Armatoloi, Klephts, and Irregular Armed Men of the 18th Century: The Soldiers of the Greek Revolution of 1821
Armatoloi, Klephts, and Irregular Armed Men of the 18th Century: The Soldiers of the Greek Revolution of 1821

Summary/Abstract: This paper examines the fighting methods employed by the klephts and armatoloi during the prerevolutionary period, the extent to which these practices were incorporated into the operations of Greek military forces during the War of Independence, and the challenges involved in adapting to the new realities that emerged in the wake of the Revolution of 1821. The primary sources for this study are personal accounts of those who participated in the events. These reveal various dimensions of warfare, and relate less to the strategic organisation of the armed formations than the lived experience of combat – the mentality of the fighters, their perceptions of the enemy, the hierarchical relationships between chieftains and soldiers, the priorities and assumptions of the participants, and the symbolic and personal significance of weapons as markers of identity and pride.

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