Propagandopolis
Propagandopolis

@propagandopolis

6 Tweets 5 reads Jan 29, 2023
'The dream of Hellenism' — Greek map, ca. 1913, depicting a Greek reconquest of Constantinople. Greek soldiers advance from the East and West while a sea monster strangles Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.
The poster draws on the prophecies of the 13th century Greek priest Agathangelos, who foretold the collapse of the Byzantine Empire at the hands of the Ottomans and its eventual restoration centuries later (text at the bottom reads 'A presentation of Agathangelos' prophecy').
Constantine XI Palaiologos is depicted lying underground in a reference to the Marble King legend, in which Constantine is rescued at Constantinople by an angel who turns him into marble and hides him under the city to emerge at a future date and lead its reconquest.
There's also a tree visible in what is presumably another reference to an old legend: namely the legendary "Red Apple Tree" to which the Turks will be expelled once the Greeks reconquer the Empire.
The poster was designed by Emmanuel Papantoniou and was one of many similar maps produced around the time of the Balkan Wars/First World War dreaming of a Greek Constantinople:
Greek postcard from the First Balkan War:

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