Zosimades
Encyclopedia
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....
benefactors and merchants.
The Zosimades were six brothers:
- Ioannis Zosimas (1752–1771)
- Anastasios Zosimas(1754–1828)
- Nikolaos Zosimas (1758–1842)
- Theodosios Zosimas (1760–1793)
- Zois Zosimas (1764–1828)
- Michael Zosimas (1766–1809)
They were born in Ioannina
Ioannina
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...
, a city that was under Ottoman
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 ....
rule and a major center of the Greek Enlightenment that time. Their father was a local merchant, Panagis Zosimas. At 1875, Nikolaos, Theodosios and Michael started their trading activities in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, while Ioannis, Anastasios and Zois ran their trade business in Nizna Slatina (Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) and then in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Their trade network soon became profitable and they managed to make a fortune.
Benefaction
After Theodosis' death (1793), he wrote in his testament that they should financially support the education of their home city Ioannina. So they donated astronomical amounts of money for the establishment and function of various schools and public libraries. Another huge donation went for the National Library, 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...
, one of the major contributors of the Greek Enlightenment movement. Apart from educational institutions, orphanages were also financed. The Zosimades also subsidized the publication of several books.
At 1820, after Zois' death, they supported the establishment of a new school in their home place, which became known as Zosimaia
Zosimaia School
The Zosimaia School of Ioannina has been one of the most significant Greek middle-level educational institutions during the last period of Ottoman rule in the region...
. This institution would become the center of Greek education the following century in the region of Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
.
During the following outbreak of the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
(1821–1830) the remaining Zosimades became active members of the patriotic organization Philiki Etaireia and supported financially the struggle. Zosimades also completely financed the erection of the Monetary Museum of Athens, donating their personal collection of Ancient Greek and Roman currency, as well as the orphanage in Patmos
Patmos
Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,984 and an area of . The highest point is Profitis Ilias, 269 meters above sea level. The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi ,...
.
Sources
- Fleming Katherine Elizabeth. The Muslim Bonaparte: diplomacy and orientalism in Ali Pasha's Greece. Princeton University Press, 1999. ISBN 978-0-691-00194-4.
- Modern Greek studies yearbook. University of Minnesota, 1989.
- Sir John Edwin Sandys. A History of Classical Scholarship: The eighteenth century in Germany, and the nineteenth century in Europe and the United States of America. Hafner Pub. Co., 1967.
- Prousis Theophilus Christopher. Russian cultural response to the Greek War of Independence (1821-1830). University of Minnesota, 1982.
See also
- Manthos and Georgios RizarisManthos and Georgios RizarisManthos Rizaris and Georgios Rizaris were Greek benefactors, merchants and members of the organization Filiki Eteria.Rizari brothers were born in the village of Monodendri of Zagori region . They lost both parents at an early age. Manthos Rizaris, the elder brother, moved to Moscow, in order to...
- GeorgiosGeorgios SinasGeorgios Sinas was a Greek entrepreneur, banker and national benefactor. He was the founder of the Athens National Observatory.- Biography :Georgios Sinas was born in Niš in 1783 of Greek or possibly Vlach origin, to Northern Epirotian parents. At an early age Sinas lost his mother and was grown...
and Simon SinasSimon Sinas- Biography :Simon Sinas was born in 1810 in Vienna. He was of Greek origin, while his family originated from Moscopole. He served as Greek Consul in Vienna, and later as Minister to Austria, the Kingdom of Bavaria, and Germany. The son of Georgios Sinas, also a benefactor and diplomat, Sinas... - Evangelis and Konstantinos ZappasKonstantinos ZappasKonstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....