Athanasios Psalidas
Encyclopedia
Athanasios Psalidas was a Greek
author, scholar and one of the most renowned figures of the modern Greek Enlightenment.
, where he completed ground level education. He continued his studies in Russia
(1785–1787) and in Austria
(1787–1795). In 1791 he published his first work, Real bliss (Αληθής Ευδαιμονία), written in both Greek and Latin. With this work he reestablished fundamental theoretical positions on the existence of God, immortality, afterlife, freedom of man, and the concept of the limits of freedom.
During his studies, Psalidas worked in several Greek editorial companies and printing houses that were established in Vienna
, notably the newspaper Ephimeris
, published in Vienna since 1791. During the same period he published several books. In 1792, together with the Cypriot
Ioannis Karatzas, he published the work Love's results (Έρωτος αποτελέσματα), consisting of three romantic stories. This work was subsequently reprinted five times from 1792 to 1836. In 1793 he was interrogated by the Austrian police as suspect of liberal
and pro-French revolutionist
. Psalidas denied the charges, but his stay in Vienna was unsafe and decided to return to Ottoman-ruled Greece
in 1796.
, then a prospering city with a large expatriate merchant class and a major cultural center of the Ottoman Greek world. There he became the director of the city's most renowned school, the Maroutsaia School
(at that time renamed to Kaplaneios
), founded by the bequest of two local merchants, the brothers Lambros and Simon Maroutsis. Psalidas remained at this post for 25 years. During this time he enhanced the school's curriculum by introducing lessons in history, geography, natural sciences, economics and foreign languages. Psalidas also brought with him educational equipment and special instruments in order to teach astronomy and perform a number of chemical and physical experiments. His lessons were not only watched by his students, but also by locals that admired his work. He also equipped the school's library, which was also open to public and hired qualified teaching personnel. Moreover, he offered scholarships to the best of his students.
Psalidas had also to deal with conservative circles, who distrusted and bitterly criticized his innovations and promotion of the "atheist" ideas of Voltaire
and many of the ideals of the French Revolution
. In refutation of their allegations, he published the work Moves towards progress (Καλοκινήματα). Psalidas had become one of the most distinguished personalities of city of Ioannina. He participated in local courts, councils and was also adviser to Ali Pasha
, sho also sent him several times to Western Europe in diplomatic missions.
, when armed conflict between Ali Pasha and the Ottoman Empire
broke out (1820–1822).Thereafter he lived in Corfu
, where he became doctor of the Ionian Academy
, but he was denied the opportunity to teach because of his progressive ideas. Later he became director of the school of Lefkada
, where he died, in 1829.
, on the katharevousa
(the "purified" language, a mix between archaism and demoticism). He is considered one of the possible authors of the anonymous Hellenic Nomarchy: A Discource on Freedom'
' (Ελληνική Νομαρχία) and Rossaglogallos (Ρωσαγγλογάλλος).
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
author, scholar and one of the most renowned figures of the modern Greek Enlightenment.
Early years and diaspora
Psalidas was born at 1767 in IoanninaIoannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, where he completed ground level education. He continued his studies in Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(1785–1787) and in Austria
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
(1787–1795). In 1791 he published his first work, Real bliss (Αληθής Ευδαιμονία), written in both Greek and Latin. With this work he reestablished fundamental theoretical positions on the existence of God, immortality, afterlife, freedom of man, and the concept of the limits of freedom.
During his studies, Psalidas worked in several Greek editorial companies and printing houses that were established in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, notably the newspaper Ephimeris
Ephimeris
Efimeris was a Greek language newspaper published in Vienna from 1790 to 1797. It is the oldest Greek newspaper of which issues have survived till today.-History:...
, published in Vienna since 1791. During the same period he published several books. In 1792, together with the Cypriot
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
Ioannis Karatzas, he published the work Love's results (Έρωτος αποτελέσματα), consisting of three romantic stories. This work was subsequently reprinted five times from 1792 to 1836. In 1793 he was interrogated by the Austrian police as suspect of liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and pro-French revolutionist
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Psalidas denied the charges, but his stay in Vienna was unsafe and decided to return to Ottoman-ruled Greece
Ottoman Greece
Most of Greece gradually became part of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th century until its declaration of independence in 1821, a historical period also known as Tourkokratia ....
in 1796.
Schoolmaster in Ioannina
He returned to his native IoanninaIoannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, then a prospering city with a large expatriate merchant class and a major cultural center of the Ottoman Greek world. There he became the director of the city's most renowned school, the Maroutsaia School
Maroutsaia School
The Maroutsaia School or Maroutsios was a Greek educational institution that operated in Ioannina from 1742 to 1797. The school reached its peak under Eugenios Voulgaris, one of the main representative of the modern Greek Enlightenment...
(at that time renamed to Kaplaneios
Kaplaneios School
The Kaplaneios School was a Greek educational institution that operated in Ioannina from 1797 to 1820/1. The school evolved into the most significant intellectual center of the city through the work of Athanasios Psalidas, a major representative of the modern Greek Enlightenment...
), founded by the bequest of two local merchants, the brothers Lambros and Simon Maroutsis. Psalidas remained at this post for 25 years. During this time he enhanced the school's curriculum by introducing lessons in history, geography, natural sciences, economics and foreign languages. Psalidas also brought with him educational equipment and special instruments in order to teach astronomy and perform a number of chemical and physical experiments. His lessons were not only watched by his students, but also by locals that admired his work. He also equipped the school's library, which was also open to public and hired qualified teaching personnel. Moreover, he offered scholarships to the best of his students.
Psalidas had also to deal with conservative circles, who distrusted and bitterly criticized his innovations and promotion of the "atheist" ideas of Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
and many of the ideals of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. In refutation of their allegations, he published the work Moves towards progress (Καλοκινήματα). Psalidas had become one of the most distinguished personalities of city of Ioannina. He participated in local courts, councils and was also adviser to Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, sho also sent him several times to Western Europe in diplomatic missions.
Last years
Psalidas found refuge in nearby ZagoriZagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
, when armed conflict between Ali Pasha and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
broke out (1820–1822).Thereafter he lived in Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, where he became doctor of the Ionian Academy
Ionian Academy
The Ionian Academy was the first Greek academic institution established in modern times and it is located in Corfu. It was established by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford in 1824. It is also considered the precursor of the Ionian University. It had Philological, Law and Medical Schools.The...
, but he was denied the opportunity to teach because of his progressive ideas. Later he became director of the school of Lefkada
Lefkada
Lefkada, or Leucas or Leucadia , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Lefkada . It is situated on the northern part of the island,...
, where he died, in 1829.
Positions on the Greek language question
When young, Psalidas adopted an archaist Greek language, but when by the time he had become "the most prominent teacher in Ioannina" he used Demotic Greek. He also disagreed with the position of Adamantios KoraisAdamantios Korais
Adamantios Korais or Coraïs was a humanist scholar credited with laying the foundations of Modern Greek literature and a major figure in the Greek Enlightenment. His activities paved the way for the Greek War of Independence and emergence of a purified form of the Greek language, known as...
, on the katharevousa
Katharevousa
Katharevousa , is a form of the Greek language conceived in the early 19th century as a compromise between Ancient Greek and the Modern Greek of the time, with a vocabulary largely based on ancient forms, but a much-simplified grammar. Originally, it was widely used both for literary and official...
(the "purified" language, a mix between archaism and demoticism). He is considered one of the possible authors of the anonymous Hellenic Nomarchy: A Discource on Freedom'
Hellenic Nomarchy
Hellenic Nomarchy was a pamphlet written by "Anonymous the Greek" published and printed in Italy in 1806. It advocated the ideals of freedom, social justice and equality as the main principles of a well-governed society, making it the most important theoretical monument of Greek republicanism...
' (Ελληνική Νομαρχία) and Rossaglogallos (Ρωσαγγλογάλλος).
Sources
- The necessary nation. Gregory Jusdanis. Princeton University Press, 2001. ISBN 9780691089027.
- Journal of the history of ideas Project Muse, JSTOR (Organization). Journal of the History of Ideas, Inc., 1960.
- The revival of Greek thought, 1620-1830. George Patrick Henderson. State University of New York Press, 1970. ISBN 9780873950695.
- Greeks in Russian military service in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Nicholas Charles Pappas. Institute for Balkan Studies, 1991.