"The Many and the Few. Crowd and Virtue", was the title of the event that took place last night in the great hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, on the occasion of the anniversary year "Thermopylas - Salamis 2020". The event was the symbolic closing of the 20th high-level meeting of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center on "Climate Change and its impact on the life and cultural heritage of the Mediterranean", in which academics from all over the world debated on the axis of the proposal made last year year the Greek government for the protection of its cultural heritage and natural environment from climate change.
Konstantinos Bourazelis:Goliath had to do with a talented David
The title "The Many and the Few. Multitude and Virtue" refers to the impressive disproportion between the multinational power of the Persian empire and the small power of the Greek cities, which was in practice overcome - and overthrown - by the mental fortitude, boldness and valor of the Greeks.
As the emeritus professor of Ancient History of EKPA Konstantinos Bourazelis characteristically noted, "the numbers not only favored the invaders, but could crush all hope from the outset. However, Goliath had to deal with a talented David here as well. The realization of the threat united the traditionally warring Greeks to a significant extent.
Xerxes could not fathom the boldness of his opponents. He considered it quite natural that they should offer no resistance to him, that they should turn aside at the very sight of his military multitude. In a dialogue, during the campaign, with the exiled king of Sparta Dimaratos, which is included in the work of Herodotus, the Persian king expresses his absolute belief in the power of numbers and the impossibility of understanding any thought of the Greeks to confront each other.
Xerxes believed that the imperial forces would be enough to crush not only the Greeks, but also all the inhabitants of Europe. However, Demaratos aptly pointed out to him the great difference:especially with the Spartans, which was also more broadly true with the other Greeks, he would find in front of him people learned to discipline primarily, not a ruler/person, but the impersonal concept of the Law, who governed the political communities of the Greeks.
Dimaratos specifically told him:'Because although they are free, they are not completely free, since they have the Law as their despot, which they fear and obey more than you do your people. This Law enjoins them not to leave their ranks but to remain there and conquer or die'...
Athanassios Dimopoulos:Knock, don't listen
The defeat at Thermopylae, which has been registered in the international collective consciousness not as a defeat, but as an unparalleled moral victory, as well as the destruction of the Persian fleet at Salamis, are historical moments "with a universal impact on World History", emphasized the rector of the EKPA Athanasios Dimopoulos during his introductory speech. "More broadly, the axis Marathon - Thermopylae - Salamina - Plataies - Mykali, is a global point of reference".
He continued, referring to the two emblematic battles:"The self-sacrifice and bravery until the end of the fighters of Thermopylae in September 480 BC. (when 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians faced at least 300,000 soldiers of the Persian empire) made their defeat an unparalleled moral victory, the significance and example of which are deeply etched in the world's memory.
As it is characteristically mentioned in the epigram of Simonides of Keios:"O know, angel of the Lacedaemonians, that the texts of those were persuasive", "Diabat, send a message to the Lacedaemonians:on this earth we fell and we are faithful to the law". The ensuing naval battle of Salamis, one of the most important in world history, took place at the end of September 480 BC. In this battle, the Greeks with 350 ships crushed the Persian fleet many times larger — it numbered over 1,000 ships.
The Athenian Themistocles insisted that the naval battle take place at Salamis... but his view was met with resistance. At one point, the Spartan Eurybiades went to beat Themistocles, who responded with the famous phrase 'Knock me, don't listen' - 'hit me, but listen to me'...
Lina Mendoni:The Golden Age of Athens is the natural continuation of the victory of the Greeks
The inextricable relationship between victory against the Persians and the Golden Age of Athens was mentioned by the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, who was heard speaking through the video made for the "Anniversary Year Thermopylae - Salamis 2020".
"After the miracle of Salamis - because it was a miracle that little Greece was able to face and defeat the Persian power - conditions were created for the intellectual and cultural explosion that followed the 5th century. e.g. in philosophy, politics, democracy, the arts... Thermopylae fulfilled the moral condition of creating the concept of virtue, and then Salamis comes to transform the concept of virtue into a concept of freedom".
In the same video, Professor Bourazelis can be heard saying:"The civilization that today is admired by all of humanity would not have existed if the Greeks in 480 had then submitted to the Persians. There would be no Golden Age of Pericles. The greatness of Athens and the Parthenon would not exist. There would be no teaching of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle".
M. Vardinogianni:Not so much, but so much
The screening of the video for the Anniversary Year "Thermopylae - Salamina - 2020" was followed by the greeting of the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and President of the Honorary Deanship "Thermopylae - Salamina 2020" Marianna V. Vardinogianni. Mrs. Vardinogianni, referring to the history of humanity and world culture, emphasized that "human quality is what counts decisively, not human and material quantity.
Our ancient forefathers used to say, 'Uk en tu pollo eo eu, but' in tu eu the most', and they proved it in practice. As many other peoples have proven, small in number, but with great cultural weight. But also peoples larger in number who interacted with cultures of smaller countries, which indicates the necessity of their coexistence in the flow of history.
As for Greece, the words handed down by Plutarch are indicative:'If you think that we must rely on the multitude, the whole of Greece is not enough, since it is a small part in relation to the multitude. But if you think that we should rely on the virtues of each one, then this number is also sufficient.''
And Mrs. Vardinogianni added:"Leonidas with the Spartans and the Thespians lost in the battle of Thermopylae. But no one remembers them as defeated. We remember them as symbols of valor and virtue. Values for which they also fought in Salamis. There, the triremes became a legend and Themistocles a model of strategic intelligence". Such a trireme adorns the logo of the 2500th anniversary of the two emblematic battles.
The examples of Latvia and Romania, the influence of Egyptian and Chinese culture
The rector of EKPA presented honorary plaques to Dr. Vaira Vike-Friberga, president of Latvia (1999-2007) and to Dr. Ismail Serageldin, former vice-president of the World Bank (1992-2000), for their contribution to world peace and dialogue between cultures.
This was followed by a round table discussion moderated by Mr. Antonio Giannardi Landi, former Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Italian Republic, Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and speakers Vike-Freiberga, Member of the Honorary Deanery "Thermopils-Salamina 2020", on the subject "Possibilities and recording of the cultural survival of small countries compared to large ones.
The example of Latvia", by Professor Emil Constantinescu, former president of Romania (1996-2000) on the topic "Cultural heritage and survival in a multicultural regional entity. The example of Romania in the Balkans", Dr. Serageldin, Member of the Honorary Deanship "Thermopylas-Salamina 2020" on the topic "Cultural survival despite foreign domination.
The case of Egypt", and Mr. Rashid Alimov, former Secretary General of the Shanghai International Cooperation Organization (2016-2019) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan (1992-1994), on the topic "The Many and the Few:Impact of of ancient Chinese and Greek culture to humanity".
The actions of the Anniversary Year
On the part of the Ministry of Culture, there will be three pillars of action to celebrate the anniversary throughout 2020:actions of archaeological interest, in collaboration with the Ephorates of Antiquities, cultural events and cultural infrastructure projects in Thermopylae, Salamis and Sparta.
The Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the regions and municipalities, will organize a series of events. Particular importance will be given to the participation of male and female students.
The Marianna Vardinogiannis Foundation finances and organizes competitions with the aim of highlighting children's creativity through painting, written text and theatrical expression — performances of Aeschylus' Persian tragedy will be given. Also, international conferences and scientific days will be organized on the historical significance of the battles.
The world of Culture and Sports, Homogenia, will be mobilized. Finally, Mrs. Vardinogianni has announced that she intends through her Foundation to proceed with the creation of humanitarian infrastructure projects in Salamina that will improve the lives of the island's residents.
SOURCE:APE-ME