, located just 9 miles away from Argos. Credit: Discover Peloponnese / Flickr CC BY 2.0

Argos is a city in Argolis in the Peloponnese. It is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the oldest of all in Europe. There is evidence of continuous settlement in the area starting with a village about seven thousand years ago during the late Neolithic period.

The city was created by Phoroneus. Its initial name was Phoronicon Asty, or the city of Phoroneus, in other words. The first king of Argos was Inachos, son of Oceanus and Tethys, who came from Egypt in 1876 BC. He was the leader of a large group of fugitives.

Homer has frequent references in his epics about the Argives. The Iliad-like lost epics named Thebes and Epigones that Homer perhaps wrote mention the glory of ancient Argos. In addition, two of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology, Perseus and Hercules, come from the city.

Argos was always an important center for Greek civilization. This is obvious in its vast theater with a capacity of twenty thousand spectators. It is even more sizeable than the famous Ancient Theatre at the Asclepieion of Epidaurus. The one in Argos was built in the 3rd century BCE and connected to an ancient Agora.

Meteoroid Captured Exploding Over Northern Greece

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Meteoroid Greece
Video screenshot of the meteoroid burning in the atmosphere. Credit: National Observatory of Athens

A meteoroid was captured exploding over Metsovo in northern Greece recently by the cameras of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA).

The initial assessment from the combination of data is that “the meteoroid entered the Greek airspace in the wider area between Ioannina and the municipality of Kalambaka, south of Metsovo and at an altitude of approximately 80 km (50 mi) from the ground, NOA said.

“Due to the brightness of the flare it is possible that a piece of the original body has managed to survive the combustion and has reached the ground becoming a meteorite,” it added.

As the scientists explained, they refer approximately to the point of entry of the meteoroid into the Earth’s atmosphere and not to the area of possible impact.

The video shows the recordings from the three cameras. The video is in slow motion (0.5x) and clearly shows that the body broke up as it entered the atmosphere into at least two pieces, then a third is seen and towards the end the explosion is seen before it disappears.

The duration of the phenomenon is about 2.5 seconds and the entry speed is between 17-24 km/s.

Meteoroid and meteor: What’s the difference?

Meteoroids, which are space rocks, which range in size from dust grains to small asteroids burn up very frequently in Earth’s atmosphere. Between 90 and 95 percent of them meet this fiery fate, never reaching the ground as meteorites.

When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere, or that of another planet, at high speed and burn up, they’re called meteors. This is also when we refer to them as “shooting stars.” Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus – that’s when we call them “fireballs.”

Scientists at NASA estimate that about 48.5 tons (44,000 kilograms) of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day.

Most are pieces of other, larger bodies that have been broken or blasted off. Some come from comets, others from asteroids, and some even come from the Moon and other planets. Some meteoroids are rocky, while others are metallic, or combinations of rock and metal.

This means that the vast majority of the “shooting stars” we see streaking across the night sky are actually meteoroids disintegrating due to the immense friction they experience upon entering our atmosphere at high speeds.

Earlier in February a meteoroid, struck Earth’s atmosphere over northern France creating a stunning shooting star effect.

The 1m (3ft) meteoroid. which has been dubbed Sar2667 “lit up the sky with a pink flash which was spectacular,” an eyewitness said.

Battle of Marathon: The Helmet With the Soldier’s Skull Still Inside

Battle of Marathon
At the Battle of Marathon, a vastly outnumbered force of Greek hoplites saved Athenian democracy and protected the course of Western civilization. Credit: Royal Ontario Museum

This remarkable Corinthian-style helmet from the Battle of Marathon was reputedly found in 1834 with a human skull still inside.

It now forms part of the Royal Ontario Museum’s collections, but originally it was discovered by George Nugent-Grenville, who was the British High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands between 1832-35.

A keen antiquarian, Nugent-Grenville carried out a number of rudimentary archaeological excavations in Greece, one of which took place on the Plains of Marathon, where the helmet was uncovered.

Battle of Marathon
Credit: Royal Ontario Museum

A pivotal moment in Ancient Greek history, the battle of Marathon saw a smaller Greek force, mainly made up of Athenian troops, defeat an invading Persian army.

There were numerous casualties, and it appears that this helmet belonged to a Greek hoplite (soldier) who died during the fighting of the fierce and bloody battle.

The Athenian army under General Miltiades consisted almost entirely of hoplites in bronze armor, using primarily spears and large bronze shields. They fought in tight formations called phalanxes and literally slaughtered the lightly-clad Persian infantry in close combat.

The hoplite style of fighting would go on to epitomize ancient Greek warfare.

Today the helmet and associated skull can be viewed at the Royal Ontario Museum’s Gallery of Greece.

Battle of Marathon saved Western Civilization

It was in September of the year 490 BC when, just 42 kilometers (26 miles) outside of Athens, a vastly outnumbered army of brave soldiers saved their city from the invading Persian army in the Battle of Marathon.

But as the course of history shows, in the Battle of Marathon, they saved more than just their own city: they saved Athenian democracy itself, and consequently, protected the course of Western civilization.

According to historian Richard Billows and his well-researched book Marathon: How One Battle Changed Western Civilization, in one single day in 490 BC, the Athenian army under General Miltiades changed the course of civilization.

It is very unlikely that world civilization would be the same today if the Persians had defeated the Athenians at Marathon. The mighty army of Darius I would have conquered Athens and established Persian rule there, putting an end to the newborn Athenian democracy of Pericles.

In effect, this would certainly have destroyed the idea of democracy as it had developed in Athens at the time.

The Battle of Marathon lasted only two hours, ending with the Persian army breaking in panic toward their ships with the Athenians continuing to slay them as they fled.

In his book, however, Billows calls the Battle of Marathon a “miraculous victory” for the Greeks. The victory was not as easy as it is often portrayed by many historians. After all, the Persian army had never before been defeated.

Sweden Set to Join NATO After Hungary Approves Bid

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NATO Sweden
Sweden has cleared the last obstacle to become the 32nd member of NATO. Credit: Facebook/NATO

Sweden is poised to join NATO on Monday after Hungary, the last remaining stumbling block, voted to approve its bid.

Sweden’s prime minister called it a “historic day”, while other alliance members expressed relief at the move spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden would make the alliance “stronger and safer” while the United State, Britain, and Germany welcomed Sweden’s now imminent accession.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that having Sweden in NATO “strengthens our defense alliance and with it the security of Europe and the world”.

Greece also hailed the end of the ratification process.

However, every NATO member has to approve a new country, and Hungary’s vote ended more than a year of delays that frustrated the other 31 nations as Ukraine battled Russian troops.

Turkey and Hungary stalled Sweden’s accession to NATO

Finland joined in April last year, but Sweden’s bid was stalled by both Hungary and Turkey, with Ankara approving Stockholm’s candidacy only last month.

Turkey objected to Sweden and Finland’s 2022 membership request, accusing the countries of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as threats to its security, including terrorist organizations of the PKK and FETÖ members that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016. It endorsed Finland’s membership in April last year but, along with Hungary, had kept Sweden waiting, until January 2024.

Hungary then followed on Monday, with 188 parliament members voting in favor and six far-right deputies against. In Hungary’s delay, some experts saw a strategy to wring concessions from the European Union, which has frozen billions of euros in funds because of the nationalist government’s policies.

Sweden to become NATO’s 32nd member

“Today is a historic day… Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security,” Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on X.

Speaking about Russia‘s potential reaction, Kristersson told a press conference: “The only thing we can expect with any certainty is that they don’t like Sweden becoming a member of NATO, nor Finland”.

Going forward, “Nordic countries will have a common defense for the first time in 500 years… we remain friends, and we become allies,” he said.

Hungary’s president is expected to sign the law within days. Sweden, which has been militarily neutral for two centuries, will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become NATO’s 32nd member.

All Baltic nations except Russia will now be part of the alliance.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, which currently presides over the G7 group of industrialized democracies, said Sweden’s entry “reinforced NATO for the defense of peace and freedom on the European continent”.

Alongside its move into NATO, Sweden signed an accord in December that gives the United States access to 17 Swedish military bases.

Greek Frigate Sails to the Red Sea to Aid EU Mission

Greek frigate Red Sea
The participation of Hydra “involves risks, significant risks,” the Minister of Defense Nikos Dendias warned. Credit: Greek Navy

Greek frigate Hydra sailed toward the Red Sea on Monday after Greece assumed command of the EU’s maritime security operation which would aim to prevent attacks against ships and ensure freedom of navigation.

Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, emphasized during his visit to the Hydra frigate before sailing, that the participation of Hydra “involves risks, significant risks.”

He added, however, that Greece is compelled to take part: “Greece, as a maritime power with a leading role in world shipping, attaches great importance to the need to ensure free navigation, as well as the lives of Greek sailors.”

With a crew of two hundred, the frigate is designed in Germany and is part of the MEKO group of modular warships.

Earlier on Monday, a security committee headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ordered the participation of a Greek frigate in the Aspides operation, named after the Greek word for “shield,” that was launched last week.

The mission will be run from a military base in Larissa in central Greece under the command of Greek navy Cdre. Vasilios Griparis.

Greek frigate to contribute to maritime security in the Red Sea

The EU announced that “Aspides,” meaning “shields” or “protector” in Greek, will contribute to maritime security along the main sea lanes in an area including the Straits of Bab el-Madab, the Straits of Hormuz, and the international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf.

The strategic objective will be to escort ships in the area of operation, provide situational awareness, and protect ships from multi-dimensional attacks at sea “in full respect of international law, including the principles of necessity and proportionality” in a sub-area of the region of operations.

Greece, a major commercial shipping power, has been directly affected by the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The port of Piraeus near Athens reported a drop of 12.7 percent in activity at its container terminal in January.

Germany, Italy, and France will also provide warships for the mission, joining the Hydra, while Italy will assume tactical command, according to Greek officials.

Officials in Athens have described the Aspides mission as defensive, adding that Greece would not take part in US-led attacks against Houthi military targets in Yemen.

In recent months, the dangers for shipping in the Red Sea region have increased dramatically, as Iranian-backed Houthi fighters have targeted commercial shipping with drone and missile attacks, as well as more brazen assaults by boat and helicopter.

Several Greek-owned vessels have been attacked by missiles suffering damage, but there have been no casualties.

The Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen, have declared their backing for Hamas in its war with Israel. They say they are targeting commercial vessels with links to Israel.

Greece Seeks to Permanently Host the IOC Presidential Vote

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Greece IOC
The flame lighting ceremony at the Ancient Olympia archeological site. File Photo. Credit: AMNA

Greece wants to permanently host the election of new International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidents in ancient Olympia, the Greek Olympics chief said in an interview Monday.

“My dream is to have this election in ancient Olympia, to remind everybody where the Games started, 2,800 years ago,” Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos told AFP.

“Every eight or 12 years to organize the election of the IOC president in Ancient Olympia, this is something that is feasible.

“I think that overall it would give positive vibes to everybody in the Olympic movement,” he said.

Greece is scheduled to host the next IOC presidential election in March 2025, when the term of IOC President Thomas Bach ends.

However, Bach has signaled that he may extend his tenure until 2029. He explained that his IOC colleagues wanted him to stay on, as they did not want an election campaign disrupting the preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

He added that many members also wanted to “express their recognition for the work accomplished by the IOC in the last 10 years.”

Ancient Olympia to host flame-lighting ceremony for Paris 2024

Under Olympic tradition, on April 16th, ancient Olympia will also host the flame-lighting ceremony for the torch relay of the Paris 2024 Games.

Its history begins in 1936 on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Berlin. With the help of a concave mirror, as the ritual defines, the lighting is performed by the High Priestess in the Temple of Hera (Heraion) at the archaeological site of Olympia. There, the priestess asks for the help of the sun god Apollo to light the torch as she makes the invocation.

The lighting ceremony will be followed by an eleven-day torch relay in Greece to the Panathenaic Stadium on April 26th, where the flame will be handed over to Paris organizers.

At the ceremony, Nana Mouskouri, one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, will be invited to perform, Capralos told AFP.

“We hope in the handover ceremony that Nana Mouskouri will be able and will come to sing the national anthems,” he said.

“That would be a very special moment because Nana Mouskouri is somebody very well-respected and very well-known in France and Greece, but also all around Europe and the world,” Capralos added. Mouskouri, who has sold more than 350 million albums globally, turns ninety in October.

The Olympic Flame for the 2024 Paris Games will take to the seas from its birthplace in Greece, arriving aboard a three-masted tall ship in the French port of Marseille, a former Greek colony founded 2,600 years ago.

The Olympic flame arriving in the host country symbolizes the advent of the spirit of the Games. Before lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony, the flame is carried by a multitude of torchbearers throughout the host country and into the host city.

For Paris 2024, the flame will be taken through all the regions of France as part of an epic relay that will pass through iconic locations, creating moments for people to come together and celebrate the event throughout the country.