The Flag of Greece - Description of the Greek Flag
As the above picture of the Greek Flag indicates the overall background is Blue and white
The description of the Greek Flag is as follows:
Nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white
Blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross
The cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of Greece
According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Greek flag represent the following:
White - peace and honesty and the White colour of the Greek waves
Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice and the blue of the Greek Sea
The basic style shown in the picture of the Greek flag is described as the Greek Cross reflecting the central design of the flag pattern
All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Greek flag is described as 7:12
The upper left quarter of the flag is called the Canton and pictures the Greek Cross
The Meaning & History of the Greek Flag
The Greek cross symbolises Greek Orthodoxy and the nine stripes are one for each of the syllables of the phrase "Freedom or Death" - "Eleutheria H Thanatos" (E-ley-the-ri-a i Tha-na-tos)
"Freedom or Death" was the motto used during the 19th century during the years of the Hellenic Revolution against the Ottoman Empire
The line pattern was chosen because of their similarity with the wavy sea that surounds the shores of Greece
The Greek Flag was adopted during the Revolution of the Greek Nation in 1821
Flag Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the Flag Quiz
Flag History & Evolution:
The idea of flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and the battlefield
Shields were painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying a pole was adopted
An emblem such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the pole for identification
The emblems were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats of Arms were born
These emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and creating a modern flag
Greek Flag Etiquette
Greek Flag etiquette is very strict and is is essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag Etiquette applies to all nations, including Greek as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of precedence for the flag
National Flag of Greek
State Flag of Greek
Military Flag of Greek (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of Greek
The United Nations uses alphabetical order when presenting a national flag including the Greek Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's flag
The National flag of Greek should never be flown above another national flag on the same staff as this would suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or Nation, over another
The Greek flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of Greek should be removed and replaced with a new flag
Due care and consideration must be taken to ensure that the Greek flag is always flown the correct way up
A Flag of Greek, when in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Greek Flag display
Hoist - the act or function of raising the Greek flag, as on a rope
Half Staff or Half Mast - the Greek flag is hoisted to half of the potential height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed by first raising the Greek flag to the top, then lowering the Greek Flag halfway
Distress - denoted by flying the Greek flag upside-down
Manner of hoisting - The Greek flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously
No disrespect should be shown to the Greek flag
The Greek flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way
The Greek flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The Greek flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Greek Flag usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding Greek Flag Etiquette has provided a useful resource
Greece
Location:
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
2900-2000 BC The Bronze Age - Early Aegean cultures emerge
2500 BC - The Minoan civilization
1200 BC - The Trojan War and the destruction of Priam's city at Troy (Ilium)
1050-750 BC - The Dark Ages of Greece and the fall of the Mycenean
850 - 700 BC - Development of the Greek Alphabet
776 BC - The First Olympic Games
750 -700 BC - Homer writes the Iliad and the Odyssey
750-500 BC - The Archaic Period
730-710 BC - the First Messenian War and the Spartans conquer southwest Peloponnese
650 Rise of the tyrants
621 BC Draco's code of law
600 BC Coin currency introduced
500-323 BC - the Classical Period
505 Cleisthenes founds democracy in Athens
490-479 BC - the Greek / Persian Wars led by Xerxes
468 BC - Sophocles writes his first tragedy
461-446 BC - The Peloponnesian Wars begins between Sparta and Athens
449-432 - Construction of the Parthenon and the Acropolis in Athens
441 BC - Euripides writes his first tragedy
443 - 429 BC Pericles becomes leader of Athens
430 BC Plague in Athens
431-405 BC - Second of the Peloponnesian Wars between Sparta and Athens
420 - 410 Construction of Temple of Athena Nike
399 BC - Socrates is tried and executed for his opposition to the Thirty Tyrants
386 BC - Plato, student of Socrates, founds the Academy
384 BC - Aristotle, student of Plato, is born
359 BC - Philip II becomes the king of Macedon
356 BC - Alexander the Great, son of Philip II, is born
333 BC - Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeats the Persians at Issus and is given Egypt by the Persian Satrap where he builds a capital at Alexandria
323 BC - Alexander the Great dies at Babylon
323-31 BC - The Hellenistic Period
300 BC - Ptolemy I founds museum in Alexandria
224 BC - Earthquake destroys the Colossus of Rhodes
200 - 196 BC First Roman victories over Greece
197 BC - King Philip V loses to Roman forces at Kynoskephalai
86 BC - The Roman General Sulla captures Athens
267 AD - The Goths sack Athens, Sparta, and Corinth
286 AD - The Roman Emperor Diocletian divides the Roman empire in two forming modern Greece (the Byzantine Empire)
641 AD - The Slavs overrun Greece
The above information provides a concise background to the Ancient Greek civilisation
Concise History of Greece & its Flag
1204-1261AD - The Crusades and the Latin rule of Constantinople 1207 Marco Sandolo founded the Duchy of Naxos
1387 - the Ionian Islands are brought under Venetian rule 1453 - Byzantium / Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks
15th Century - 19th Century - Greece under Turkish rule
1538 - the coasts of Crete are attacked by the pirate Khair-ed-din Barbarossa
1566 - the fall of Chios - the Ottoman Turks control of all the east Aegean islands
1626 - a famine on Crete reduces the population by a fifth
1797 - the Ionian Islands are conquered by France
1821 - Greek revolution and declaration of national independence
1832 - A 17 year old Bavarian prince, Otto, is crowned King of Greece
1864 - the Ionian Islands become part of independent Greece
1878 - British rule of Cyprus
1912 - King Constantine leads the Greek army against the Turks in Macedonia to victory
1912 - 13 - the Balkan Wars 1913 - Crete and the Northeast Aegean Islands become part of independent Greece
1914 -1918 World War I
1923 - the exchange of Greek and Turkish populations (the Greco-Turkish population exchange)
1939-45 - World War II
August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
"Around the World in 80 minutes!"
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In just a short period of time this concise information with specific facts will improve your overall understanding of the great countries of the World
A useful Educational Resource accessed from the Index
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The Greek Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding the Greek Flag and Country has provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
