1821 reconstruction

[hoplite14gr]

Courtesy of Athanasios Porporis Melbourn Hoplitikon.

in the following link
http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t178 ... ch2007.jpg

...you can see a very accurate recinstruction of the irregular horsemen fielded by the Greek rebels against the Ottoman Empire during the 1821 revolution

The black coats of those leading the horses are the mountain shepards goat felt capes . Probably being in use in the Balkans from the Bronze Age.

Kind regards

[Jona Lendering]

Thanks. I always liked men like Kolokotronis and Iannis Makrijannis, which always remind me of those lines from Once Upon a Time in the West:

Harmonica: So, you found out you're not a businessman after all.
Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

Those guys - they were not just in it for the money, but had an ideal for which they were willing to fight. Perhaps we do things better now, but sometimes I think we've lost something valuable. Je suis venu trop tard dans un monde trop vieux.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

We wore Fezes..... hock: hock: hock:

I have a picture of my great great...grandfather in his kilt from about that time. Thanks for posting that picture Stefanos, I am finding absolutely nothing on the subject of the Greek W of I in book shops here, and that is interesting to see.

[hoplite14gr]

@ Marcus/Byron
The fez is an evolution of the sheperds' felt cup.
The Central Greece type felt cup like the one I wear in some hoplite photos has been unchanged for 2500 years!

@ Jona
Yes people craved wealth but had principles too!
Makriyannis in his memoirs talks about an ancestor of mine who though a successful bussiness man equiped a unit with own funds and following the family tradition of not giving an inch was killed in the battle of Peta.

As for the irregular cavalry of the rebels a unit of 70 was part of Georgios Karaiskakis troops.

The unit leader Hatzi-Michalis Dalianis went to Crete to help the revolution there and the unit was wiped out.
Its rumored that at dusk you cna see charging horsemen in the place that tey died. The Drosoulites legent.

Kind regards

[Jona Lendering]

Makriyannis in his memoirs talks about an ancestor of mine who though a successful bussiness man equiped a unit with own funds and following the family tradition of not giving an inch was killed in the battle of Peta.

There's a German translation of the memoirs ("Wir, nicht ich") but I was never able to obtain a copy...

[hoplite14gr]

Tried google but I could not find any translation in English.
Sorry!

Kind regards

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Ahhhh, so it was originally Greek then, that's cool!
So what area did this group originate from? What about those from the olympia area, what record of events or groups are there from this region?

[Sean Manning]

Those guys - they were not just in it for the money, but had an ideal for which they were willing to fight. Perhaps we do things better now, but sometimes I think we've lost something valuable. Je suis venu trop tard dans un monde trop vieux.

I'm not sure there's a lack of people today fighting passionately for what they believe. Just look at Richard Dawkins, gay rights activists, or the anti-gun-control movement in the US (to take three random examples across the political spectrum). Most of them aren't risking their lives for the cause, but people rarely die or are ruined as a result.

[hoplite14gr]

Byron, the Group is in Melbourn Australia. There are a many people of Greek descent there.

Sean, I agree that there still issues to be fought for but most people in the developed world do not have to face the prospect of being executed if they protest on anything. In bygone ages it could be an issue not now.

Our Group took part today in the National Holiday Parade.
Pic to be posted on the "Show your Greek Warrior Impression" thread

Kind regards