200 years after the Greek Revolution.
At Jassy in Moldavia, on 24 February 1821, Alexandros Ypsilantis issued the very first
Declaration of Independence,
under the headline:
FIGHT FOR FAITH AND FATHERLAND!
Scene no 13:
A dressed in black, young soldier of the 1821 Sacred Band, parading between two
cypress trees. In front of formidable hoplites of Classical Greece.
Toy soldiers made by the
Greek sculptor, Fotis Spyretos. Cypress trees made by Elastolin.
The Sacred Band: The first organized military unit of the Greek Revolution. A battalion
formed by Alexandros Ypsilantis, comprising 400 young Greek volunteers, students
from eastern Europe. They borrowed the famous name from the ancient Sacred Band
of Thebes. The original Sacred Band was the elite force of the ancient Theban
army.
