Dimitrios Panourgias , a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence, was born Dimitrios Xiros in the village of Dremissa, Phocis. Continue reading... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
4. Leonidas MonumentThermopylae The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae . The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC Xerxes had amassed a huge army and navy, and set out to conquer all of Greece. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, and simultaneou... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
5. Parnassos Ski Center KellariaParnassos Mount Parnassus is a mountain of limestone in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth, and offers scenic views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside. According to Greek mythology, this mountain was sacred to Dionysus and the Dionysian mysteries; it was also sacred to Apollo and the Corycian nymphs, and it was the home of the Muses. The mountain was also favored by the Dorians. It is suggested that the name derives from parnassas, the possessive adjective of the Luwian word parna meaning house, or specifically temple, so the name effectively means the mountain of the house of the god. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
6. Thermopylae MuseumThermopylae Leonidas at Thermopylae is an oil on canvas painting by French artist Jacques-Louis David. The work currently hangs in the Louvre in Paris, France. The massive painting has the dimensions of about thirteen feet by seventeen and a half feet and was completed in 1814. The convoluted piece took David almost fifteen years to complete, with him separating his work into two periods from 1799 to 1803 and 1813-1814. Leonidas at Thermopylae was purchased, along with The Intervention of the Sabine Women, in November of 1819 for 100,000 francs by Louis XVIII, the king of France at the time. The piece shows the Spartan king Leonidas prior to the Battle of Thermopylae. David's pupil Georges Rouget collaborated on it. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Panourgias Videos
Fthiotida - Main Land - Greece
According to mythology the land of Fthiotida is the birthplace of the Greek civilization. This is where Defkalionas and Pyrra sought refuge after the great flood and gave birth to Protogenia, Amfiktyona and Ellina. This is where the first Amfiktionia was founded and united the prehistoric tribes that later formed the Greek nation. This is where Hercules was worshiped after his triumphs; it is the birthplace of Achilles and many other heroes from Homers Iliad.
This is where Leonidas and his 300 Spartians along with the Thespians and other Greeks fought against the Persians at the Gate of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) in 480BC. Their victory against the unbeaten enemy from this strategic point was sabotaged by Efialtis betrayal leading to their death.
Fthiotida has since then known many battles, such as the battle of Spercheios where Tsar Samuil met the Byzantine army led by Nikephoros Ouranos, the commander of all Balkan territories in the Byzantine Empire. The armies camped on either side of the river and remained there for several days due to the due to the heavy rainfalls. The Tsar was convinced the Byzantines could not cross the swollen river but Nikeforos Ouranos led his army across during the night and attacked. The Tsar and his son managed to escape by hiding among the dead bodies but according to the legend his wounded arm healed during the long journey home at an angle of 140o.
The third great battled took place south of Alamana in Poria during the first year of the Greek Revolution in 1821 against the Turks. Greece had been under Turkish occupation for 400 years and their army of 8000 men led by Omer Vryonis was heading to Moria when they were intercepted by the Athanasios Diakos, Panourgias Panourgias and Yiannis Dyovouniotis with their bands of Armatoloi (a total of perhaps 1,500 men). It was an uneven battle but the Armatoloi faced the enemy on various battlefields only to be defeated in Alamana. Athanasios Diakos was one of the last to fall. He was captured and led to the Turkish headquarters where he refused Vryonis offer to join their side. Vryonis then ordered be impaled on a spit. The fourth great battle of Fthitida belongs to Velouhiotis, Zervas, their men and the British allies. During WWII (24th Nov.1942) by the Forgopotamos bridge the enemy was again close and maybe stronger than in the past.
The German field marshal Erwin Rommel was waiting for war supplies in N. Africa with the intention of transferring them through Greece by rail. The British allies cooperated with the men of Aris Velouhiotis and Napoleon Zervas to stop the arms from reaching the German army. The Greek army blew of the bridge giving the allies time to prepare their attack against the German army.
Tzoumerka, Epirus, Greece
A video produced for by Costas Zissis Photography
Other Activities In Athens (non-austere)
Some video captures in Athens, February 2012, featuring a pagan spring invocation, outdoor dining at Nikita's, Psirri and a peaceful scene in Syntagma Square.