10 Facts About Athanasios Diakos

Athanasios Nikolaos Massavetas or Grammatikos known as Athanasios Diakos was a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence, considered a venerable national hero in Greece.

Athanasios Diakos became a monk at the age of seventeen and, due to his devotion to his faith and good temperament, was ordained a Greek Orthodox deacon not long afterwards.

The young Athanasios Diakos took offence to the Turk's remarks and the ensuing altercation resulted in the death of the Turkish official.

Athanasios Diakos was forced to flee into the nearby mountains and become a klepht.

Athanasios Diakos served under a number of local klepht leaders in the region of Roumeli, distinguishing himself in various encounters with the Ottomans.

Athanasios Diakos served for a time as a mercenary in the army of Ali Pasha of Ioannina in Epirus, where he befriended Odysseas Androutsos, another klepht.

Athanasios Diakos chose to stay and fight with 48 men; they put up a desperate hand-to-hand struggle for a number of hours before being overwhelmed.

The severely wounded Athanasios Diakos was taken before Vryonis, who offered to make him an officer in the Ottoman Army if he converted from Christianity to Islam.

Athanasios Diakos refused the offer, replying "I was born a Greek, I shall die a Greek".

Athanasios Diakos's alleged birthplace, the village of Ano Mousounitsa, was later renamed Athanasios Diakos in his honour.