Greece to Impose Caps on Visitors to Acropolis From September

Tourists at the Acropolis
Overcrowding of tourists at the Acropolis has prompted Greek authorities to introduce E-tickets and time slots. Credit: Schminnte / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Greece’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, announced that starting September 4th, a cap of visitors to the Athens Acropolis will be imposed.

Mendoni said the controls are needed to prevent bottlenecks and overcrowding at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

She said that the number of visitors will be capped at a maximum twenty thousand daily and will be subject to varying hourly entry limits.

As many as twenty-three thousand people a day have been squeezing into the monument complex, mostly large groups visiting before noon.

“That’s a huge number,” Mendoni said in an interview with the Real FM radio network. “Obviously tourism is desirable for the country, for all of us. But we must work out how excessive tourism won’t harm the monument.”

The implementation of the new policies aims to alleviate the issue of long queues, which has been aggravated by the arrival of massive cruise ships that disembark thousands of passengers at the port of Piraeus, the gateway to the Greek capital.

“In the past, these cruise ships had the capacity to carry a few thousand, the population of a large village,” said Lysandros Tsilidis, the president of the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist and Travel Agencies.

“Now the vessels are so big you’ve got the size of a small state on board and at least 30% of all of those passengers will have pre-purchased tickets to visit the Acropolis,” he continued.

Hourly caps on visitors to Acropolis

There will be no limit on how long visits may last, although Mendoni said people who come with organized tours or from cruise ships, who account for about fifty percent of the daily visitor count, spend an average of forty-five minutes at the site.

Different numbers of visitors will be allowed in hourly during the site’s 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. opening hours. Half of the Acropolis’ foot traffic currently arrives between 8 a.m. and noon, Mendoni said. Under the new system, three thousand people will be granted access from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and two thousand will be allowed in during the following hours. The numbers will vary during the rest of the day.

“The measure will address the need to protect the monument, which is the main thing for us, as well as [improving] visitors’ experience of the site,” she added.

She added that the program will be implemented at all archaeological sites that have electronic tickets from April 1, 2024.

The Acropolis zoning program is being launched on the basis of a study implemented by the Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources (ODAP).

Greek authorities closed access to the Acropolis and other ancient sites during midday hours last month at the height of a heat wave that also caused huge wildfires across the country.

They also installed awnings as sun protection for people lining up to see the Acropolis’ 5th century B.C. temples. Mendoni said those steps would be repeated if necessary.

Face of 45,000-Year-Old Woman Reconstructed

Face of 45,000-Year-Old Modern Human Woman Reconstructed
Graphics experts reconstructed the face of a 45,000-year-old dead woman. Credit: Cicero Moraes / CC BY 4.0

Back in 1950, archaeologists found a skull cut in half, buried deep in a cave in the Czech Republic. Initially, they believed it belonged to two different people.

Years later, however, when scientists analyzed the skull’s genes, they realized it actually belonged to a single person—a woman who lived 45,000 years ago, reported Live Science.

Scientists named her “Zlatý kůň woman,” meaning “golden horse” in Czech, as a tribute to a hill near the cave.

When they further studied her DNA, they found out that about three percent of her genes originated from Neanderthals.

This suggests she belonged to a group of early humans who probably interbred with Neanderthals. Moreover, her genome holds the record as the oldest one ever sequenced from a modern human.

Face reconstruction of 45,000-year-old modern human

Face of 45,000-Year-Old Modern Human Woman Reconstructed
The front side of a roughly 45,000-year-old dead woman’s face. Credit: Cicero Moraes / CC BY 4.0

Although scientists have gathered much information about the woman’s genes, there’s still limited knowledge about her physical appearance.

However, a recent online paper published on July 18th describes a new way to determine what she might have looked like. Scientists used facial approximation to give us some insight into her possible appearance.

To create an image of the woman’s face, experts relied on data from various computed tomography (CT) scans of her skull available in an online database.

However, much like archaeologists who discovered her remains over seventy years ago, scientists have again discovered missing cranial parts. A significant portion of the left side of her face is missing.

Cícero Moraes, one of the researchers involved in the study, revealed something quite interesting about the skull. That is, after the woman’s death, it seems that an animal gnawed on it.

The animal could have been either a wolf or a hyena, both of which existed in the area during the specified time period.

Digitally creating missing parts of a woman’s skull

To fill in the gaps, Moraes and his team relied on statistical data from a previous reconstruction of the skull completed by researchers in 2018.

Additionally, they referred to two CT scans—one of a woman and another of a man—to help them digitally recreate the missing parts of the woman’s face.

Moraes mentioned that the strength and solidity of the facial structure, particularly the lower jaw, were the most striking features.

When archaeologists originally discovered the skull, they initially believed it belonged to a man. It’s not hard to see why. The skull contains traits, such as a notably sturdy and robust jaw, closely resembling those of present-day males.

‘Reclaim the Beach’ Movement Gathers Pace in Greece

“We defend the right of the citizens and visitors to have free access to the beaches we love.” Credit: Facebook/ Ilias Petrakis, Paros Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches

Government and judicial authorities in Greece responded to the growing movement for free access to the beaches which in many cases have been taken over by beach bars and other businesses renting out seaside chaise lounges and umbrellas.

Finance Minister Costis Hadzidakis issued a statement saying breaches of the law will not be tolerated. “I have given instructions … for inspections to be stepped up,” he said.

The government “will not exempt anyone” from inspections to ensure that beach bars and related food facilities are following regulations and not blocking the public’s free access at any beach, he added.

Public access to the beaches of Greece for free is protected by the Greek constitution, he noted.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court prosecutor Georgia Adeilini launched an investigation into the issue.

Credit: Facebook/ Ilias Petrakis, Paros Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches

Reclaim the Beach movement started on Paros, Greece

The campaign started on the Aegean island of Paros last month.

Hundreds of Paros residents gathered at the popular Santa Maria beach to protest against the uncontrolled spread of privately run loungers and umbrellas on the beaches. They demanded space to put down their towels.

A few days later, the campaign succeeded. The privately run loungers and umbrellas were removed from half of the beach.

The protests that spread to the islands of Naxos and Serifos were dubbed the “beach towel revolt,” referring to the items beachgoers brought with them to sit on before the spread of rented chairs. However, campaigners dismiss that the movement is simply about towels.

“We are united by the concern for the shrinking of public space and our displacement from the beaches of our country,” the Paros Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches says.

“We are concerned about the lawlessness on the beaches of Paros by companies that exploit parts of the beaches and arbitrarily occupy the common space with deckchairs and umbrellas, far beyond the limits provided by the concession contracts they have signed.

“We defend the right of the citizens and visitors of our island to have free access to the beaches we love. The Greek summer is part of our soul, it is part of our identity: let’s not let anyone take it away from us,” the Movement says.

Credit: Facebook/ Ilias Petrakis, Paros Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches

Private beaches are illegal in Greece, where the constitution stipulates that all coastal strips are state property with guaranteed public access.

However, rocketing numbers of vacationers in the tourism-reliant country have driven up demand for beaches offering sun loungers, shelters, refreshments, snacks and — all too often — loud music.

Local authorities lease limited sections of beaches to entrepreneurs who bring in the amenities during the summer months and in some cases charge customers more than 100 euros ($109) for an umbrella and a pair of chaise lounges.

On many Greek islands, it’s now difficult to find a beach without the rentals during the height of the summer tourist season.

Protesters say that some entrepreneurs often far exceed the scope of their leases, taking up entire beaches with their wares and sometimes banning non-paying visitors from setting up on their turf.

RelatedParts of Nammos Club in Mykonos Closed Down by Greek Authorities

Meta Releases AudioCraft AI Tool to Create Music From Text

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Meta Releases AudioCraft AI Tool
Meta released an open-source text-to-music tool called AudioCraft. Credits: Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0.

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, Meta released a new AI tool called AudioCraft. It is an open-source software designed to enable users to make music and audio by using simple text prompts.

AudioCraft is made up of three models: MusicGen, AudioGen, and EnCodec. The first model, MusicGen, was trained using music owned by Meta and licensed specifically for this purpose. It creates music based on the text prompts provided.

On the other hand, the second model, AudioGen, was trained using public sound effects data and generates audio from text prompts, Meta explained in its official news article.

Moreover, Meta announced the launch of an enhanced version of their EnCodec decoder. This offers users the opportunity to experience higher-quality music generation with fewer artifacts.

Alongside this, the company is also making available its pre-trained AudioGen models, empowering users to create a diverse range of environmental sounds and sound effects, including dogs barking, cars honking, and footsteps on a wooden floor.

Open-source access to all models

The models are now being open-sourced, granting researchers and practitioners the opportunity to access and train their own models using their unique datasets, Meta reported.

Despite widespread enthusiasm for generative AI in images, video, and text, progress in audio generation has been somewhat slower.

Previous attempts have often involved complex and closed systems, making it difficult for people to experiment freely.

Creating high-quality audio, regardless of the type, requires the modeling of intricate signals and patterns at different levels.

Among various audio types, generating music has been proven to be the most challenging task due to its combination of local and long-range patterns. This is because, as Meta also explains, the overall musical structure of any piece is often comprised of the individual notes of multiple instruments.

‘Giving people the full recipe to play’

The AudioCraft models are proficient in producing top-notch audio that maintains long-term consistency, and they come with user-friendly capabilities.

AudioCraft simplifies the design of generative audio models, making it more accessible than previous approaches in the field, as pointed out by Meta.

This provides users with a complete set of tools in experimenting with existing models that Meta has been refining over the past few years.

Furthermore, users are empowered to explore new possibilities and create their own models, pushing the boundaries of AI-generated audio even further.

Meta further explained that AudioCraft is a versatile tool that covers various aspects, including music, sound, compression, and generation, all within a single platform. Its user-friendly nature enables easy building and recycling of functionalities.

With AudioCraft, users aiming to develop enhanced sound generators, compression algorithms, or music generators can achieve this efficiently using the same code base.

Anger in Turkey Over Disney+ Cancellation of Ataturk Series

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Atatürk
Turkey’s media regulator will reportedly investigate Disney+ for canceling an upcoming series on Ataturk’s life. Credit: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Turkey’s media regulatory body is reportedly launching an investigation into Disney+ regarding the decision to cancel the broadcasting of a domestic series focusing on the life of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The cancellation has sparked controversy, with allegations of undue influence from “Armenian lobbies” in the United States.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) announced on Thursday that it would launch a probe into the cancellation.

Turkey’s media watchdog launch probe into Disney+ Atatruk series cancellation

RTUK’s chair, Ebubekir Sahin, announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they had initiated a “careful investigation” in response to reports stating that Disney+ had “decided not to broadcast…Ataturk on its platform.”

Sahin emphasized the significance of the series as the “most important” public value in the country. He also noted that certain claims circulating on social media platforms suggested that the decision of Disney might have been influenced by “Armenian lobbies” in the US.

The platform’s reported action faced strong criticism from Omer Celik, the spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Celik condemned the move as “embarrassing” and “disrespectful to the values of the Republic of Türkiye and our nation.”

Following the cancellation of the series by the streaming platform, many people in Turkey expressed their outrage on social media. They called for a boycott of Disney+ and pledged to cancel their subscriptions in response to the decision.

Controversial series

In July, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) called on Disney to cancel its upcoming series on the life of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the modern Turkish state.

The ANCA accused Disney of glorifying a “dictator and genocide killer.” At the time, Turkish media called the response “reactionary.”

The series was scheduled for release on October 29th of this year, which coincides with the one hundredth anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.

The controversy surrounding the Disney Ataturk series highlights the intensity of longstanding grievances, which have never been fully addressed since the Armenian genocide, as well as the Pontian Greek, and Assyrian genocides.

The Armenian genocide was the systematic massacre and forced deportation of Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923 during and after the First World War.

As of 2023, the governments and parliaments of thirty-four countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Russia, and the United States, have formally recognized the Armenian genocide.

Turkey and its close ally, Azerbaijan, as well as Pakistan, deny that the genocide took place. According to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Infusing history with myth, Armenian Americans vilify the Republic of Türkiye, Turkish Americans, and ethnic Turks worldwide.”

“Armenians bent on this prosecution choose their evidence carefully, omitting all evidence that tends to exonerate those whom they presume guilty, ignoring important events and verifiable accounts, and sometimes relying on dubious or prejudiced sources and even falsified documents,” the Ministry continues.

Beyond a merely historical dispute, the Armenian genocide and the contention surrounding it remains an important factor in diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey, as well as a point of potential friction between Armenian and Turkish diasporas in various other countries.

Innovative Cement Could Turn Roads and Homes Into Giant Batteries

Researchers envision a concrete roadway that could provide contactless recharging for electric cars as they travel over that road. Credit: MIT

Researchers have found a viable way to use cement in house foundations and roads to power your home or electric vehicles (EVs).

A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Wyss Institute in the US unveiled the design on Monday, claiming that supercapacitors made of this material, an alternative to batteries, have “great potential” in assisting in the world’s transition to clean energy.

“The material is fascinating because you have the most-used man-made material in the world, cement, that is combined with carbon black, which is a well-known historical material. The Dead Sea Scrolls were written with it,” said MIT Professor Admir Masic, who was involved in the research.

“You have these at least two-millennia-old materials that when you combine them in a specific manner you come up with a conductive nanocomposite, and that’s when things get really interesting,” Masic revealed.

The concrete mix of cement and carbon black only requires water. This makes it a low-cost alternative to other energy storage systems being developed in the hopes to allow energy networks to remain stable during fluctuations in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and tidal power.

Cement mix can store energy

As an example, the MIT researchers who developed the system say that their supercapacitor could eventually be incorporated into the concrete foundation of a house. It could store a full day’s worth of energy while adding little to no additional costs in the development of the foundation. The needed structural strength would continue to be available.

Researchers also envision a concrete roadway that could provide contactless recharging for electric cars as they travel over that road.

“There is a huge need for big energy storage,” said MIT Professor Franz-Josef Ulm.

The principal sources of emissions-free energy, wind, solar, and tidal power all produce their output at variable times that often do not correspond to the peaks in electricity usage, so ways of storing that power are essential.

Furthermore, existing batteries are too expensive and mostly rely on materials such as lithium, whose supply is limited. Hence, more affordable alternatives are needed. “That’s where our technology is extremely promising because cement is ubiquitous,” Ulm says.

Early applications will likely be in isolated homes or buildings equipped with solar panels that do not have access to grid power. The concrete mixture can also be adjusted to serve other uses, the scientists noted, such as heating systems.

A paper detailing the research, titled “Cement supercapacitors as a scalable energy storage solution,” was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday.

Related: Groundbreaking Cement-free Concrete Debuts in Seattle

The Most Consequential Clash Between Macedonians and Romans

Battle of Pydna
Painting of King Perseus of Macedon in front of Aemilius Paulus after the Battle of Pydna between Macedon and Rome. Credit: Jean-François Pierre Peyron / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

The Battle of Pydna in 168 BC was arguably the most consequential clash between ancient Rome and the Kingdom of Macedon, leading to the furthering of Roman authority over Greece and the dissolution of Macedon as an independent political actor.

The battle is also of tactical interest to modern historians and factors heavily into the debate concerning the supposed supremacy of the Roman manipular system over the Macedonian phalanx.

Context and Prelude

The Romans had already fought two wars against the Kingdom of Macedon during the reign of Philip V, a member of the Antigonid Dynasty who ruled from 221 to 179 BC. The Antigonids were descendants of Antigonus I Monophthalmus (“the One-Eyed”), a general of Alexander the Great.

The death of Philip V and the ascension to the throne of his son Perseus of Macedon did not bring peace between Rome and Macedon. In 171 BC, the Third Macedonian War broke out between the two Mediterranean powers.

Initially, the Romans achieved a series of minor victories, primarily attributed to Perseus’ failure to unite his armies effectively. However, as the year progressed, the situation changed, with Perseus securing a crucial triumph at the Battle of Callinicus and successfully reclaiming the majority of his previously lost territories, including the vital religious hub of Dion. Consequently, Perseus solidified his position in an impregnable stronghold along the river Elpeus in northeastern Greece.

Perseus of Macedon
Tetradrachm coin bearing the image of King Perseus of Macedon. Credit: Classical Numismatic Group / CC BY-SA 2.5 / Wikimedia Commons

In the following year, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, an experienced soldier and consul, assumed command of the Roman expeditionary force. To outmaneuver Perseus, Paullus used a clever tactic, sending a small force led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum on a diversionary feint along the coast. Meanwhile, Scipio’s main force secretly moved south over the mountains to attack the Macedonians from behind.

However, a Roman deserter warned Perseus, who promptly dispatched a force under Milo to block the approach road. The encounter with Scipio’s force sent Milo’s men back in disarray. Subsequently, Perseus positioned his army near Katerini, a village south of Pydna, on a suitable plain for his phalanx.

On the day of the battle, June 22nd, fighting commenced in the afternoon. The exact cause of the start of the battle is disputed, with one account suggesting Paullus used a horse to create alarm, while another indicating that Roman foragers triggered a skirmish with Thracians from Perseus’ army.

Macedonian cavalry
Macedonian cavalry. Credit: Marsyas / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

The Battle of Pydna: Macedon vs. Rome

The Roman expeditionary force, commanded by Lucius Aemilius Paullus, comprised between 28,600 to 37,000 men, including infantry and cavalry from various regions. The Macedonian army, initially numbering 43,000 soldiers, had about 30,000 men at the time of the battle.

The two armies lined up in their traditional formations. The Romans positioned their legions in the middle, flanked by allied infantry and cavalry. The Macedonians deployed their phalanx in the center, with elite guards on the left and lighter infantry on the flanks, likely accompanied by cavalry.

The battle began around 3 pm, with the Macedonian phalanx advancing toward the Romans. Initially, the sight of the formidable phalanx intimidated the Romans, but they executed a planned retreat over rough terrain, causing the Macedonian line to lose cohesion. Taking advantage of the situation, Paullus ordered the legions to attack the exposed flanks of the phalangites. The Romans’ superior weaponry and tactics proved effective in breaking the Macedonian formation.

As the tide turned against him, Perseus fled the battlefield with his cavalry. Some reports suggest that the king was injured at the start of the battle. The Macedonian guard fought valiantly but was eventually defeated, resulting in a significant number of Macedonian casualties and prisoners.

Macedonian shield
Replica of an ancient Macedonian shield. Credit: George E. Koronaios / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Macedonian Phalanx vs. Roman Manipular System

The battle is often seen as a victory for the Roman legion’s flexibility over the Macedonian phalanx’s rigidity. However, modern analysis points to a failure of command on Perseus’ part and the unusual stance of the Companion cavalry, which did not engage the enemy. The training levels of the troops also played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the battle.

Acknowledging the various strengths and weaknesses of the Roman manipular system versus the Macedonian phalanx is necessary to produce a nuanced and valid analysis of the battle and the wider debate concerning the merits of both formations.

The Roman manipular system was certainly the more flexible of the two. The Roman infantry fought in a less tightly condensed formation and were better able to fight on rough terrain.

Alexander the Great Linothorax
Alexander the Great linothorax inspired by Pompei mosaic, displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy. Some of the soldiers in Perseus’ army at Pydna would have worn a linothorax, albeit a less ornate version in most cases. Replica created by Demetrios Katsikis. Credit: Mark Geranios

Moreover, individual units had greater tactical flexibility as the junior officers corps of the Roman army, the centurions, were given greater authority to make decisions on the battlefield. Conversely, the Macedonian phalanx typically fought as a more rigid block of tightly packed infantry making smaller unit-scale maneuvers more difficult, particularly over rough terrain.

However, the Macedonian phalanx was virtually invincible in a frontal confrontation on flat ground. Indeed, the Romans, equipped with short swords (the gladius) and large shields were unable to bypass the thick wall of pikes presented by the phalanx at Pydna until the formation lost cohesion on rough ground.

Perseus’ main failure was to abandon the combined arms tactics pioneered by earlier Macedonian rulers like Philip II and Alexander the Great. The phalanx was a formidable infantry formation, but it worked best when used in concert with outer troop types in the army, particularly the cavalry. Previous Macedonian rulers, Alexander in particular,favored the hammer and anvil strategy, whereby the phalanx would pin the enemy infantry in place and the cavalry would charge into the flanks and rear. Light infantry and cavalry would be used to guard the vulnerable flanks of the inflexible phalanx.

Phrygian helmet
A Phrygian helmet popularly worn by Hellenistic soldiers. Credit: Ivorrusev / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Aftermath

Although the Battle of Pydna was not the final confrontation between Rome and Macedon, it dealt a significant blow to Macedonian power. The aftermath of the battle marked the effective end of Macedonian independence, although formal annexation was still a few years away.

Perseus later surrendered to Paullus and was paraded in chains as a captive in Rome during a triumphant procession. He was subsequently imprisoned. The Senate’s settlement included deporting many of the king’s allies to Italy and placing Perseus under house arrest at Alba Fucens.

The Macedonian kingdom was dissolved, and its government was replaced with four restricted republics, which were prohibited from engaging in trade or interaction with each other. This political settlement was initially successful at preserving Roman hegemony over Macedon.

Xiphos
Xiphos with iron guard and part of its scabbard from Thessaloniki archaeological museum. Also pictured are two spear tips. Credit: Johnhoplite / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

However, Andriscus, a Greek who bore a striking resemblance to Perseus, asserted that he was the son of the former king and managed to reclaim the Macedonian Kingdom with the aid of Thracian troops and mercenaries.

In the beginning, Andriscus experienced success, triumphing over Roman allies and even defeating a Roman army sent to halt his advance. He expanded his control to include a significant portion of Thessaly. However, his fortunes turned when he faced another Roman army led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus at the Second Battle of Pydna in 148 BC, resulting in a severe setback for his cause. Subsequently, Andriscus faced pursuit, leading to his eventual betrayal and capture by the Romans.

In the aftermath of the war, Macedon became a formal Roman Provence. The Romans further asserted control over mainland Greece in the subsequent Achaean War and over the wider Hellenistic world in various conflicts with the Greek Successor States.

Frappe or Freddo: The Battle of the Famous Greek Iced Coffees

Greek Frappe freddo
Frappe is a way of life for Greeks. Credit: Robert Gourley, CC BY 2.0

Frappe and Freddo are more than just iced coffee drinks in Greece. They are a way of life! Drinking iced coffee all year round is something that Greeks savor immensely.

The habit of drinking iced coffee throughout the year is something that Greeks are actually quite proud of.

Whether we’re talking about the all-time classic frappé or the freddo, which has risen in popularity in the past decade, the choices you have regarding your iced coffee in Greece are numerous.

But when it comes to choice, things may become tough deciding between the freddo or the frappé. And if you do choose freddo, would you prefer Freddo Cappuccino or Freddo Espresso?

Thankfully, there are no right or wrong answers to these dilemmas. Everything is a matter of personal taste and opinion, but those unprimed to the Greek style of preparing these drinks may want to know what they’re in for.

How the Frappe and the Freddo became popular in Greece

So let’s take a closer look at these two famous Greek iced coffees.

A Frappé is a foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee, water, ice cubes and sugar (or sometimes even ice cream). Accidentally invented in 1957 by Dimitris Vakondios during the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki, the Frappé is still very popular in Greece and Cyprus and is available at virtually every single Greek café. Made either with a shaker or a special mixer, Frappé is one of the easiest coffee drinks to make.

Freddo, on the other hand, comes in two different variations, namely either Freddo Espresso or Freddo Cappuccino.

Freddo Cappuccino is the iced version of the regular cappuccino coffee, and it usually has a small amount of cold-frothed milk (afrogala in Greek) on the top. Apart from Greece, this drink is widely popular in Cyprus and parts of Italy, as well.

Freddo Espresso is the cold version of espresso coffee, made with a double shot of espresso coffee mixed in a mixer with ice cubes. Particularly popular among those who prefer a cold, strong coffee, the Freddo Cappuccino has become the most widely-consumed coffee in Greece over the past ten or so years.

According to many people, if you put some vanilla ice or liquor in one of these coffees, the drink will be taken to a whole new level of tastiness.

So why not give it a try? If you prefer your coffee hot, however, you can always order a traditional Greek coffee!

Greek Author Nikos Kazantzakis’ Grave Vandalized

Kazantzakis Grave
The grave of Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis was vandalized. Credit: Frente / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

The grave of one of Greece’s most famous and best-loved authors, Nikos Kazantzakis, was vandalized by still unidentified persons.

The wooden cross on the tomb, situated on the Martinengo Bastion within the walls of his hometown, Heraklion, on the island of Crete, was broken by the vandals.

Katerina Zografistou, the president of the Greece Branch and a member of the Coordinating Committee of the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis, has expressed her sadness and disappointment regarding the act of vandalism.

Nikos Kazantzakis’s grave vandalized

“The vandalism of the cross on Nikos Kazantzakis’ tomb is not only an offense to the memory of a great Greek writer, but it also exhibits disrespect towards our culture,” said Zografistou in a statement issued to Amna.

“Respecting our monuments is not just a choice but our obligation; otherwise, we do not deserve to have renowned writers or monuments,” she continued.

Aristea Plevri, the vice mayor of culture of Heraklion, provided reassurance that the municipality’s technical service would promptly restore the damage incurred by the tomb.

On a daily basis, numerous visitors express their respects to Kazantzakis, the renowned author of Zorba the Greek, by visiting his grave.

The motivations behind the vandalism remain unknown at this time, and police are conducting an investigation to identify the culprits.

The author

The famous Greek writer and poet, Nikos Kazantzakis, was born on February 18, 1883 and died on October 26, 1957. He became globally known after the 1964 release of the film, Zorba the Greek, based on his novel. He gained renewed fame in 1988 with the adaptation of his book The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese.

Kazantakis was born in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. In 1902, he moved to Athens to study Law, and, in 1907, he went to Paris to study philosophy. In 1906, he wrote his first narrative, Serpent and Lily, which he signed with the pen name Karma Nirvami.

His most famous novels are Zorba the Greek (1946), Christ Recrucified (1948), Freedom and Death (1950), The Last Temptation of Christ (1951), and Report to Greco (1961), which contains both autobiographical and fictional elements.

However, Kazantzakis believed that The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel, an epic poem of 33,333 verses, was his most significant work. He rewrote it seven times before publishing it in 1938. According to another famous Greek author, Pantelis Prevelakis, “It has been a superhuman effort to record his immense spiritual experience.”

Although Kazantzakis was a religious man and the figure of Jesus was ever-present in his works, the Church of Greece condemned his novel, The Last Temptation of Christ, which was also included in the index of prohibited books of the Roman Catholic Church.

He died of leukemia in 1957 at the age of seventy-four. He is buried in the wall surrounding the city of Heraklion near the Chania Gate, as the Greek Orthodox Church prohibited his burial in a cemetery. His epitaph reads: “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free,” as per the famous quote.

Greek President Expresses Gratitude for Foreign Assistance Fighting Wildfires

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wildfires Greece
The Greek president has thanked countries that provided assistance in dealing with the wildfires. Credit: Amna

On Wednesday, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou thanked the foreign nations that provided Greece with assistance in combating the spread of wildfires which have caused scenes of devastation in parts of the country.

The President sent letters expressing her gratitude to the leaders of each of the countries that provided Greece with aid.

Assistance ranged from the provision of firefighting aircraft to ground support from several countries.

Greek President thanks foreign leaders for support in dealing with wildfires

Greece received aid from several nations, namely France, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, USA, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Malta, Lebanon, and Serbia.

Italy, which sent assistance to Greece, was likewise impacted by wildfires. The spread of the blaze to an airport on the island of Sicily caused significant delays to travel.

The European Union also provided assistance to Greece. Notably, it helped organize and facilitate the deployment of 490 firefighters and 9 firefighting planes in July to Greece and Tunisia, which was also affected by wildfires.

Many of the countries listed above which provided aid for Greece did so via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which the Greek government activated, as it became increasingly evident that dealing with the wildfires would be a difficult challenge to overcome.

Aftermath of the fires

Over 600 fires swept across Greece, scorching hundreds of square miles of land and leaving thousands of tourists stranded. Recent extreme heat in the Mediterranean saw temperatures top 40C, as experts blamed climate change for the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires.

Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece Vassilis Kikilias claimed that arson was mostly to blame, commenting that the majority of the wildfires in Greece “were caused by human hands” and that they were “arsons either by criminal negligence or by intention.”

Similar assertions were made by local officials during the peak of the fires. For example, Yorgos Mahimaris, the Mayor of Corfu, stated that the fires had been caused by arson.

Similar sentiments were present on the island of Rhodes, where wildfires also raged. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, a spokesperson from the Rhodes Fire Department said that “fires are set by human hands” during a discussion with local media outlets.

Nonetheless, many officials have emphasized the impact of climate change on the recent surge of extreme temperatures in numerous European nations. Mr. Kikilias claimed earlier that the climate crisis “brought us this unprecedented heatwave.”

“This is not something that will just occur this year,” he added. “It will last and we have to face the consequences of what that means.”