Eleftheria i thanatos

For the book Freedom or Death by Nikos Kazantzakis, see Captain Michalis.

Eleftheria i thanatos (Greek: Ελευθερία ή θάνατος, pronounced [elefθeˈria ˈi ˈθanatos], "freedom or death") is the motto of Greece.^[1] It arose during the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s, where it was a war cry for the Greeks who rebelled against Ottoman rule.^[2] It was adopted after the Greek War of Independence. It is still in use today, and is a popular theory regarding the use of 9 stripes (for the nine syllables of the motto) in the Greek flag.^[3] The motto symbolized and still symbolizes the resolve of the people of Greece against tyranny and oppression.

References

^ Pedersen, Christian Fogd (1971). The International Flag Book in Color. Morrow. p. 166.
* Crampton, William (1991). Complete Guide to Flags. Gallery Books. p. 57. ISBN 0-831-71605-3.
^ "Greek Independence Day.". www.britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1436276/Greek-Independence-Day. Retrieved 2009-09-09. "The Greek revolt was precipitated on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry “Freedom or Death” became the motto of the revolution. The Greeks experienced early successes on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, but infighting ensued."
^ {{War: A Cruel Necessity? : the Bases of Institutionalized Violence, Robert A. Hinde y Helen Watson, 1995, I.B. Tauris, isbn=1-850-43824-2, page 55 }}
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Eleftheria i thanatos

References

See also