Front: Poseidon

Back: Sailing ship, man and woman

Front: Athena Peiraios

Back: Adamantios Koraes (1748-1833), Greek physician, intellectual and scholar

Koraes was born in Smyrni. After attending elementary school, he went to Amsterdam in 1771 to start a business career. There he had the opportunity along with his merchantile activities to study foreign languages, science and philosophy. He returned to Smyrni in 1778 but depart again in 1782 to study medicine in France. He settled there afterward to continue his research and publishing.

Front: Ioannis Capodistrias (1776-1831), first head of state of independent Greece.

Capodistrias was born in Corfu, the Ionian Islands. He studied medicine, philosophy and law in Italy. He became a doctor in Corfu in 1797 at the age of 21. In 1799, when Corfu was briefly occupied by Russia and Turkey forces, Capodistria was appointed chief medical director of the military hospital. In 1801 when the seven Ionian islands became a free and independent state of Septinsular, Capodistria served as one of the two ministers.

In 1809 Capodistria entered into Russian diplomatic service as ambassador to Switzerland, minister, and Foreign Minister. Later he retired to Geneva. By then he was quite well known in Europe. So when Greece achieved independence in 1827, he was elected the head of state.

Back: Fortress overlooking Corfu

Front: Rigas Fereos-Velestinlis (1757-1798), Greek poet and patriot

Rigas was born in Velestino of Thessaly. He left Theassaly to study in Constantinople and later in Vlahia. He spent part of the 1790s in Vienna. There, influenced by the French Revolution, he printed a number of revolutionary tracts. He intended to distribute them in an effort to stimulate a Pan-Balkan uprising against the Ottomans. But a fellow Greek reported him to the Austrian authorities. He and a small group of "co-conspirators" were promptly handed over to the Ottoman authorities. They were strangulated by the Ottomans in Belgrade in the summer of 1798.

Back: Secret school run by Greek priests during the Ottoman occupation

Greece, situated in southeastern Europe on the tip of the Balkan Peninsula, attained the peak of its culture in the 5th century B.C. Fell under Roman domination in the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C., Becoming part of the Byzantine Empire until Constantinople fell to the Crusaders in 1202. Became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1453. Gained independence in 1827 and established as a monarchy in 1833. Proclaimed as a republic in 1925. Monarchy was restored in 1935. Again became a republic in 1974. For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Greece.

Beginning on January 1, 2002 Euro becomes the official currency for Greece.