I occasionally come across a rough diamond. That unique story that is hidden or shaded by other more prominent histories of the Balkans. The ancient kingdom of Odrysia is an interesting one and certainly a rough diamond, from the area of ancient Thrace and one which lasted for approximately two hundred years, from the Fifth…
Two history writers Collide for the Greek Festival event: Billy Cotsis and Dr John Martino
For one night only to discuss two powerful novels and themes, Dr John Martino from Melbourne and author/filmmaker Billy Cotsis come together at Mytilene House. On Wednesday, May 11 at 6.45 pm, Billy Cotsis will launch his new book, The Aegean Seven Take Back the Marbles, an historical fiction set around the theft of the…
The Greeks of LA
Billy Cotsis, donning a touristy Hawaiian shirt takes a look at the local Hellenic history of Los Angeles on a recent trip from Hawaii As Santa was flying out of LA at Christmas, I tag teamed him at LA X after a quick stop in Hawaii looking for our Hawaii-loving PM. I was told he…
An interview with Dr Manuela Pellegrino, a Griko from Apulia and author of Greek Language, Italian Landscape: Griko and the Re-storying of a Linguistic Minority.
Dr Manuela Pellegrino, I was very excited to meet you when I came out to Grecìa Salentina in Apulia to shoot a documentary on the Griko towns of the region. The fact that you are a younger person was indicative of many Griko I met and the Greko I met in Calabria, demonstrating to me…
The Parthenon Marbles Return to Greece…
A new ‘revisionist’ historical fiction from Billy Cotsis tells a tale of how Athens lost the Marbles and how a newly formed posse featuring Lord Byron, Aegean Seven, take back the stolen Marbles. Billy Cotsis has certainly had a colourful literary career, covering Greeks living in dozens of countries. he has written about Hellenes in…
Lefter Küçükandonyadis of Turkey, the Greek giant who roared
In Turkey, there was one player last century who truly stood head and shoulders above all others, and he was just 169 cm tall. He wasn’t just a great player; he was able to absorb significant pressures off the pitch. He was the scorer of 506 goals in 752 matches; then there was 21 goals…
Founders of the Modern Olympics
The Real Story of the Modern Olympics By Ange Kenos Olympic Certified Weightlifting Coach PrefaceFor well over a hundred years, the world has been consistently told thatBaron Pierre de Coubertain invented/ founded the Modern Olympics.Indeed, unless you are a scholar/ researcher of Olympism, you could notbelieve anything else (1).But the true story is far more…
Opportunity & Adventure: The Greek Presence in Africa
From the first colonies in Egypt, Libya and one in Tunisia, Greeks, the language and even Greek Orthodoxy has been evident in parts of Africa for thousands of years. There can be no denying it, Greeks are everywhere and have had a significant engagement with Africa. Libya Timing can be everything. I was just about…
From Mykonos to Delos and the quirky stuff in between
What can one say about Mykonos that has not already been written? This is an island that can be polarising; you either love it or hate. From famous writers, directors and artists, CEOs, stars to a range of Greek Aussies who make their way to Mykonos, the island is the place to be. A place…
Mount Athos: Autonomous Monastic Republic of the Holy Mountain
On the surface it may appear as though a mini-Byzantium exists on 336 km2 of the Chalcidice in Greece. Byzantium of course was ruled by an emperor who was meant to be God’s ruler on earth! Unlike Byzantium, this is a peaceful region that is totally inhabited by monks or those with a commitment to…
Top Ten ‘best islands’ in Greece by a seasoned traveller
They say that Greece has 227 inhabited and 6,000 uninhabited islands, each of which has a story to tell. I can truly vouch for this, as I’ve been lucky enough to have spent almost two years of my life travelling these islands and collecting their stories. A favourite was being on the small island of…
From Pyrrhic Victory and success of Epiros to the ‘defeat’ against the Spartan women
Epiros, which is also known as Epirus, is a place of geographical contrasts. The high mountains and windy roads that take you across terrain that only shepherds and trekkers seem to traverse with ease. Then you have a coastline that acts as a buffer to the Romans; a coastline that has many hidden gems for…
It’s time to recognise the 1906 Athens Games as an Olympic Games
Billy Cotsis explains that Athens hosted a successful Olympic Games in 1906 and several more in the 1800s which are not currently recognised by the International Olympic Committee. Tokyo 2020 was meant to be the fourth time I attended an Olympic Games. Japan and the Games would have been a chance to see my godson,…
Restoration: Tunisia with a touch of Hellenism
Restoration. A word that truly stood out for me on a trip to Tunisia, a word which succinctly captures what the Greek community are aspiring to and what I in turn have been seeking for years. Tunisia is a picturesque Mediterranean country: pristine beaches to the north, the Sahara in the south, the Arab culture…
1821 THE LIBERATION OF HELLAS (GREECE)
Published by AHEPA Victoria Researched & Written by A T Kenos. Preface This small booklet is not intended to be a significant scholarly effort nor a major advance in the already existing knowledge of the Hellenic battles for liberty which began a very long time before 1821, and which many would argue have yet to…
Greeks of Malta and their continued resilience since ancient times
Billy Cotsis went to Malta searching for signs of Greek history in Malta and the surrounding islands. Flying into Malta I was excited. I had always wanted to be met at an airport by someone holding a placard with my name on it. The Maltese Tourism Authority (MTA) had kindly arranged for a driver to…
1821, was just the beginning: Greek lands in a time of Revolution and beyond
Billy Cotsis explains that it was never just 400 years of occupation. Some areas were never liberated while other Greek lands were never occupied by the Ottomans. This article provides a snapshot of Greeks in Albania, Romania, Asia Minor, Constantinople and elsewhere. The author has visited the museum of Philiki Eteria in Ukraine and most…
L’ultima eroica resistenza di un Paleologo contro gli ottomani: Peloponneso/Morea alla fine del medioevo
Translated by Mr Martino DeMarco, a patrioti who runs FB page Greece,Italy & Magna Grecia Billy Cotsis ci porta per un viaggio storico e culturale nella fiorente Morea, luogo dell’eroica resistenza del generale Graitza,s del Salmenikò e del Mani. Nel periodo 1430 – 1444, l’intero Peloponneso era virtualmente sotto il controllo del despota. I nuovi…
26 January what it means to me as a Greek Aussie and to Aboriginal people
When the oppressed become the oppressors. I will come back to this statement later. For the moment, I want you to read on, without prejudice. For those who are adamant that we cannot move 26 January as Australia Day, that is fine; I see the comments on social media and the rage in some people…
Greek Santa: Who really is Santa Claus?
HO HO HO, HO HO HO. Sounds like something you would hear in a Snoop Dogg song. Actually this is the calling card of that rather paunch grey haired guy who magically appears every Christmas. I’m of course referring to Santa Claus, one of the great cultural icons of modern times. In fact, that popular is…
Hellenic Travels to the Past 