Conflicts
Diachronic approach to conflicts, culture of war, figure of the enemy, antagonisms.
-
Due north
Traveling is to be amazed, to grasp what is still possible to learn in order to reflect on it, and then to be amazed! Leaving Athens quickly, we therefore left for the north of the country and its region, as much cultural as natural, of Greek Macedonia.
-
The Evzones
Who among the visitors to Athens has not sent an illustrated postcard of an Evzone, literally ’the one who wears his belt well’, or has not directly photographed this legendary Hellenic Presidential Guard, traditionally dressed in its short-flared petticoat, fustanelle and its pompom shoes. Emblematic figures of Greek national folklore and at the same time a historical elite body, the Evzones are the appointed epigones of the klephtes, literally the thieves, these bandits – supporters of the Greek War of Independence from 1821 to 1830, liberating the country from the yoke of the Ottoman Empire.
-
In the mountain of Pindos
For those in the know, Agrafa remains a mountainous territory—one that, until just a few years ago, was virtually “inaccessible” and, by all accounts, shrouded in mystery. This vast region is brimming with gems perched along its slopes, overlooking rushing waters, narrow valleys, and lakes; their very stones embody the rich regional heritage. Nestled between lakes and mountains, these villages define the unique character of mainland Greece—a blend that is, ideally, a harmonious mix of culture, history, and culinary delights, all set against an extraordinary natural backdrop.
-
The other… trip!
Throughout our modern era—which has already been well underway for some time—travel to Greece has consistently captivated the imagination, prompting the mobilization of the necessary resources to bring such journeys to fruition in various ways. The act of travel, as well as the imagery that underpins it—imagery that has, in a very literal sense, been transported by the advent of the automobile—has remained a constant source of fascination.
-
The Day of No
Greece celebrates its national holiday on October 28th. This is the country’s second major annual commemoration—the first, on March 25th, honors the beginning of the revolution of the modern Greeks, or in other words, the Greek War of Independence of 1821, which sought liberation from the Ottoman yoke. Rather unusually, October 28th marks the beginning of the Second World War for Greece, rather than its end.
-
Pinerolo, the… divided armed division!
It is in the nature of man to oppress those who yield and to respect those who resist – wrote Thucydides in his time—the era of his – History of the Peloponnesian War. This work chronicles the great conflict between Athens and Sparta that unfolded between 431 and 404 BC, and has since become, as they say, a classic of historical literature. This holds true—or, at the very least, is largely applicable—regarding those who are oppressed or those who resist; a case in point is the grim fate that befell Italian soldiers in Greece between 1941 and 1944, an account of which—detailing their experiences—we have presented here in its initial, factual form.