Epirotes

Tribes of Epirus in antiquity.

Epirotes (Greek: Ηπειρώτες) is a term that refers to the inhabitants of the region of Epirus. Due to their geographic isolation, however, they did not partake in the cultural achievements of their fellow-Greeks to the south and were considered uncouth as a result. In Classical antiquity, the Epirotes were grouped into fourteen tribes, the most famous of which were the Thesprotians, who occupied the southern part of Epirus immediately north of the Ambracian Gulf, the Molossians, who occupied the center, and the Chaonians, who occupied the northernmost area, up to the Bay of Avlona (modern-day Vlorë). They spoke a variant of the NW Greek dialect and because they were seen as uncouth by their fellow-Greeks to the south, they were referred to as "barbarians" by some authors. The neighbors of the Epirotes were the Macedonians to the east and the Illyrians to the north. The Molossians were the most powerful of the Epirotes, and under their king (Pyrrhus of Epirus) they briefly challenged the power of Rome. Following the Pyrrhic victories of Pyrrhus over the Romans, however, the Epirotes fell under Roman rule and 150,000 were sold into slavery.

In the Middle Ages, Epirus came under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. In 1204, following the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, Michael Angelus Comnenus set up an independent state known as the Despotate of Epiros. During this time, the definition of Epirus came to encompass the entire region from the Ambracian Gulf to Dyrrachium (modern-day Durrës, in Albania). Some of the most important cities in Epirus, such as Gjirokastër (Argyrokastron), were founded during this period.

The Ottoman Turks annexed Epirus to their expanding empire following a long campaign between 143-1440. Epirus would remain under Ottoman rule for almost the next 500 years. The Epirotes played a prominent part in the Greek struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire and the typical 18th-19th century costume of Epirote men, which originated from Tosk Albanians, the so-called Fustanella, went on to become the national costume of Greece. Epirus was not included in the independent Greek state set up in 1830, and the Epirotes would revolt again in 1854 and 1878. At the end of the Balkan wars, Epirus was divided between Greece and Albania, with members of both ethnic groups present on both sides of the border. After World War II, the Muslim Cham Albanians were expelled from Greece for collaborating with the Axis Powers, while many Greeks in Northern Epirus experienced forced Albanisation. The Albanisation of the Epirotes occurred both prior to the war, during the reign of King Zog, and after the war, during the Hoxha regime.

Since the end of the Cold War, many Greeks in Northern Epirus are re-discovering their Greek heritage, while the Cham Albanians have called for compensation for their lost lands. The current President of Greece, Karolos Papoulias is a native of Ioannina, Epirus.

Language

• The Epirotes speak a Greek dialect known as Epirote or Eneipos. The dialect varies from district to district, but is readily understandable by speakers of Modern Greek. The influence of television broadcasts in standard Greek is reducing use of the dialect.

Famous Epirotes

• Pyrrhus of Epirus, King of the Molossian tribe and all of Epirus from whom the expression Pyrrhic victory is named after. He challenged the power of Rome and is considered second only to Alexander the Great among ancient Greek generals.
• Pyrros Dimas (Πύρρος Δήμας), the world-famous Greek weight-lifting athlete, whose nickname is "the Lion of Himarra". He is the only weight-lifter in the world to have won four Olympic medals. Three of his medals are gold (1992 Summer Olympics, 1996 Summer Olympics, 2000 Summer Olympics) and the last one, from the Athens 2004 Olympics, is a bronze. He is considered a national hero in Greece.

See also

• Northern Epirotes