Greek Battalion of Balaklava

The Greek Battalion of Balaklava was a military unit of the Russian Army which participated in the first Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) during the reign of Catherine the Great. It was consisting of Greek expatriates who were living in the Balaklava area.

Initially the battalion was named "Greek Infantry Regiment" and in 1797 was renamed to "Greek Balaklava Battalion". Its soldiers were from Peloponnese, the Aegean islands, the Ionian Islands and the Venetian dominions in Albania. They were experienced in the guerilla warfare and contributed significantly to the Crimea conquest and the expulsion of the Ottomans from the area. Also they participated in the Russian suppression of the Tatar uprising (1777-1778) which was supported by the Ottoman Empire. Its contribution was crucial in the battles for the capture of Kaffa (Theodosia) and the siege of Sudak.

With the imperial decree of February 18th 1784, Balaklava was chosen as the Greek Infantry Regiment quarters. They settled in Balaklava with their families, a total number of about 500 adults in 1778, increased to about 1,700 in 1802.

According to the April 4th 1797 imperial decree the battalion was composed of three companies, each having 100 soldiers. Officers and other staff included its total force was 396 people. The soldiers were issued red and green uniforms and weaponry of the same type, all of which were maintained until 1883. The battalion’s organisation and operation was modeled on the armed divisions of the Cossacks of Don, since these were closer to the Greek character and ethnic traditions. Among the battalion’s commanders were Captain Stefanos Beis Mavromichalis (1775-1779, 1794-1801), Major Konstantinos Zaponis (1790-1794), General Theodosis Reveliotis (1809-1831) and Lieutenant Colonel Lykourgos Katsonis (1831-1859).

The battalion was disbanded in 1859.

The "Amazons" of the Battalion

In 1767 Catherine the Great embarked on a long inspection tour in Tauris which lasted from January to July. Invited to the tour were the diplomatic delegates of England, France and Austria, Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski, king of Poland, and Austria’s emperor Josef II. The tour was aiming to show the economic and military abilities of the New Russia and the newly acquired territory. For the occasion Grigory Potemkin (Potyomkin), one of the Russia's highest officials and Catherine's favourite, was inspired the formation of a military unit of women as a re-enactment of the mythic Amazons who used to fight in the Russian plains leaded by a queen. Under the orders of the commander K.G. Zaponis and his friend Pavlos Sarantis (Sarantov) some one hundred wifes and daughters of the Greek soldiers were enlisted and formed an "Amazons battalion" headed by Eleni Ivanovna Sarantova, the wife of the Greek Ioannis Sarantis. The latter was Potemkin's friend and later was appointed councilor in Crimea's Court. The women followed an intensive military training in riding, swordplay and firing guns. On May 24 (June 4) 1787 the "Amazon's battalion" gave an official reception to Catherine in the village Kadıköy, on horseback, in colourful uniforms and armed with long barrel rifles. Other Greeks, including a priest, from the nearby Balaklava took part in the reception ceremony. It seems that the spectacle impressed the foreign noble visitors as Joseph the II expressed his gratification with warm embraces and a visit to the camp of the battalion while other diplomats noted it as part of the spectacular events that Potemkin used to organize to impress Catherine and foreign guests. Eleni Sarantova was granted the rank of Captain, together with a diamond bracelet. The battalion was awarded with the amount of 10.000 rubles. They escorted Catherine further in her tour and dissolved after its completion.