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	<title>Love of History &#187; greek history</title>
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	<description>A historical perspective of current events</description>
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		<title>Greek pride and national sovereignty</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/greek-pride-and-natinal-sovereignty/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/greek-pride-and-natinal-sovereignty/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2015 12:43:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Modern]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek history]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3605</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the first time in many years that I am proud to be Greek. Last week, my people voted for an anti-austerity party that promised to restructure the welfare state in Greece. Syriza seemingly belongs to the radical left wing. In fact it is conglomeration of left and centre political parties that have one common denominator: they despise the Troika and its economic measures that impoverished the people. Yesterday, the minister of finance, Varoufakis, made it clear that the new government will no longer continue on the same destructive path. The path that led its middle class homeless in the streets, and its children starving. There is a new hope for Greece but the predominant feeling is that of national pride. I have been following these expressions of pride in numerous social media, newspapers, blogs etc. Most Greek citizens treat Varoufakis as a modern hero! They ask for autographs, while I am sure he has his own groupies! It is the first time a minister of finance receives the unadulterated adoration of the public! The people are proud for his stance, as if they were the ones who stood in front of the camera and shouted F_CK THE TROIKA. Pride has always been the determinant feeling in the construction of a national identity. Patriotism inspired the soldiers, citizens and other forces that fought for the creation of new nations. It was assisted by flags and other symbols that represented freedom, equality or other similar ideals. For the Greeks, pride is directly connected with its past. Let us not forget the manufactured ideological connection of the modern Greek State with its ancient past. After the revolution of 1821, the Greeks, their ruling Bavarians and many other nations started spreading the myth of ancient Greece. The ancient Greek city states suddenly were treated as a united country that faced off the barbaric Persians, in a common fight for freedom, democracy and equality! The most powerful symbol that encompasses &#8216;what Greece is all about&#8217; is none other than the Acropolis. It is situated on the Holy Rock (as it is referred to), in the centre of its most famous (not to say notorious) democratic ancient city-state, Athens. It represents also the modern Greek psyche. It is featured in tourist literature, exhibitions, postcards, souvenirs, logos and anywhere else you can think of. During the lethal economic crisis, the Acropolis resumed two conflicting symbolic roles. The roles of resistance and desperation. You probably heard of the story of Manolis Glezos, one of the two teenagers who removed the German Nazi flag from the acropolis during the Nazi occupation (Second World War). Back then, the symbolic gesture caused the hope and pride of the local population to rise. Today Manolis Glezos is revered more than ever. Despite his advanced age, he is one of the key members of the radical left (Syriza) and a member of the European parliament. The party that was voted to bring hope back to Greece. During the recession, in some cases, both hope and pride disappeared. The Acropolis became once more the &#8216;normal&#8217; place for suicides and other acts of desperation. The Holy Rock became tainted! The &#8216;miasma&#8217; spread to the rest of the country. The people went around with hunched backs, bowing in front of the inevitable loss of sovereignty. Until these elections! My people finally voted for hope. The hope for true democracy has returned. The hope for true national sovereignty is becoming stronger. The hope to create our own destiny is becoming vital for our very existence. The prime minister tied together all of the above through one symbolic move. A move that, for a change, did not involve the Acropolis directly. After he was sworn into government, he visited Kaisariani to leave a few flowers in remembrance of the victims of German Occupation (Second World War). The Nazi forces shot several Greeks in this area. Syriza is a supporter of a political movement that demands Germany to pay back all of the Second World Debt to Greece, including the money it &#8216;borrowed&#8217;. This debt was abolished after the War, in order to suppress further enmity between European nations. Paying homage to the victims of German nazism at Kaisariani and asking for war reparations is pivotal in the 21st century fight against neoliberalism. Germany has become an anti-national symbol that garners all of the Greek forces under one flag. Varoufakis suddenly became the person/ symbol who said NO to the destructive forces. National pride surged and the people are celebrating their newfound freedom, and hope. Everyone is aware that the road will be long, bumpy, and full of obstacles. I am sure, though, that pride will sustain those who are directly involved into the fight for national sovereignty. It is not the first time that the Greeks become the people who defend ideals such as independence, equality, social welfare. The sense of patriotism and pride helped in the past, as it will help now.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Happy New Old Life!</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/happy-new-old-life/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/happy-new-old-life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:40:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient coins]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[auction house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economic history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek coin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek coins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[historian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[identification of coins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love of history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monetary history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[numismatic consultancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[numismatics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[numismatist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prices of coins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roman coins]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3489</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Christmas is time for deep reflection on the past and happy thoughts for the future. At least for me! I always use the free time to understand better what I achieved so far, and what I would like to target in the future. For some disturbing reason, this year I decided to return to the past! As a historian, it would seem to be the obvious choice for many. And yet, it is not the obvious choice for me. For the past year I was dealing almost exclusively with innovative companies. In a sense, I kept my eye firmly towards the future. As New Yea’s Day is coming close, I am determined to go back to my roots: coins.  I first started studying coins at the National Foundation of Greece in the then called KERA in 1993. Under the guidance of Aikaterine Liampi I researched thousand of fine Greek and Roman specimens for the good part of three years. Since then I have been hooked on the sport. By 1996 I was ready to start my PhD at University College London, which launched my career as an academic, numismatist and historian. I may have been frustrated at times but I have never regretted one little bit of it. Over the years, my thought developed and, in some cases, took alien paths. I tiptoed in slavery, sexual history, identities and anything else you can think of. I always returned, though, to my first love: coins. When I decided to leave academia after 20 years of toil, I thought that I was done with the past. Little did I know that the past is always there to haunt you. My yearning for studying the coins returned in a very visious manner. And I can no longer ignore it! So, I decided to explore my options, once again! Of course, I do not plan to return to academia! Being there, done that! Instead, I would like to try new avenues. I will start by publishing the numismatic articles I have forgotten in the drawers of my computer. Do not worry, I do not plan to hide them behind paid walls. I will just upload them in my blog, hoping that someone will be interested enough to read them. I have to warn you, though, that they are not for the faint hearted! And then, who knows! I may return to auctions, bidding and trading. But that would be another story&#8230; CHECK OUT THE NEW ARTICLES *OPEN ACCESS* &#160;]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Herodotus, the Father of History or Blogging?</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/herodotus-the-father-of-history-or-blogging/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/herodotus-the-father-of-history-or-blogging/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:47:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ancient]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dareius]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[father of history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Herodotus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[persian wars]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=2982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Herodotus, The Father of History or Blogging? Herodotus was a Greek historian that has been acknowledged as the Father of History ever since antiquity. Of course, the title does not reflect accurately the state of historical studies at the time, since other similar historians preceded him. The fact is the Herodotus was the first write to use prose in order to describe lengthy events; The Greek-Persian Wars. He was born in Halicarnassus, modern Bodrum in Turkey, in the early 5th century BC. The city was known for its participation in constant fights against the Persians, who eventually invaded also mainland Greece. Herodotus probably spent many evenings listening to the stories of the people who participated in these wars. When he visited Athens he probably got more food for thought, as he most likely met the famous tragoedians, Aeschylus and Sophocles, while he must have been acquainted to powerful political figures, such as Pericles. As he seemed to have been enamoured with traveling, he ended up in the Athenian colony of Thurii in Southern Italy, where he died at some point after 430 BC. Even though scholars used to consider Thucydides a more &#8216;serious&#8217; historian, Herodotus was the one who distinguished between myths and historical facts. He tried to find the truth behind the narratives of eye witnesses and he was very careful to use oral history. Above all, his works were not commissioned by any contemporary political figures but they probably reflect his own views of the past. As I already mentioned in the beginning, he was especially interested in the prolonged conflict between the Greeks and the Persians. Of course, he blatantly took the side of the Greeks, a fact that affected the way we look at the conflict. Only in the past few decades have more information surfaced from the Near East that shed light on the Persian side. So, we no longer believe in the superiority of the Greeks in terms of moral values and love of freedom. One of the most important inscriptions that surfaced from Persia is the so called Behistun or Bisitun stone. On that stone King Dareius of Persia carved the military achievements of his predecessors. It adds significant information to the narrative Herodotus provided. Despite its usefulness in filling up the gaps, we should bear in mind that Dareius had an ulterior motive; with this inscription he was attempting to legitimise his own rule and thus presented his predecessors in an exceptionally favourable light. We do not know the material on which Herodotus wrote. We assume that he used scrolls of Egyptian papyri. Initially, they would not have been published but they may have been read in front of an audience. In that, we may compare his work with modern blogs that are written with few revisions and they are delivered in front of an interested audience. His work was published much later, after his audience seemed to like his Histories. In that sense, shall we give him the title &#8216;Father of Blogging&#8217;? I know the idea is stretched but the similarities in the way he wrote his works and disseminated them remain. For those who are interested in the Behistun Inscription, I attach here a small passage and a link to find the rest. &#8220;(9) Darios the King says: Ahura Mazda bestowed this kingdom upon me. Ahura Mazda brought me aid until I had held together this kingdom. By the favour of Ahura Mazda I hold this kingship. (10) Kambyses had a brother, Bardiya by name, of the same mother and the same father as Cambyses. Afterwards Cambyses slew Bardiya. When Cambyses had slain Bardiya, it did not become known to the people that Bardiya had been slain. Afterwards Kambyses went to Egypt. When Kambyses had set out for Egypt, the people became disloyal. The Lie grew greatly in the land, in Persia, Media, and the other countries. (11) Darios the King says: &#8216;Afterwards there was one man, a Magus, Gaumata by name&#8230; He lied to the people thus &#8216;I am Bardiya the son of Cyrus, the brother of Kambyses&#8217;. Afterwards all people rebelled against Kambyses and went over to him, both Persia and Media and the other countries. He seized the kingship&#8230; Afterwards Kambyses died his own death. (12) Darios the King says. &#8216;The kingship which Gaugata the Magus had seized from Kambyses, had from ancient times belonged to our family&#8230; He became king. (13) Darios the King says: &#8216;There was no man, neither a Persian nor a Mede nor anyone of our family, who might have taken the kingship from that Gaumata the Magus. The people feared him greatly, since he used to slay in great number the people who previously had known Bardiya&#8230; Afterwards I prayed to Ahura Mazda. Ahura Mazda brought me aid. In the month Bagayadis, ten days had passed (29 September 522), then I with a few men slew Gaumata the Magus and the men who were his foremost followers&#8230; I took the kingship from him. By the favour of Ahura Mazda I became king. Ahura Mazda bestowed the kingship upon me. (The inscription translated by Maria Brosius in Asheri, D., Lloyd, A., Corcella, A. et al. (2007), A Commentary on Herodotus, Books I-IV, Oxford, pp. 529-537). Online Book. Brosius, M. (2006), The Persians, London. http://home.lu.lv/~harijs/Macibu%20materiali%20,teksti/Gramatas%20Seno%20Laiku%20Vesture%20(%20Elektroniski%20)/Ancient%20East/Iran/Brosius.%20Persians.%202006.pdf]]></description>
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