Vergina is best known as the site of ancient Aigai (Αἰγαί, Latinized Aegae), the first capital of Macedonia. It was there when in 336 BC Philip II was assassinated in the theatre and Alexander the Great was proclaimed king. The ancient site was discovered in 1976 and excavated under the leadership of archaeologist Manolis Andronikos. The excavation unearthed the burial sites of many …
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Macedonian Topos
OXI Day
Oxi Day or Ohi Day is celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and the Greek communities around the world on 28th October each year. Oxi Day commemorates the rejection by Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28th October 1940, the Hellenic counterattack against the invading Italian forces at …
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Alpha Beta
The Greek Alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th century BC or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and was the first alphabetic script to have distinct letters for vowels as well as consonants. In its classical and modern forms, the alphabet has …
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Timeless Female Figure
An important feature of the Minoan culture is the social status afforded to women. Not only were women respected, they were also given positions of authority. One reason is that Minoan culture was very dependent on the children that women gave birth. Even the female deities of the Minoan religion seem to be dominant and …
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Woman In The Mirror
Dimitris Mytaras was a Greek artist who is considered one of the important Greek painters of the 20th century. His work was mainly inspired by the human figure, and a combination of naturalism and expressionism. Mytaras studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1953 – 1957), under Yiannis Moralis. He had been professor at …
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The North Wind + The Sun
The North Wind + The Sun A Fable of Aesop The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveler passed along the road wrapped in a cloak. ‘Let us agree,’ said the Sun, ‘that he is the …
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Kore + the sandal
The white purity of Cycladic figurine: “In painting you can not chatter. You must discipline. You must restrain the synthesis anything unnecessary…” Yannis Moralis believed. His art reveals the path to this direction. From the decade of 1970 a conversation with the ancient art turned into the figurines of the Cyclades. In the charm of …
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The voyage to Ithaka
Ithaka by C.P. Cavafy As you set out for Ithaka hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Laistrygonians, Cyclops, angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high, as long as a rare excitement …
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Olympic Flame and Torch Relay
In the sanctuary of Olympia, where the Ancient Olympic Games took place, a flame burned permanently on the altar of the goddess Hestia, situated in the Prytaneum. The divine origin of fire made it a sacred element. The Greeks maintained perpetual fires in front of their main temples. The purity of this fire was guaranteed …
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Mirror of the Gorgon Medusa
Medusa, in greek mythology was a monster, one of the Gorgon sisters and daughter of Phorkys and Keto, the children of Gaea (Earth) and Oceanus (Ocean). She was originally a golden-haired, fair maiden, who, as a priestess of Athena, was devoted to a life of celibacy; however, after being wooed by Poseidon and falling for …
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