Athanasios Diakos: His unimaginable death became a “symbol” of the Revolution

On April 23, 1821, Athanasios Diakos was captured, experiencing a series of tortures, until he was killed the next morning by lynching.

One of the most legendary figures of the Greek Revolution is undoubtedly the Athanasios Diakos. His fight against multiple Turks and Albanians, as well as his brutal martyrdom, are shocking to this day. He was a Greek general among the protagonists of the first year of the Greek Revolution of 1821, who operated in Central Greece, with many military successes, such as the capture of Livadia and the bridge of Alamana,

Early years

Athanasios Grammatikos (or Diakos) is said to have been born in Ano Mousounitsa of Fokida (or in the neighboring village of Artotina) on January 4, 1788. His father, Nikolaos Grammatikos, a local thief of the area could not take care of his large family so he sent the 12-year-old Athanasios in the monastery of the Holy Forerunner of Desfina, with the aim of being educated.

He devoted himself to Christianity and managed to impress the monks with his voice and chanting skills, as a result of which he was ordained a Deacon at the age of 17.

Once a Turkish Agas visited the monastery, who was dazzled by the beauty of Diakos and made him an indecent proposal. Diakos, offended and after a fight, attacked him and killed him.

This resulted in him leaving the monastery and taking refuge in the mountains as a thief, continuing the family tradition.

Athanasios Diakos served as a charioteer for two years (1814-1816) in the army of Ali Pasha in Ioannina, together with Odysseus Androutsos, in the former’s attempt to resist the Sultan.

When Androutsos became the captain of a charioteer unit in Livadeia, Diakos became his first lieutenant, managing to take his place after his retirement. In October 1820 he was initiated into the Friendly Society, like many other thieves and carters.

Battle of Alamanna

After the military successes in the Peloponnese and Central Greece, Hursit Pasha sent from Ioannina to Roumeli the pasades Omer Bryonis and Kiose Mehmet. The Greek Rebels, led by Dimitrios Panourgias, Ioannis Diovouniotis and Athanasios Diakos, were waiting for the Ottoman army in Heraklia, at the bridges of Gorgopotamos and in Alamana, respectively.

On April 23, 1821, the Turks expelled the Rebels from the first two positions, seriously injuring Panourgias. The assembled Ottoman army headed towards Alamana to confront Diakos.

The Turkish forces were superior both in numbers and in weapons and the Greek army was forced to retreat. Although Diakos was warned to leave his post, he continued to fight. He was severely wounded in the right shoulder and taken prisoner.

The Martyrdom

According to testimonies of the time, Athanasios Diakos, seriously injured, was taken to a stable in Lamia, where he was chained to a manger.

There he was visited by Omer Vryonis, who knew him from the court of Ali Pasha in Ioannina and held him in high esteem. He suggested that he become an officer in the Turkish army and escape condemnation. Athanasios Diakos, devoted to his faith and his homeland, exclaimed the characteristic phrase: “I was born a Greek, I will die a Greek!».

Then Omer Vryonis withdrew, disappointed by the attitude of the Greek chieftain, and ordered his execution.

According to testimonies of the time, two Turks lit a fire next to the stable and on top of it they placed an iron stove and a large copper cauldron, filled with oil. Then they lifted the Deacon and, bound as he was, made him sit on an old wooden stool and raised his feet.

The Turks began to tease him by asking him various questions. At every negative nod, nails drove into his feet. Then they took the hot oil and poured it first on his bare feet. After they saw that he did not react, they tore off his costume and began to throw at his back and chest.

He was suffering mutely, and the soldiers, under orders not to kill him, used needles to break the blisters that had formed on his skin from the hot oil. This went on for hours, until the next morning.

Exhausted as he was, he was dragged into town to be executed. His execution was done in public with the permission of Halil Bey, so that the Lamiates would have an idea of ​​what would happen to anyone who dared to rebel. Testimonies state that Diakos’ mother was also present at his martyrdom.

After he was tied on his back in a samari with his legs apart, the executioner began to insert the end of a pointed wooden spit into his groin and then insert it deeper and deeper, reaching up his back and ending in his right ear.

His movements were careful, as he had orders not to kill him, and as he pushed the awl he was confirmed alive by his screams. As soon as the executioner finished his work, the Turks tied his body tightly to the spit so that the skin wouldn’t tear and leaned him, almost standing, against a tree.

According to Philemon, Diakos turned to the Albanians and said: “Is there no lad among you to kill me with a pistol and save me from the Chaldoupides?»

As he cooled down he is said to have uttered a plaintive quatrain:

For behold a time which he has chosen – grace take me – now that the branches blossom – and the earth brings forth grass

Halil Beys gave orders to light a fire, and to turn him slightly, so that he would be roasted alive. After hours of torture, the warlord ended on April 24, 1821.

Burial

Even though Diakos cooled down, Khalil Beys remained unsatisfied and ordered, his pile to be thrown into a stable, near the stream, in the dunghills. There he remained for three days, until his dead body began to smell and the soldiers could no longer guard it.

Then some natives took the opportunity and after removing the wood from his body and cleaning it as best they could, they buried it in a pit, without putting even the cross, fearing the reaction of the Turkish officers.

Later, around 1860, colonel Rouvalis who had come from Kalamata on transfer to Lamia and had been informed about where Diakos had been buried, made inquiries to find him.

At one point, a pile of human bones was found and since no others were found around, the researchers concluded that they belonged to Diakos. They collected them, cleaned them and put them in a wooden box and buried them again in the same place, placing some stones and a cross with his name on it.

At the beginning of 1900, Lamia honored Athanasios Diakos, as it should have been. After renovating his makeshift tomb where it still is, he set up his magnificent statue in Diakos Square, with an official unveiling and the presence of King George I, the royal family, ministers, military and other officials, on April 23, 1903.

Information: enimerotiko.gr