Greek minority in Northern Epirus (Albania)

Last modified: 2005-06-17 by ivan sache
Keywords: eagle: double-headed (black) | greek minority in albania | cross (blue) | epirus | omonia | bull (brown) |
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• Presentation of Epirus
• Recent history of Northern Epirus
• Flag of Omonia party
• Reported flag of the Greek minority

See also:

• Albania
• Greece
• Northern Epirus: Greek occupation, 1914-1916

Presentation of Epirus

Petit Larousse Illustré says:

"Epirus. Area on the borders of Greece and Albania. The Kingdom of Epirus was established at the end of the Vth century BC, and became powerful under Pyrrhos II (295-272 BC). It was subjected to the Romans in 168 BP. Under the Byzantine Empire, a despotate of Epirus was set up for the Comnene family (1204-1318)."

The mythic founder of the Kingdom of Epirus is Pyrrhos (a.k.a. Neoptolemos), Achille's son, who married Andromaque, Hector's daughter, after the fall of Troja. Pyrrhos is one of the main character of the classical tragedy Andromaque, by Jean Racine (1667), in which he is called "Pyrrhus". The tragedy takes place in Pyrrhos' capital city, Buthrote, whose ruins can still be visited in Southern Albania (Butrinti). The historical Pyrrhos (Pyrrhos II, mentioned above), invaded the south of Italy and defeated the Romans in Heraclea (280) and Ausculum (279). These victories, helped by elephants, caused great human losses in the Epirus army, recalled in the expression "Pyrrhic victory" (According to Plutarch's Lives, Pyrrhos said: "Such another victory and we are undo