Subjects

Greece

Tales about the cradle of Western civilisation, from Socrates and the first democracies to the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman yoke, and Britain’s part in the fight for independence.

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37

Xerxes Scourges the Hellespont

The Persian King felt that a lord of his majesty should not have to take any nonsense from an overgrown river.

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Picture: © Jorge Láscar, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.. Source.

38

The Fall of Constantinople

Hospitality and sympathy, but no help - the Byzantine Emperor learns a bitter lesson about western diplomacy.

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Picture: © MEH Bergmann, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

39

The Bishop’s Gambit

The mayor and bishop of Zakynthos went to extraordinary lengths to protect the most vulnerable people of their island.

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Picture: Photo by Maesi64, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 1.0 Universal public domain dedication.. Source.

40

‘Stand out of my Sunshine!’

Alexander the Great dropped a hint to his sycophantic entourage.

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Picture: Via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

41

Kipling and ‘Agamemnon’

Both Rudyard Kipling and the Royal Navy saw Greek sovereignty as a universal symbol of freedom.

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Picture: © Sailko, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.. Source.

42

‘Hail, Liberty!’

Kipling borrowed from the Greek Independence movement to give thanks for the end of the Great War.

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Picture: Photo supplied by Imperial War Museums, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.