| Flag |
Date |
Use |
Description |
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|
Jack of the Hellenic Navy |
A square flag with a white cross on a blue field |
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Commissioning pennant (Greek Επισείων Πολεμικού Πλοίου, i.e. "Warship Pennant") flown in all Hellenic Navy' s Ships and establishments in commission, unless displaced by a senior officer's Rank Flag |
'Warship pennant, blue coloured, has shape of isosceles triangle elongated, bearing a white cross near the base of the triangle'. The flag has typically base to legth (height of triangle) 1 to 20. The cross has arms width 1/5 base legth and each arm length 3/5 of base length. The pennant flown on the top of mainmast (biggest mast) |
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Ensign of the Hellenic Air Force |
A white cross on a blue field with the roundel of the Hellenic Air Force in the centre |
| Flag |
Date |
Use |
Description |
|
|
since the 4th century |
Historic Byzantine pattern and emblem |
Most Byzantine flags featured the sign of the cross. This particular variant is known as the "tetragrammatic cross". The four "B" stand for the Empire's motto: Βασιλεύς Βασιλέων Βασιλεύων Βασιλεύσιν ("King of Kings Ruling over Rulers"). Variations of this flag were continuously used until the Empire's end.[citation needed] |
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since 963 |
During the reign of Nikephoros Phokas (963-969D) and his successors, blue and white replaced even the imperial red and gold. The latter appeared again later, especially in imperial banners, but blue and white were also used by the Empire |
This conjectural design features the cross with the initials for ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christ). Other patterns with the same colors are also recorded; descendants of Phokas used blue and white cross and/or stripe patterns for centuries. |
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14th-15th centuries |
Flag of the late Empire, attested in the 14th-century Spanish atlas Conoscimento de todos los reinos |
The flag features the red cross of St. George and the emblem of the Empire, the tetragrammatic cross with the 4 "B"s (commonly, as here, depicted in the form of stylized firesteels). |
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Although it is the emblem most commonly associated with the Byzantine Empire, the double-headed eagle has not been documented in any historical banner or flag (most probably it remained a personal and/or dynasty symbol of Byzantine Emperors). This modern design serves as the flag of the Greek Orthodox Church. |
A black double eagle on yellow (originally gold) field |
Flag of the Greek spachides
|
1431-1619 |
The Greek σπαχήδες (sipahis) cavalry units serving with the Turkish army were allowed to use this flag during the first centuries of Ottoman rule, when within the territory of Epirus and the Peloponnese. Similar flags were used during the Greek Revolution |
A blue cross over a white field, with an image of St. George slaying the dragon in the middle |
The "Graeco-Ottoman" naval ensign
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This flag, the so-called "Graeco-Ottoman" ensign (Γραικοθωμανική παντιέρα), was allowed for use by Greek merchant ships during the latter stages of Ottoman rule |
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes in the colours red (for the Ottoman Empire), blue (for the Greeks) and red (see article on Ottoman flags) |
Popular revolutionary flag
|
1770s-1820s |
This very historic design appeared in the 1769 uprising, based on older patterns. Used among others by the Kolokotronis family, this flag, with variations, was the most widely used throughout Greece during the initial stages of the 1821 revolution |
A blue cross over a white field |
First National Flag of Greece
|
1822 - 1978 |
In January 1822, the First National Assembly at Epidaurus adopted this design to replace the multitude of local revolutionary flags then in use. Since 1828, this flag was flown inside the country, while the current flag was flown on naval vessels and abroad. |
White cross on a blue field. During the periods of monarchy (1830-1923 and 1935-1973), a golden crown was often added in the centre of official flags. |
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1822 - 1828 |
This is the first merchant navy flag of Greece, also adopted in January 1822, employing the historic blue-cross-on-white design. In 1828 it was discontinued, as it was decided that the cross-and-stripes naval flag (today's national flag) should be flown by both military and merchant ships. |
Blue cross on a white field in the canton. |
