Stratarches
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(January 2022) |
Stratarches(Greek:στρατάρχης,pl.στρατάρχαι(archaic) orστρατάρχες(modern)), meansruler of the armyin Greek, and is a title associated with successful generals. In modern Greek usage, it corresponds to the rank ofField Marshal.
Byzantine Empire[edit]
The term originated in theByzantine Empire,where, in the 9th to 11th centuries, thestratarchaiwere a class of senior officials in charge of military finances and administration, including thehetaireiarches(commander of the foreign imperial guards), thedroungariosof the Fleet,thelogothetes ton agelonwho supervised the army's horse-breeding farms, thekomes tou staulou(Count of the Stable) and theprotospathariosof thebasilikoi anthropoi.[1]
By the late 11th century, this technical meaning was forgotten, and the termstratarches,along with variants such asmegas stratarches('grandstratarches') andpanstratarches('all-stratarches'), came to be used as an honorific epithet for important generals. In this use it is for instance used to describe the famed literary heroDigenis Akritas,or famous past commanders, such asBelisarius.[1]
Modern Greece[edit]
| Stratarches Στρατάρχης | |
|---|---|
 Rank insignia during theKingdom of Greece | |
| Country |  Kingdom of Greece |
| Service branch | Hellenic Army |
| Rank group | General officer |
| Abolished | 1973 |
| Next lower rank | Strategos |
| Equivalent ranks | Archinavarchos |
Inmodern Greek history,the title (modern phonetic transliteration:stratarchis) retains the connotation of a victorious commander, and has been used unofficially for the two most successful Greek field commanders of theGreek War of Independence:Theodoros Kolokotronisin theMorea(Peloponnese) andGeorgios Karaiskakisin Roumeli (Central Greece).
As a technical term, it is also used to render in Greek the rank and dignity offield marshal.In this capacity, the rank was first awarded to KingConstantine Iin 1913, following the victoriousBalkan Wars.It was awarded again to his son, KingGeorge II,in 1939, and was held ex officio by his successors,PaulandConstantine IIup to the abolition of theGreek monarchyin 1973–74. These kings also held the equivalent ranks in the navy and air force.
Apart from the reigning monarchs, only one professional officer has been awarded the rank: GeneralAlexandros Papagos,who was awarded it on 28 October 1949 in recognition of his services during theGreco-Italian Warand theGreek Civil War.
In addition, Lieutenant GeneralTheodoros Grivaswas bestowed the rank on 23 October 1862 for his leadership in the revolt that led to the ousting ofKing Otto,but died the following day, before it could be conferred to him in person.[2]
The rank has not been retained by the currentThird Hellenic Republic.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abKazhdan, Alexander,ed. (1991). "Stratarches".The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium.Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 1962.ISBN0-19-504652-8.
- ^Παγκόσμιο Βιογραφικό Λεξικό[Universal Biographical Lexicon]. Vol. III. Athens: Ekdotiki Athinon. 1990. p. 221.