Heroism Of The Peloponnese Remembered
BY CATHERINE TSOUNIS

"My son, John loved '300'," said Ellen Depraida Knowd, Town Librarian in Mattituck, Suffolk County. "John believes it is one of the best movies he ever saw. College men at St. John's University, Jamaica, keep quoting "Only Spartan women have real men."

2007 America is in the middle of a disastrous Iraq War. We are threatened at home for the first time in American history. Our youth is in search of ideals. Leonidas saying "It is an honor to die for one's country" hit a nerve in the psyche of 2007 mainstream America.

Leonidas and his 300, who come from the modern-day prefecture of Messinia, are not the only heroes. All these qualities are embodied in the 1821 Greek Revolution heroes. Arcadians under the leadership of Theodoros Kolokotronis were the modern-day Leonidas and 300 Spartans. Their superior fighting skills and knowledge of their terrain destroyed a superpower, Turkey, in 1821. These heroes are remembered in the War Museum of Tripolis, Arcadia.

The museum was founded on Jan. 23, 2000 by Aki Tshatzopoulos, Minister of the Defense Department. The purpose was to show artifacts from the war history of the 1821 Revolution and Arcadia. The museum is in the neoclassical home of Malliaropoulos at 1 Ethnomartyron St. in the central square of St. Vasiliou. It encompasses 11 units of displays from the 1821 Revolution, Greek-Turkish War, Macedonian Struggle, Balkan Wars, W.W.I, Asia Minor Campaign, Greek-Italian War, German Campaign and Occupation, the Middle Eastern Campaign and Liberation. Historical paintings by Peter von Hess of 1821 heroes and battle scenes are unique.

Photos Catherine Tsounis War Museum in Tripolis, Greece Inset, Greek war hero drawn by artist Peter von Hess.

Von Hess was an early 19th century painter of battle pieces and genre scenes. In 1833, he accompanied Otto I, the Wittelsbach prince who became the first king, to Greece. He stayed nine months in Greece, interviewing heroes and eyewitnesses of the 1821 revolution. His first- hand knowledge of the heroes gives power to his work. He drew 39 historical persons and battles. His paintings are the best of the 1821 era. Framed lithographs (authorized printed copy of an original work created by the artist himself or other skilled craftsmen) include: Anagnostaras, Athansios Diakos, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Demetrios Plapountas, the siege of Akro Corinthos, Nikitaras and others.

Nineteenth century octagon swords with flamboyant hilts, muzzle loading flintlock pistols and rifles are displayed. The death mask of Theodoros Kolokotronis and head are exhibited. Documents of the 19th century state of Peloponnese and the February 1833 proclamation of King Otho to the Greek people are shown.

Photographs of Peloponnesian troops entering Ephesus, Asia Minor are exhibited. The grand- and great-grandfathers of 2007 Peloponnesian residents fought in that ill-fated campaign. 1922 photographs show Christosomos Kalafates, Archbishop of Smyrna and vaccination of Turkish children by the Greek Health Department officials of the VIII Division. The Asia Minor photographs show the Greek community liberated by Greek troops wearing European business attire, not agrarian or village clothes. The Greek Army photographs show W.W.II battles of Rimini and the Middle East against Nazi General Erwin Rommel that turned the tide of the war in favor of the Allies.

On Sunday September 23, the descendants of 1821 heroes, the Geros Tou Morea Chapter of the Pan Arcadian Association, celebrated the Siege of Tripolis from the Turks in 1821. "What Kolokotronis said was, the first we get Tripolis and then capture Patras," said Dr. John G. Siolas, keynote speaker. "The majority of the troops were under Kolokotronis' leadership. His troops numbered 5,000 men. Anagnotaras and Petrobeis had 1,500 fighters. The first successful battle was at Valtesi. The siege of Tripolis began immediately after. The problem with the Greek leadership was that there were many heads. No one would agree with each other."

Siolas explained, "The name of Theodoros Kolokotronis made all fear. During the siege, the Albanian defenders withdrew to Albania, resulting in the capture of Tripoli. "