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WNAJR5

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As war rages in Ukraine, the anniversary of a catastrophic event for the Christian world – specifically that of the Eastern Orthodox Church – is upon us. That event took place 569 years ago on May 29, 1453. It is an event little noted or remembered in the Western world, yet it almost resulted in the downfall of Western Civilization. Only the bravery and tenacity of the Orthodox Christians of the Balkans and a brave and wise Polish king and his cavalry prevented the total fall of Western Civilization that began that May 29, 1453. That catastrophe, that slaughter, which nearly ended Western Civilization and did little or nothing for the victorious Muslim Ottoman Turks, still haunts the world today.

In Ukraine the battle is also religious, between Ukrainian Orthodox Christians and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch. Defending the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful is the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew.

The disaster to which I refer is the Fall of Constantinople, “The City” (in Greek “ steen polis” - where the Turks get “Istanbul”) to the Ottoman Turks. It is only one of two nations' capitals still occupied by the conquering enemy. In 1453 it was the Ottoman Turks at Constantinople. In 1974 it was the Turkish Army’s invasion of Cyprus and part of its capital, Nicosia. Now, the new “Ottoman Emperor” want-to-be, Mr. Erdogan, as well as the new “Russian Czar'' want-to-be, Mr. Putin, and the Patriarch of Russia – who wants to be head of all the Eastern Orthodox Churches and have Moscow be considered “The Third Rome” after Rome and Constantinople - are ganging up on the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, which the West ignores.

What has caused the ire of the Russian Patriarch – Putin’s puppet – and Putin himself is the fact that Patriarch Bartholomew has granted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church its independence, autocephaly, from the Russian Patriarch. This action gives further fallacy to Putin’s fantasy that Ukraine is not - nor ever has been -an independent nation.

For Erdogan the goal is to divide and destroy the Orthodox Church because it is the mainstay, the bulwark, against Turkish dominance and return to the Balkans in strength. And, 569 years after Constantinople was conquered through slaughter, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch remains resolute in his small corner of occupied Constantinople.

While not using military force, Erdogan is using economics and threats of more refugees to be unleashed on the Balkan E.U. nations, specifically Greece. It is his way of destabilizing the region. For Putin, Erdogan’s actions stir a hornet’s nest in an area well known for inter-ethnic religious wars. The U.S. and NATO still have troops in Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina three decades after NATO’s war against Serbia. Northern Macedonia has its issues between Muslims and Christians. Kosovo continues to be unsettled and prone to regional violence and the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Kosovo. Bosnia, well, that is one big mess that may soon divide into three. Wouldn’t it be something if NATO had to worry about its southern borders and stay another three decades?

Westerners, should they even know of the event, must wonder how and why people in the 21st century would care about something that happened 569 ago. Greeks care because they know that it presaged nearly 400 years of slavery and subjugation to a brutal and inept, uncaring regime. Tragically it saw the theft, and blasphemous use, of the greatest cathedral in the Western world at the time - Hagia Sophia - as a mosque and then turned into a museum. And now, Erdogan has turned it back into a mosque for political benefit. Finally – one hundred years ago – the ethnic cleansing of Asia Minor of almost all its Greek and Armenian Christians by the modern Turkish nation began.

Greece now accepts as refugees the same people - the Kurds - that helped Turkey destroy Greek and Armenian Christian communities in Asia Minor. That’s because the Turks, having removed everyone else not Turkish from occupied Asia Minor, are now trying to eliminate the Kurdish language and culture in Turkey and destroy the free Kurds in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. Erdogan is also now threatening Swedish and Finnish entry into NATO, at the same time he buys anti-aircraft weapons from Russia, which will be a security nightmare for NATO air forces.

And someone might inform Mr. Putin that Odessa, in the Crimea, was first Greek, with an ancient Greek settlement from the middle of the 6th century B.C. and that its name comes from the ancient Greek city of Odessos. Later Odessa was a place of refuge for the Greeks that survived the slaughter that came from the conquering of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Eventually it was an Ottoman Turkish outpost - where they could capture European Christians to be slaves in Harems or rowers in slave ships - and finally Russian after the Russo-Turkish War in 1792. In 1795 the German born Russian Czarina, Catherine the Great, established the city using “The Greek Plan”.

The people of Ukraine are suffering, and very soon so many of the world’s food challenged will be suffering as well, due to a narcissistic megalomaniac who wants to recreate the Russian Empire and a sort-of sidekick who wants to recreate the Ottoman Empire. Unlike at Constantinople on May 29, 1453, the Western world has finally seen the threat and is reacting and has come to Ukraine’s defense. Of sorts. How long the West will be willing to continue the cause and when they will perceive that cost to be too high, only time will tell.

The Ottomans continued successfully until Vienna in 1683. That was the Ottoman high water mark. The Western Christians - Lutherans and Roman Catholics - had come together to save the West. The Greek and other Balkan Orthodox Christians were left to suffer until 1821 when Greeks rose up - again - and gained their freedom. There would be wars between Ottoman Turks and the Russian Empire which continued until the Crimean War, which Russia lost and which depleted its army. It also saw Russian naval vessels banned from ports in the Black Sea. A possible outcome for soon to be defeated Russian forces?

Forgetting or ignoring history can come back and bite one. Putin, Erdogan, and we in the West had best remember this. And how the Fall of Constantinople 569 years ago still impacts us all.
 

Kingdoms in Ancient Greece?

My niece has a school project about Ancient Greece, and she asked me an interesting question: were there kingdoms in Ancient Greece? I always associate Greece with city-states like Athens and Sparta, but I’m wondering if there were any actual kingdoms during that time.

Did Ancient Greece ever have kings ruling over larger territories, or was it mostly independent city-states? I’ve heard of Mycenae and the Minoans—were they considered kingdoms? And how do they compare to the more famous city-states of the Classical period?

If anyone has insights or resources that could help me explain this to her in a simple way, I’d really appreciate it. She's 11 years old and she chose this topic herself.

Battle of Marathon - It's Marathon Season!

With all the excitement around marathon season, I’ve been thinking about the original marathon — the legendary run from the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. I know the basics: a messenger ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce victory over the Persians… but how accurate is that story, really?

I’d love to learn more about the actual Battle of Marathon. Why was it such a big deal in Greek history? How did the Greeks manage to defeat the much larger Persian army? And how did it end up inspiring the modern marathon race?

If anyone here is into ancient history (or just loves epic military strategies), I’d really appreciate any insights or reading suggestions.

Oracle of Delphi an Historical Figure?

I’ve been reading a lot about ancient Greek history lately, and I’m fascinated by the stories surrounding the Oracle of Delphi. From what I understand, the Oracle played a significant role in advising leaders and shaping the course of events in the ancient world. However, I’m a bit confused about whether the Oracle of Delphi was a specific historical figure or more of a title held by different priestesses over time.

Was there a single, renowned Oracle, or was it a succession of women who served in this role? How much of what we know is based on historical facts versus mythology? If anyone has more detailed information or can recommend sources on the history and function of the Oracle, I’d love to learn more!

Formation of the Greek City-States (Polis)

I've been reading up on Ancient Greece and am fascinated by the formation of the city-states, or polis. It's intriguing how these independent communities, each with their own government, culture, and identity, developed in close proximity to each other. I'm curious about the factors that led to their formation and would love to hear from anyone with insights or expertise on this topic.

What were the key social, political, or geographical influences that contributed to the rise of these city-states? How did the mountainous terrain of Greece affect their development? I've read that trade and colonization also played significant roles—how did these aspects influence the growth and governance of the polis?

Do you have some info for me off the top of your head, or even a book or two that I can read!

Was the Oracle of Delphi Real?

I’ve recently been reading about the Oracle of Delphi and how it played such a significant role in ancient Greek society, advising leaders and influencing major decisions. I’m fascinated by the idea of the Oracle, but I can’t help but wonder: was it actually real, or was it more of a cultural tradition wrapped in mythology? Did the Pythia (the priestess) really go into trances and communicate messages from Apollo, or were the prophecies more a product of interpretation and societal influence?

I know there are theories about gases in the area that might have caused the Pythia’s trance-like state, but I’d love to hear others’ perspectives or any interesting facts you might know. Do you think the Oracle was genuinely mystical, or was it more a well-constructed tradition that reflected the values and beliefs of ancient Greece? Looking forward to your thoughts!
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