The Aromanians ( rup, Armãnji, Rrãmãnji) are an
ethnic group native to the southern
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
who speak
Aromanian, an
Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, south-western
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
, northern and central
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
and
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
, and can currently be found in central and southern Albania, south-western Bulgaria, south-western North Macedonia, northern and central Greece, southern Serbia and south-eastern
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
(
Northern Dobruja). An
Aromanian diaspora living outside these places also exists. The Aromanians are known by several other names, such as "
Vlachs
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other E ...
" or "Macedo-Romanians" (sometimes used to also refer to the
Megleno-Romanians
The Megleno-Romanians, also known as Meglenites ( ruq, Miglinits), Moglenite Vlachs or simply Vlachs ( ruq, Vlaș), are a small Eastern Romance people, originally inhabiting seven villages in the Moglena region spanning the Pella and Kilkis re ...
).
The term "
Vlachs
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other E ...
" is used in Greece and in other countries to refer to the Aromanians, with this term having been more widespread in the past to refer to all Romance-speaking peoples of the
Balkan Peninsula and
Carpathian Mountains region (
Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical subregion of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkans. Sovereign states and territories that are included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (a ...
).
Their vernacular,
Aromanian, is an Eastern Romance language very similar to
Romanian, which has many slightly varying dialects of its own. It descends from the
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin, also known as Popular or Colloquial Latin, is the range of non-formal registers of Latin spoken from the Late Roman Republic onward. Through time, Vulgar Latin would evolve into numerous Romance languages. Its literary counterpa ...
spoken by the
Paleo-Balkan peoples (
Romanized Thracians
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
and the related
Dacians for example) subsequent to their
Romanization
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...
. The Aromanian language shares many common features with
Albanian,
Bulgarian and
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
; however, although it has many loanwords from Greek,
Slavic, and
Turkish, its lexicon remains majority
Romance
Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to:
Common meanings
* Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings
* Romance languages, ...
in origin.
Names and classification
Ethnonyms
The term ''Aromanian'' derives directly from the Latin ''Romanus'', meaning Roman citizen. The initial ''a-'' is a regular epenthetic vowel, occurring when certain consonant clusters are formed, and it is not, as folk etymology sometimes has it, related to the negative or privative ''a-'' of Greek (also occurring in Latin words of Greek origin). The term was coined by
Gustav Weigand
Gustav Weigand (1 February 1860 – 8 July 1930), was a German linguist and specialist in Balkan languages, especially Romanian and Aromanian. He is known for his seminal contributions to the dialectology of the Romance languages of the Balkans ...
in his 1894 work ''Die Aromunen''. The first book to which many scholars have referred to as the most valuable to translate their ethnic name is a grammar printed in 1813 in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
by
Mihail G. Boiagi. It was titled Γραμματική Ρωμαϊκή ήτοι Μακεδονοβλαχική/''Romanische oder Macedonowlachische Sprachlehre'' ("Romance or Macedono-Vlach Grammar").
The terms ''Vlach'' is an
exonym
An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, ...
used since medieval times. Aromanians call themselves ''Rrãmãn'' or ''Armãn'', depending on which of the two dialectal groups they belong, and identify as part of the ''Fara Armãneascã'' ("Aromanian tribe") or the ''Populu Armãnescu'' ("Aromanian people"). The endonym is rendered in English as ''Aromanian'', in Romanian as ''Aromâni'', in Greek as ''Armanoi'' (Αρμάνοι), in Albanian as ''Arumunët'', in Bulgarian as ''Arumani'' (Арумъни), in Macedonian as ''Aromanci'' (Ароманци), in Serbo-Croatian as ''Armani'' and ''Aromuni''.
The term "Vlach" was used in medieval Balkans as an exonym for all the Romance-speaking (Romanized) people of the region, as well as a general name for
shepherds
A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...
, but nowadays is commonly used for the Aromanians and
Meglenites,
Daco-Romanians being named Vlachs only in
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
and
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
. The term is noted in the following languages: Greek "Vlachoi" (), Albanian "Vllah", Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian "Vlasi" (Bласи),
Turkish "Ulahlar",
Hungarian "Oláh". It is noteworthy that the term Vlach also meant "bandit" or "rebel" in Ottoman
historiography
Historiography is the study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline, and by extension is any body of historical work on a particular subject. The historiography of a specific topic covers how historians ha ...
, and that the term was also used as an exonym for mainly Orthodox Christians in Ottoman-ruled
western Balkans (mainly denoting
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
), as well as by the
Venetians for the immigrant Slavophone population of the
Dalmatian hinterland
The Dalmatian Hinterland ( hr, Dalmatinska zagora; it, La Morlacca or ) is the southern inland hinterland in the historical Croatian region of Dalmatia. The name ''zagora'' means "beyond (the) hills", which is a reference to the fact that it is t ...
(also mainly denoting Serbs).
Groups
German academic
Thede Kahl, expert on
Aromanian studies, divides the Aromanians into two main groups, the "Rrãmãnji" and "Armãnji", which are further divided into sub-groups.
Rrãmãnji
* '' Muzãchiars'', from
Muzachia
The Myzeqe (; sq-definite, Myzeqeja; rup, Muzachia) is a plain in the Western Lowlands of Albania. The Myzeqe is the largest and widest plain, measured by area, in the Lowlands.
Location
The Myzeqe plain is a large alluvial plain traversed by t ...
situated in southwestern-central Albania.
* ''Fãrshãrots'' (or ''Fãrsherots''), concentrated in
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...
, from the
Frashër
Frashër (; sq-definite, Frashëri; rup, Farshar) is a village and a former municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Përmet. The population at the ...
(Aromanian ''Farshar'') area in south-eastern Albania.
* ''Moscopolitans'' or ''Moscopoleans'', from the city of
Moscopole
Moscopole or Voskopoja ( sq, Voskopojë; rup, Moscopole, with several other variants; el, Μοσχόπολις, Moschopolis) is a village in Korçë County in southeastern Albania. During the 18th century, it was the cultural and commercial ...
, once an important urban center of the Balkans, now a village in southeastern Albania.
Armãnji
* ''Pindeans'', concentrated in and around the
Pindus Mountains
The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metr ...
of Northern and Central
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
.
* ''Gramustians'' (or ''Gramosteans'', gr. ''grammostianoi''), from
Gramos Mountains, an isolated area in south-eastern
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, and north-west of Greece.
Nicknames
The Aromanian communities have several nicknames depending on the country where they are living.
* Gramustians and Pindians are nicknamed ''Koutsovlachs'' (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: Κουτσόβλαχοι). This term is sometimes taken as derogatory, as the first element of this term is from the Greek ''koutso-'' (κουτσό-) meaning "lame". Following a Turkish etymology where ''küçük'' means "little" they are the smaller group of Vlachs as opposed to the more numerous Vlachs (Daco-Romanians).
* Fãrsherots, from Frashër (Albania), Moscopole and Muzachia are nicknamed "Frasariotes" (Greek: Φρασαριώτες Βλάχοι) or ''Arvanitovlachs'' (Greek: Αρβανιτόβλαχοι), meaning "Albanian Vlachs" referring to their place of origin. Most of the Frashariotes are characterized also as "Greek-Vlach Northern Epirotes" because of their frequent historical inhabitancy of ethnic Greek territory.
In the South Slavic countries, such as Serbia,
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
and Bulgaria, the nicknames used to refer to the Aromanians are usually ''Vlasi'' (South Slavic for Vlachs and Wallachians) and ''Tsintsari'' (also spelled ''Tzintzari, Cincari'' or similar), which is derived from the way the Aromanians pronounce the word meaning
five, ''tsintsi''. In Romania, the demonym ''Macedoni'', ''Machedoni'' or ''Macedoromâni'' is also used. In Albania, the terms ''Vllah'' ("Vlach") and ''Çoban'' or ''Çobenj'' (from Turkish ''çoban'', "shepherd") are used.
Population
Settlements
The
Aromanian community in Albania is estimated up to 200,000 people, including those who no longer speak the language. Tanner estimates that the community constitutes 2% of the population. In
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, Aromanian communities inhabit Moscopole, their most famous settlement, the
Kolonjë District (where they are concentrated), a quarter of
Fier
Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Fier County and Fier Municipality. It is situated on the bank of Gjanica River in the Myzeqe Plain between the Seman in the north, the Vjos ...
(Aromanian ''Ferãcã''), while Aromanian was taught, as recorded by Tom Winnifrith, at primary schools in
Andon Poçi near
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and th ...
(Aromanian ''Ljurocastru''),
Shkallë
Shkallë is a village in the former municipality of Dajt in Tirana County, Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is loc ...
(Aromanian ''Scarã'') near
Sarandë
Sarandë (; sq-definite, Saranda; el, Άγιοι Σαράντα, Ágioi Saránta) is a city in the Republic of Albania and seat of Sarandë Municipality. Geographically, the city is located on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea within the Medi ...
, and
Borovë near
Korçë
Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau som ...
(Aromanian ''Curceau'') (1987).
A Romanian research team concluded in the 1960s that Albanian Aromanians migrated to
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
, Stan Karbunarë,
Skrapar
Skrapar ( sq-definite, Skrapari) is a municipality in Berat County, southern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Bogovë, Çepan, Çorovodë, Gjerbës, Leshnjë, Potom, Qendër Skrapar, Vendreshë
and Zhepë ...
,
Pojan
Pojan is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Maliq. The population at the 2011 census was 10,864. ,
Bilisht
Bilisht ( sq, Bilisht) is a town and a former municipality in Korçë County, south-eastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality Devoll. It was the seat of the former Devoll Distric ...
and
Korçë
Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau som ...
, and that they inhabited Karaja,
Lushnjë
Lushnjë (; in Lushnje's own dialect: ''Lushnje'' ; sq-definite, Lushnja) is a city and Municipalities of Albania, municipality in west-central Albania. It is located in the County of Fier. The total population is 83,659 (2011 census), in a to ...
,
Moscopole
Moscopole or Voskopoja ( sq, Voskopojë; rup, Moscopole, with several other variants; el, Μοσχόπολις, Moschopolis) is a village in Korçë County in southeastern Albania. During the 18th century, it was the cultural and commercial ...
,
Drenovë (Aromanian ''Dãrnova'') and
Boboshticë (Aromanian ''Bubushtitsa'').
There was an important community of Aromanians in
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
and
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
that was probably assimilated by local dwellers. Initially they were
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
but around year 1000 they adhered to
Bogomil
Bogomilism ( Bulgarian and Macedonian: ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", bogumilstvo, богумилство) was a Christian neo-Gnostic or dualist sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Pe ...
/
Patarene Christian sect and were
Serbianized. After the Turkish occupation, the Aromanians of Bosnia and Herzegovina converted to
Islam faith due to economic and religious motifs. There are many artifacts of Aromanians in Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly in their necropolises. These necropolises cover all Bosnia and consist of funerary monuments, generally without crosses.
Origins
The Aromanian language is related to the
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin, also known as Popular or Colloquial Latin, is the range of non-formal registers of Latin spoken from the Late Roman Republic onward. Through time, Vulgar Latin would evolve into numerous Romance languages. Its literary counterpa ...
spoken in the Balkans during the Roman period. It is hard to establish the history of the Vlachs in the Balkans, with a gap between the barbarian invasions and the first mentions of the Vlachs in the 11th and 12th centuries. Byzantine chronicles are unhelpful, and only in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries the term ''Vlach'' becomes more frequent, although it proves problematic to distinguish sorts of Vlachs as it was used for various subjects, such as the empire of the Asen dynasty, Thessaly, and Romania across the Danube. It has been assumed that Aromanians are descendants of Roman soldiers or Latinized original populations (Greeks, Illyrians, Thracians or Dardanians), due to the historical Roman military presence in the territory inhabited by the community. According to David Binder, the Greek connection is "undoubtedly the strongest". Many Romanian scholars maintain that the Aromanians were part of a Daco-Romanian migration from the north of the Danube between the 6th and 10th centuries, supporting the theory that the 'Great Romanian' population descend from the ancient Dacians and Romans. Greek scholars view the Aromanians as descendants of Roman legionaries that married Greek women. There is no evidence for either theory, and Winnifrith deems them improbable. The little evidence that exists points that the Vlach (Aromanian) homeland was in the Northern Balkans, North of the
Jireček Line demarcating the Latin and Greek linguistic influence spheres. With the Slavic breakthrough of the Danube frontier in the 7th century, Latin-speakers were pushed further southwards. Based on linguistic considerations, Olga Tomic concludes that Aromanians moved from Thrace to their present locations after the Slavic invasion of Thrace, though before the
Megleno-Romanians
The Megleno-Romanians, also known as Meglenites ( ruq, Miglinits), Moglenite Vlachs or simply Vlachs ( ruq, Vlaș), are a small Eastern Romance people, originally inhabiting seven villages in the Moglena region spanning the Pella and Kilkis re ...
.
Genetic studies
In 2006 ''Bosch et al.'' attempted to determine if the Aromanians are descendants of Latinised
Dacians,
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
,
Illyrians
The Illyrians ( grc, Ἰλλυριοί, ''Illyrioi''; la, Illyrii) were a group of Indo-European-speaking peoples who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo-Balkan populations, a ...
,
Thracians
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
or a combination of these, but it was shown that they are genetically indistinguishable from the other Balkan populations. Linguistic and cultural differences between Balkan groups were deemed too weak to prevent
gene flow among the groups.
;
Y-DNA
The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes (allosomes) in therian mammals, including humans, and many other animals. The other is the X chromosome. Y is normally the sex-determining chromosome in many species, since it is the presence or abse ...
haplogroup
A haplotype is a group of alleles in an organism that are inherited together from a single parent, and a haplogroup (haploid from the el, ἁπλοῦς, ''haploûs'', "onefold, simple" and en, group) is a group of similar haplotypes that share ...
s
Haplogroup R1b is the most common haplogroup among two or three of the five tested Aromanian populations, which is not shown as a leading mark of the Y-DNA locus in other regions or ethnic groups on the
Balkan Peninsula. On the 16 Y-STR markers from the five Aromanian populations, Jim Cullen's predictor speculates that over half of the mean frequency of 22% R1b of the Aromanian populations is more likely to belong to the L11 branch.
L11 subclades form the majority of Haplogroup R1b in Italy and western Europe, while the eastern subclades of R1b are prevailing in populations of the eastern Balkans.
History and self-identification
The Aromanians or Vlachs first appear in medieval
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
sources in the 11th century, in the ''
Strategikon of Kekaumenos
The ''Strategikon of Kekaumenos'' ( el, Στρατηγικὸν τοῦ Κεκαυμένου, la, Cecaumeni Strategicon) is a late 11th century Byzantine manual offering advice on warfare and the handling of public and domestic affairs.
The bo ...
'' and
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene ( gr, Ἄννα Κομνηνή, Ánna Komnēnḗ; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine princess and author of the ''Alexiad'', an account of the reign of her father, the Byzantine emperor, ...
's ''
Alexiad'', in the area of
Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
. In the 12th century, the Jewish traveller
Benjamin of Tudela records the existence of the district of "Vlachia" near
Halmyros in eastern
Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
, while the Byzantine historian
Niketas Choniates places "
Great Vlachia" near
Meteora
The Meteora (; el, Μετέωρα, ) is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos.Sofianos, D.Z.: "Metéora" ...
. Thessalian Vlachia was apparently also known as "Vlachia in
Hellas". Later medieval sources also speak of an "Upper Vlachia" in
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...
, and a "Little Vlachia" in
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania ( el, Αιτωλοακαρνανία, ''Aitoloakarnanía'', ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the geographic region of Central Greece and the administrative region of West Greece. A combination of the histor ...
, but "Great Vlachia" is no longer mentioned after the late 13th century.
The medieval Vlachs (Aromanians) of Herzegovina are considered authors of the famous funerary monuments with petroglyphs ( in Serbian) from Herzegovina and surrounding countries. The theory of the Vlach origin was proposed by
Bogumil Hrabak (1956) and
Marian Wenzel and more recently was supported by the archeological and anthropological researches of skeleton remains from the graves under stećci. The theory is much older and was first proposed by
Arthur Evans
Sir Arthur John Evans (8 July 1851 – 11 July 1941) was a British archaeologist and pioneer in the study of Aegean civilization in the Bronze Age. He is most famous for unearthing the palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete. Based on ...
in his work ''Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum'' (1883). While doing research with
Felix von Luschan
Felix Ritter von Luschan (11 August 1854 – 7 February 1924) was an Austrian doctor, anthropologist, explorer, archaeologist and ethnographer.
Life
Luschan was born the son of a lawyer in Hollabrunn, Lower Austria, and attended the Akademische ...
on stećak graves around
Konavle
Konavle () is a municipality and a small region located southeast of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
It is administratively part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the center of the municipality is Cavtat.
Demographics
The total municipality population wa ...
, he found that a large number of skulls were not of Slavic origin but similar to older Illyrian and
Arbanasi tribes, as well as noting that
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...
memorials recorded those parts inhabited by the Vlachs until the 15th century.
Aromanians within the Balkan nationalisms of the 19th and 20th centuries
A distinct Aromanian consciousness was not developed until the 19th century, and was influenced by the rise of other
national movements in the Balkans.
Until then, the Aromanians, as
Eastern Orthodox Christians
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
, were subsumed with other ethnic groups into the wider ethnoreligious group of the "Romans" (in Greek ''
Rhomaioi
The Greeks ( el, Έλληνες) have been identified by many ethnonyms. The most common native ethnonym is ''Hellen'' ( grc, Ἕλλην), pl. '' Hellenes'' (); the name ''Greeks'' ( la, Graeci) was used by the ancient Romans and gradually ente ...
'', after the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire), which in
Ottoman times formed the distinct ''
Rum millet
Rūm millet (millet-i Rûm), or "''Roman nation''", was the name of the Eastern Orthodox Christian community in the Ottoman Empire. Despite being subordinated within the Ottoman political system, the community maintained a certain internal aut ...
''. The ''Rum millet'' was headed by the Greek-dominated
Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...
, and the Greek language was used as a ''
lingua franca'' among Balkan Orthodox Christians throughout the 17th–19th centuries. As a result, wealthy, urbanized Aromanians were culturally
Hellenized and played a major role in the dissemination of Greek language and culture; indeed, the first book written in Aromanian was written in the
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BCE. It is derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and was the earliest known alphabetic script to have distinct letters for vowels as w ...
and aimed at spreading Greek among Aromanian-speakers.
By the early 19th century, however, the distinct Latin-derived nature of the Aromanian language began to be studied in a series of grammars and language booklets. In 1815, the Aromanians of
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
requested permission to use their language in
liturgy, but it was turned down by the local metropolitan.
The establishment of a distinct Aromanian national consciousness, however, was hampered by the tendency of the Aromanian upper classes to be absorbed in the dominant surrounding ethnicities, and espouse their respective national causes as their own. So much did they become identified with the host nations that Balkan national historiographies portray the Aromanians as the "best Albanians", "best Greeks" and "best Bulgarians", leading to researchers calling them the "
chameleons of the Balkans". Consequently, many
Aromanians played a prominent role in the modern history of the Balkan nations: the revolutionary
Pitu Guli
Pitu Guli (; 1865–1903) was an Aromanian revolutionary in Ottoman Macedonia, a local leader of what is commonly referred to as the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO).Brown, K. (2003) ''The Past in Question: Modern Mace ...
, Greek Prime Minister
Ioannis Kolettis
Ioannis Kolettis (; died 17 September 1847) was a Greek politician who played a significant role in Greek affairs from the Greek War of Independence through the early years of the Greek Kingdom, including as Minister to France and serving twic ...
, Greek magnate
Georgios Averoff, Greek Defence Minister
Evangelos Averoff
Evangelos Averoff-Tositsa (Greek: Ευάγγελος Αβέρωφ Τοσίτσας) (Trikala, 17 April 1910 – Athens, 2 January 1990) was a Greek politician, leader of the right wing party New Democracy (1981–1984), member of parliament, an ...
, Serbian Prime Minister
Vladan Đorđević
Ipokrat "Vladan" Đorđević (, sr-Cyrl, Владан Ђорђевић, 21 November 1844 – 31 August 1930) was a Serbian politician, diplomat, physician, prolific writer, and organizer of the State Sanitary Service. He held the post of mayor ...
,
Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople
Athenagoras I ( el, Αθηναγόρας Αʹ), born Aristocles Matthaiou ("son of Matthew", a patronymic) Spyrou ( el, Αριστοκλής Ματθαίου Σπύρου, links=no; – July 7, 1972), initially the Greek archbishop in North Amer ...
, Romanian metropolitan
Andrei Şaguna
Andrei, Andrey or Andrej (in Cyrillic script: Андрэй , Андрей or Андреј) is a form of Andreas/ Ἀνδρέας in Slavic languages and Romanian. People with the name include:
*Andrei of Polotsk (–1399), Lithuanian nobleman
*An ...
, the Wallachian and Moldavian rulers of the
Ghica family
The Ghica family ( ro, Ghica; sq, Gjika; el, Γκίκας, ''Gikas'') was a noble family active in Wallachia, Moldavia and in the Kingdom of Romania, between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Ghica family produced many voivodes of Wallachia a ...
, etc.
Following the establishment of independent
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
and the
autocephaly of the
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; ro, Biserica Ortodoxă Română, ), or Patriarchate of Romania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates ...
in the 1860s, the Aromanians increasingly began to come under the influence of the
Romanian national movement. Although vehemently opposed by the Greek church, the Romanians established an extensive state-sponsored cultural and educative network in the southern Balkans: the first Romanian school was established in 1864 by the Aromanian
Dimitri Atanasescu
Dimitri Atanasescu Hagi Sterjio ( ro, Dimitrie Atanasescu Hagi Steriu; 16 May 1836 – 1907) was an Aromanian tailor and later teacher known for having been the teacher of the first Romanian school in the Balkans for the Aromanians, located at ...
, and by the early 20th century there were 100 Romanian churches and 106 schools with 4,000 pupils and 300 teachers. As a result, Aromanians divided into two main factions, one pro-Greek, the other pro-Romanian, plus a smaller focusing exclusively on its Aromanian identity.
With the support of the
Great Powers, and especially
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, the "Aromanian-Romanian movement" culminated in the recognition of the Aromanians as a distinct ''
millet'' (the
Ullah Millet) by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
on 22 May 1905, with corresponding freedoms of worship and education in their own language. Nevertheless, due to the advanced assimilation of the Aromanians, this came too late to lead to the creation of a distinct Aromanian national identity; indeed, as
Gustav Weigand
Gustav Weigand (1 February 1860 – 8 July 1930), was a German linguist and specialist in Balkan languages, especially Romanian and Aromanian. He is known for his seminal contributions to the dialectology of the Romance languages of the Balkans ...
noted in 1897, most Aromanians were not only indifferent, but actively hostile to their own national movement.
At the same time, the Greek–Romanian antagonism over Aromanian loyalties intensified with the armed
Macedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle ( bg, Македонска борба; el, Μακεδονικός Αγώνας; mk, Борба за Македонија; sr, Борба за Македонију; tr, Makedonya Mücadelesi) was a series of social, po ...
, leading to the rupture of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1906. During the Macedonian Struggle, most Aromanians participated on the "patriarchist" (pro-Greek) side, but some sided with the "
exarchists" (pro-Bulgarians). However, following the
Balkan Wars of 1912–13, Romanian interest waned, and when it revived in the 1920s it was designed more towards encouraging the Romanians' "Macedonian brothers" to emigrate to
Southern Dobruja
Southern Dobruja, South Dobruja or Quadrilateral ( Bulgarian: Южна Добруджа, ''Yuzhna Dobrudzha'' or simply Добруджа, ''Dobrudzha''; ro, Dobrogea de Sud, or ) is an area of northeastern Bulgaria comprising Dobrich and Silis ...
, where there were strong non-Romanian minorities.
While Romanian activity declined, from
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
on and with its
involvement in Albania, Italy made some efforts—not very successful—in converting pro-Romanian sympathies into pro-Italian ones. In
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, during the
Axis occupation of Greece, Italy encouraged Aromanian nationalists to form an "Aromanian homeland", the so-called
Principality of the Pindus. The project never gained much traction among the local population, however. On the contrary, many leading figures of the
Greek Resistance against the Axis, like
Andreas Tzimas,
Stefanos Sarafis, and
Alexandros Svolos, were Aromanians. The "principality" project collapsed with the
Italian armistice
The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II.
It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brigad ...
in 1943.
Modern Aromanian identities
The date of the announcement of the Ottoman ''irade'' of 23 May 1905 has been adopted in recent times by Aromanians in Albania,
Australia, Bulgaria and North Macedonia as the "
Aromanian National Day
The Aromanian National Day ( rup, Dzua Natsionalã a Armãnjilor) is the national day of the Aromanians, an ethnic group of the Balkans scattered in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. It is normally celebrated by A ...
" (), but notably not in Greece or among the Aromanians in the
Greek diaspora
The Greek diaspora, also known as Omogenia ( el, Ομογένεια, Omogéneia), are the communities of Greeks living outside of Greece and Cyprus (excluding Northern Cyprus). Such places historically include Albania, North Macedonia, parts of ...
. In Romania, every 10 May, the Balkan Romanianness Day is celebrated instead for the same event. This observance is meant for the Aromanians but also for the Megleno-Romanians and the
Istro-Romanians.
In modern times, Aromanians generally have adopted the dominant national culture, often with a dual identity as both Aromanian and Greek/Albanian/Bulgarian/Macedonian/Serbian/etc. Aromanians are also found outside the borders of Greece. There are many Aromanians in southern Albania and in towns all over the Balkans, while Aromanians identifying as Romanians are still to be found in areas where Romanian schools were active. There are also many Aromanians who identify themselves as solely Aromanian (even, as in the case of the "Cincars", when they no longer speak the language). Such groups are to be found in southwestern Albania, the eastern parts of North Macedonia, the Aromanians who immigrated to Romania in 1940, and in Greece in the
Veria
Veria ( el, Βέροια or Βέρροια), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Berea or Berœa, is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the regional unit of ...
(Aromanian ''Veryia'') and
Grevena
Grevena ( el, Γρεβενά, ''Grevená'', , rup, Grebini) is a town and municipality in Western Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the Grevena regional unit. The town's current population is 13,374 citizens (2011). It lies about from Ath ...
(Aromanian ''Grebini'') areas and in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
.
Culture
Religion
The Aromanians are predominantly
Orthodox Christians, and follow the
Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar
The Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar describes and dictates the rhythm of the life of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Passages of Holy Scripture, saints and events for commemoration are associated with each date, as are many times special rule ...
.
Cuisine
Aromanian cuisine is strongly influenced by
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
and
Middle Eastern cuisine.
Music
Polyphonic music
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
is common among the Aromanians, and follows a common set of rules.
Clothing
In Aromanian rural areas, clothes differed from the dress of the city dwellers. The shape and the colour of a garment, the volume of the headgear, the shape of a jewel could indicate cultural affiliation and also could show the village people came from.
Fustanella
Fustanella (for spelling in various languages, see chart below) is a traditional pleated skirt-like garment that is also referred to as a kilt worn by men of many nations in the Balkans (Southeast Europe). In modern times, the fustanella is par ...
usage among Aromanians can be traced to at least the 15th century, with notable examples being seen in the Aromanian stećak of the
Radimlja
Radimlja ( sr-cyr, Радимља) is a stećak necropolis located near Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in Vidovo polje, 3 km west of Stolac, on the Čapljina-Stolac road. The Radimlja necropolis is one of the most valuable monu ...
necropolis.
Additionally Aromanians claim the fustanella as their ethnic costume.
Aromanians today
In Greece
In Greece, Aromanians are not recognised as an ethnic but as a linguistic minority and, like the
Arvanites
Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a bilingual population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They traditionally speak Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded as settl ...
, have been indistinguishable in many respects from other
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
since the 19th century. Although Greek Aromanians would differentiate themselves from native
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
(''Grets'') when speaking in Aromanian, most still consider themselves part of the broader Greek nation (''Elini'',
Hellenes
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, other ...
), which also encompasses other linguistic minorities such as the
Arvanites
Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a bilingual population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They traditionally speak Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded as settl ...
or the
Slavic speakers of Greek Macedonia
, region3 =
, pop3 = 81,745 (2006 census) – 90,000 (est.) descendants of migrants from the region of Macedonia
, ref3 =
, region4 =
, pop4 = 50,000 – 70,000 (est., incl. descendants)
, ref4 = Simpson, Neil (1994). Macedonia Its Disputed H ...
. Greek Aromanians have long been associated with the Greek national state, actively participated in the Greek Struggle for Independence, and have obtained very important positions in government, although there was an attempt to create an autonomous Aromanian canton under the protection of Italy at the end of World War I, called
Principality of the Pindus. Aromanians have been very influential in Greek politics, business and the army. Revolutionaries
Rigas Feraios
Rigas Feraios ( el, Ρήγας Φεραίος , sometimes ''Rhegas Pheraeos''; rup, Riga Fereu) or Velestinlis (Βελεστινλής , also transliterated ''Velestinles''); 1757 – 24 June 1798), born as Antonios Rigas Velestinlis ( el ...
and
Giorgakis Olympios ro, Iordache Olimpiotul
, birth_date = 1772
, death_date =
, birth_place = Livadi, Larissa, Ottoman Empire
, death_place = Neamț, Moldavia
, image = Georgakis Olympios Greek Fighter.JPG
, image_size = 180
, Nickname =
, bir ...
, Prime Minister
Ioannis Kolettis
Ioannis Kolettis (; died 17 September 1847) was a Greek politician who played a significant role in Greek affairs from the Greek War of Independence through the early years of the Greek Kingdom, including as Minister to France and serving twic ...
, billionaires and benefactors
Evangelos Zappas and
Konstantinos Zappas, businessman and philanthropist
George Averoff
George M. Averoff (15 August 1815, Metsovo – 15 July 1899, Alexandria), alternately Jorgos Averof or Georgios Averof (in Greek: Γεώργιος Αβέρωφ), was a businessman and philanthropist. He is one of the great national benefactors ...
, Field Marshal and later Prime Minister
Alexandros Papagos
Alexandros Papagos ( el, Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος; 9 December 1883 – 4 October 1955) was a Greek army officer who led the Hellenic Army in World War II and the later stages of the subsequent Greek Civil War. The only Greek caree ...
, and conservative politician
Evangelos Averoff
Evangelos Averoff-Tositsa (Greek: Ευάγγελος Αβέρωφ Τοσίτσας) (Trikala, 17 April 1910 – Athens, 2 January 1990) was a Greek politician, leader of the right wing party New Democracy (1981–1984), member of parliament, an ...
were all either Aromanians or of partial Aromanian heritage. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of Aromanians in Greece today. The
Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 estimated their number between 150,000 and 200,000, but the last two censuses to differentiate between Christian minority groups, in 1940 and 1951, showed 26,750 and 22,736 Vlachs respectively. Estimates on the number of Aromanians in Greece range between 40,000
and 300,000. Kahl estimates the total number of people with Aromanian origin who still understand the language as no more than 300,000, with the number of fluent speakers under 100,000.
The majority of the Aromanian population lives in northern and central Greece;
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...
,
Macedonia and
Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
. The main areas inhabited by these populations are the
Pindus Mountains
The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metr ...
, around the mountains of
Olympus and
Vermion, and around the
Prespa Lakes near the border with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. Some Aromanians can still be found in isolated rural settlements such as
Samarina
Samarina ( el, Σαμαρίνα, rup, Samarina, Xamarina, San Marina) is a village and a former municipality in Grevena regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Grevena, of whic ...
(Aromanian '' Samarina'', ''Xamarina'' or ''San Marina''),
Perivoli (Aromanian ''Pirivoli'') and
Smixi (Aromanian ''Zmixi''). There are also Aromanians (Vlachs) in towns and cities such as
Ioannina (Aromanian ''Ianina'', ''Enina'' or ''Enãna''),
Metsovo (Aromanian ''Aminciu''),
Veria
Veria ( el, Βέροια or Βέρροια), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Berea or Berœa, is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the regional unit of ...
(Aromanian ''Veryia'')
Katerini,
Trikala
Trikala ( el, Τρίκαλα; rup, Trikolj) is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece, and the capital of the Trikala regional unit. The city straddles the Lithaios river, which is a tributary of Pineios. According to the Greek National Stati ...
(Aromanian ''Trikolj''),
Grevena
Grevena ( el, Γρεβενά, ''Grevená'', , rup, Grebini) is a town and municipality in Western Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the Grevena regional unit. The town's current population is 13,374 citizens (2011). It lies about from Ath ...
(Aromanian '' Grebini'') and
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
(Aromanian ''Sãruna'')
Generally, the use of the minority languages has been discouraged in Greece,
[Greek Monitor of Human and Minority Rights vol I. No 3 December 1995] although recently there have been efforts to preserve the endangered languages (including Aromanian) of Greece.
Since 1994, the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...
offers beginner and advanced courses in "Koutsovlach", and cultural festivals with over 40,000 participants—the largest Aromanian cultural gatherings in the world—regularly take place in Metsovo. Nevertheless, there are no exclusively Aromanian newspapers, and the Aromanian language is almost totally absent from television. Indeed, although as of 2002 there were over 200 Vlach cultural associations in Greece, many did not even feature the term "Vlach" in their titles, and only a few are active in preserving the Aromanian language.
In 1997, the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, a 46-nation international organisation dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The Assembly is made up ...
passed a resolution encouraging the Balkan states to take steps to rectify the "critical situation" of Aromanian culture and language. This was after pressure from the
Union for Aromanian Language and Culture in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. In response, the then
President of Greece
The president of Greece, officially the President of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Próedros tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), commonly referred to in Greek as the President of the Rep ...
,
Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, publicly urged Greek Aromanians to teach the language to their children.
In 2001, 31 Aromanian mayors and heads of villages signed a protest resolution against the
U.S. State Department report on the human rights situation in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
. They complained "against the direct or indirect characterisation of the Vlach-speaking Greeks as an ethnic, linguistic or other minority, stating that the Vlach-speaking Greeks never requested to be recognised by the Greek state as a minority, stressing that historically and culturally they were and still are an integral part of Hellenism, they would be bilingual and Aromanian would be secondary".
Furthermore, the largest Aromanian group in Greece (and across the world), the
Panhellenic Federation of Cultural Associations of Vlachs in Greece, has repeatedly rejected the classification of Aromanian as a minority language or the Vlachs as a distinct ethnic group separate from the Greeks, considering the Aromanians as an "integral part of Hellenism". The Aromanian (Vlach) Cultural Society, which is associated with
Sotiris Bletsas, is represented on the Member State Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser Spoken Languages in Greece.
In Albania
There is a large Aromanian community in Albania, which is officially called ''Vlach Minority'' ( sq, Minoriteti Vllah), specifically in the southern and central regions of the country. It is estimated that the number of Aromanians in Albania go up to 200,000, including those not speaking the language any more. There are currently timid attempts to establish education in their native language in the town of
Divjakë
Divjakë (; sq-definite, Divjaka) is a municipality and town in Fier County, Albania. The municipality consists of the administrative units of Grabian, Gradishtë, Remas, Tërbuf with Divjakë constituting its seat. As of the Institute of St ...
.
For the last years there seems to be a renewal of the former policies of supporting and sponsoring of Romanian schools for Aromanians of Albania. As a recen
articlein the Romanian media points out, the kindergarten, primary and secondary schools in the Albanian town of Divjakë where the local Albanian Aromanians pupils are taught classes both in Aromanian and Romanian were granted substantial help directly from the Romanian government. The only
Aromanian language church in Albania is the
Transfiguration of Jesus
In the New Testament, the Transfiguration of Jesus is an event where Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (, , ) describe it, and the Second Epistle of Peter also refers to it ().
In these ...
(Aromanian ''Ayiu Sutir'') of Korçë, which was given 2 billion
lei help from the Romanian government. They also have a political party named
Alliance for Equality and European Justice (ABDE; ), which is the only in the world along with two in North Macedonia, and two social organisations named ''Shoqata Arumunët/Vllehtë e Shqiperisë'' (The Society of the Aromanians/Vlachs of Albania) and ''Unioni Kombëtar Arumun Shqiptar'' (The Aromanian Albanian National Union). Many of the Albanian Aromanians (Arvanito Vlachs) have immigrated to Greece, since they are considered in Greece part of the
Greek minority in Albania.
Notable Aromanians whose family background hailed from today's Albania include Bishop Andrei Şaguna, and Reverend
Llambro Ballamaçi, whereas notable Albanians with an Aromanian family background are actors
Aleksandër (Sandër) Prosi,
Margarita Xhepa,
Albert Vërria, and
Prokop Mima, as well as composer
Nikolla Zoraqi and singers
Eli Fara and
Parashqevi Simaku.
On 13 October 2017, Aromanians received the official status of
ethnic minority, through voting of a bill by
Albanian Parliament.
In North Macedonia
According to official government figures (census 2002), there are 9,695 Aromanians or Vlachs, as they are officially called in North Macedonia. According to the census of 1953 there were 8,669 Vlachs, 6,392 in 1981 and 8,467 in 1994. Aromanians are recognized as an ethnic minority, and are hence represented in Parliament and enjoy ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious rights and the right to education in their language.
There are Aromanian cultural societies and associations such as the Union for Aromanian Culture from North Macedonia, The Aromanian League of North Macedonia, The International League of Aromanians and ''Comuna Armãneascã "Frats Manachi"'', (The Aromanian Community Manaki Brothers) in
Bitola (Aromanian ''Bituli'' or ''Bitule''). There also are two political parties representing the Aromanian minority of the country. These are the
Democratic Union of the Vlachs of Macedonia
The Democratic Union of the Vlachs of Macedonia (DSVM; mk, Демократски сојуз на Власите од Македонија, ; rup, Unia Democratã a Armãnjlor dit Machidunii, ) is one of the two political parties of North Mace ...
(DSVM; , ) and the
Party of the Vlachs of Macedonia
The Party of the Vlachs of Macedonia (PVM; mk, Партија на Власите од Македонија, ; rup, Partia Armãnjilor ditu Machidunie, ), sometimes simply referred to as the Party of the Vlachs or the Vlach Party ( mk, Пар� ...
(PVM; , ). They are the only Aromanian parties in the world along with ABDE in Albania.
Many forms of Aromanian-language media have been established since the 1990s. North Macedonia's Government provides financial assistance to Aromanian-language newspapers and radio stations. Aromanian-language newspapers such as
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
( rup, Fenix) service the Aromanian community. The Aromanian television program Spark ( rup, Scanteao; Macedonian ''Искра'' (Iskra)) broadcasts on
the second channel of the
Macedonian Radio-Television.
There are Aromanian classes provided in primary schools and the state funds some Aromanian published works (magazines and books) as well as works that cover Aromanian culture, language and history. The latter is mostly done by the first Aromanian Scientific Society, "Constantin Belemace" in
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and List of cities in North Macedonia by population, largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Sk ...
(Aromanian ''Scopia''), which has organized symposiums on Aromanian history and has published papers from them. According to the last census, there were 9,596 Aromanians (0.48% of the total population). There are concentrations in
Kruševo
Kruševo ( mk, Крушево ; rup, Crushuva "Crușuva") is a town in North Macedonia. In Macedonian the name means the 'place of pear trees'. It is the highest town in North Macedonia and one of the highest in the Balkans, situated at an altit ...
(Aromanian ''Crushuva'') 1,020 (20%),
Štip
Štip ( mk, Штип ) is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of North Macedonia, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities.
As of the 2002 census, the city ...
(Aromanian ''Shtip'') 2,074 (4.3%), Bitola 1,270 (1.3%),
Struga 656 (1%),
Sveti Nikole
Sveti Nikole ( mk, Свети Николе ; meaning ''Saint Nicholas''; rup, San Nicole) is a town in North Macedonia. It is the seat of Sveti Nikole Municipality and a center of a plain called Ovče Pole (''Plain of sheep''), famous for sheep ...
(Aromanian ''San Nicole'') 238 (1.4%),
Kisela Voda 647 (1.1%) and Skopje 2,557 (0.5%).
In Romania
Since the Middle Ages, due to the Turkish occupation and the destruction of their cities, such as
Moscopole
Moscopole or Voskopoja ( sq, Voskopojë; rup, Moscopole, with several other variants; el, Μοσχόπολις, Moschopolis) is a village in Korçë County in southeastern Albania. During the 18th century, it was the cultural and commercial ...
,
Gramoshtea, Linotopi and later on
Kruševo
Kruševo ( mk, Крушево ; rup, Crushuva "Crușuva") is a town in North Macedonia. In Macedonian the name means the 'place of pear trees'. It is the highest town in North Macedonia and one of the highest in the Balkans, situated at an altit ...
, many Aromanians fled their native homelands in the Balkans to settle the Romanian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, which had a similar language and a certain degree of autonomy from the
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
. These immigrant Aromanians were assimilated into the Romanian population.
In 1925, 47 years after
Dobruja
Dobruja or Dobrudja (; bg, Добруджа, Dobrudzha or ''Dobrudža''; ro, Dobrogea, or ; tr, Dobruca) is a historical region in the Balkans that has been divided since the 19th century between the territories of Bulgaria and Romania. I ...
was incorporated into Romania,
King Ferdinand gave the Aromanians land and privileges to settle in this region, which resulted in a significant migration of Aromanians into Romania. Today, 25% of the population of the region are descendants of Aromanian immigrants.
There are currently between 50,000 and 100,000 Aromanians in Romania, most of which are concentrated in Dobruja. According to some Aromanian cultural organizations in Romania, there are some 100,000 Aromanians in Romania, and they are often called ''macedoni'' ("Macedonians"). Some Aromanian associations even place the total number of people of Aromanian descent in Romania as high as 250,000.
Recently, there has been a growing movement in Romania, both by Aromanians and by Romanian lawmakers, to recognize the Aromanians either as a separate cultural group or as a separate ethnic group, and extend to them the rights of other minorities in Romania, such as mother-tongue education and representatives in parliament.
In Bulgaria
Most of the Aromanians in the
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...
region are descendants of emigrants from the region of Macedonia and northern Greece who arrived between 1850 and 1914.
In Bulgaria, most Aromanians were concentrated in the region south-west of Sofia, in the region called
Pirin
, photo=Pirin-mountains-Bansko.jpg
, photo_caption=Pirin scenery in winter
, country= Bulgaria,
, parent=
, geology= granite, gneiss, marble, limestone
, area_km2=2585
, range_coordinates =
, length_km=80 , length_orientation= north-s ...
, formerly part of the Ottoman Empire until 1913. Due to this reason, a large number of these Aromanians moved to
Southern Dobruja
Southern Dobruja, South Dobruja or Quadrilateral ( Bulgarian: Южна Добруджа, ''Yuzhna Dobrudzha'' or simply Добруджа, ''Dobrudzha''; ro, Dobrogea de Sud, or ) is an area of northeastern Bulgaria comprising Dobrich and Silis ...
, part of the
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania ( ro, Regatul României) was a constitutional monarchy that existed in Romania from 13 March ( O.S.) / 25 March 1881 with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian ...
after the
Treaty of Bucharest of 1913. After the reinclusion of Southern Dobruja in Bulgaria with the
Treaty of Craiova
The Treaty of Craiova ( bg, Крайовска спогодба, Krayovska spogodba; ro, Tratatul de la Craiova) was signed on 7 September 1940 and ratified on 13 September 1940 by the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Romania. Under its te ...
of 1940, most were moved to
Northern Dobruja in a
population exchange
Population transfer or resettlement is a type of mass migration, often imposed by state policy or international authority and most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion but also due to economic development. Banishment or exile is a ...
. Another group moved to northern Greece. Nowadays, the largest group of Aromanians in Bulgaria is found in the southern mountainous area, around
Peshtera. Most Aromanians in Bulgaria originate from the
Gramos Mountains, with some from
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
, the
Pindus Mountains
The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metr ...
in Greece and
Moscopole
Moscopole or Voskopoja ( sq, Voskopojë; rup, Moscopole, with several other variants; el, Μοσχόπολις, Moschopolis) is a village in Korçë County in southeastern Albania. During the 18th century, it was the cultural and commercial ...
in Albania.
After the fall of communism in 1989, Aromanians and Romanians (known as "Vlachs" in Bulgaria) have started initiatives to organize themselves under one common association.
According to the 1926 official census, there were 69,080 Romanians, 5,324 Aromanians, 3,777 ''Cutzovlachs'', and 1,551 ''Tsintsars''.
In Serbia
In medieval times, the Aromanians populated Herzegovina and elevated famous necropolises with petroglyphs (Radimlja, Blidinje, etc.).
[Marian Wenzel, Bosnian and Herzegovinian Tombstobes-Who Made Them and Why?" Sudost-Forschungen 21(1962): 102–143.] The Aromanians, known as ''Cincari'' (Цинцари), migrated to Serbia in the 18th and early 19th centuries. They most often were bilingual in Greek, and were often called "Greeks" (''Grci''). They were influential in the forming of Serbian statehood, having contributed with rebel fighters, merchants and intellectuals. Many Greek Aromanians (Грко Цинцари) came to Serbia with
Alija Gušanac as ''krdžalije'' (mercenaries) and later joined the
Serbian Revolution
The Serbian Revolution ( sr, Српска револуција / ''Srpska revolucija'') was a national uprising and constitutional change in Serbia that took place between 1804 and 1835, during which this territory evolved from an Ottoman prov ...
(1804–1817). Some of the notable rebels include
Konda Bimbaša and Papazogli. Among the notable people of Aromanian descent are playwright
Jovan Sterija Popović
Jovan Sterija Popović (; sr-cyr, Јован Стерија Поповић; 13 January 1806 – 10 March 1856) was a Serbian playwright, poet, lawyer, philosopher and pedagogue who taught at the Belgrade Higher School. Sterija was recognized by ...
(1806–1856), novelist
Branislav Nušić (1864–1938), and politician
Vladan Đorđević
Ipokrat "Vladan" Đorđević (, sr-Cyrl, Владан Ђорђевић, 21 November 1844 – 31 August 1930) was a Serbian politician, diplomat, physician, prolific writer, and organizer of the State Sanitary Service. He held the post of mayor ...
(1844–1930).
The majority of Serbian people of Aromanian descent do not speak Aromanian and espouse a
Serb identity. They live in
Niš
Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
,
Belgrade and some smaller communities in Southern Serbia, such as
Knjaževac. The
Lunjina Serbian–Aromanian Association was founded in Belgrade in 1991. According to the
2011 census, there were 243 Serbian citizens that identified as ethnic ''Cincari''.
However, unofficial estimates number the Aromanian population of Serbia at 5,000–15,000.
Diaspora
Aside from the Balkan countries, there are also communities of Aromanian emigrants living in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Although the largest diaspora community is in select major Canadian cities,
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...
, Germany has one of the most important Aromanian organisations, the
Union for Aromanian Language and Culture. In the United States, the
Society Farsharotu is the oldest and most well-known association of Aromanians, founded in 1903 by Nicolae Cican, an Aromanian native of Albania. In France, the Aromanians are grouped in the
Trã Armãnami Association of the Aromanians of France.
Notable Aromanians
The following is a list of notable people of full or partial Aromanian descent. Note that these claims are in many cases disputed or shared with ancestry from other ethnicties.
Art and literature
*
Alexandru Arsinel—comedian and actor
*
Constantin Belimace—poet
*
Ion Luca Caragiale
Ion Luca Caragiale (; commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179-184 – 9 June 1912) was a Romanian playw ...
—playwright, short story writer, poet, theater manager, political commentator and journalist
*
Toma Caragiu—theatre, television and film actor
*
Konstantin Čomu—cinema operator
*
Elena Gheorghe—singer
*
Jovan Četirević Grabovan—icon painter
*
Stere Gulea—film director and screenwriter
*
Kira Hagi—actress
*
Dimitrios Lalas—composer and musician
*
Taško Načić—actor
*
Sergiu Nicolaescu
Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu (; 13 April 1930 – 3 January 2013) was a Romanian film director, actor and politician.
He was best known for his historical films, such as '' Mihai Viteazul'' (1970, released in English both under the equivalent tit ...
—film director, actor and politician
*
Constantin Noica
Constantin Noica (; – 4 December 1987) was a Romanian philosopher, essayist and poet. His preoccupations were throughout all philosophy, from epistemology, philosophy of culture, axiology and philosophic anthropology to ontology and logics, ...
—philosopher, essayist and poet
*
Branislav Nušić—playwright, satirist, essayist, novelist
*
Ştefan Octavian Iosif—poet and translator
*
Dan Piţa—film director and screenwriter
*
Aurel Plasari—writer
*
Jovan Sterija Popović
Jovan Sterija Popović (; sr-cyr, Јован Стерија Поповић; 13 January 1806 – 10 March 1856) was a Serbian playwright, poet, lawyer, philosopher and pedagogue who taught at the Belgrade Higher School. Sterija was recognized by ...
—playwright, poet, lawyer, philosopher and pedagogue
*
Florica Prevenda—painter
*
Toše Proeski
Todor "Toše" Proeski ( mk, Тодор "Тоше" Проески, ; 25 January 1981 – 16 October 2007) was a Macedonian multi-genre singer and songwriter. Considered a top act of the local Macedonian and Balkan music scene, Proeski's music wa ...
—singer
*
Sandër Prosi—actor
*
Camil Ressu
Camil Ressu (; 28 January 1880 – 1 April 1962) was a Romanian painter and academic, one of the most significant art figures of Romania.
Biography
Early life and career
Born in Galați, Ressu originated from an Aromanian family that migrated ...
—painter and academic
*
Konstantinos Tzechanis—philosopher, mathematician and poet
*
Nushi Tulliu—poet and prose writer
*
Albert Vërria—actor
*
Lika Yanko—painter
*
Jovan Jovanović Zmaj
Jovan Jovanović Zmaj ( sr-cyr, Јован Јовановић Змаj, pronounced ; 24 November 1833 – 1 June 1904) was a Serbian poet.
Jovanović worked as a physician; he wrote in many poetry genres, including love, lyric, patriotic, poli ...
—poet
*
Manaki brothers—film makers
Law, philanthropy and commerce
*
George Averoff
George M. Averoff (15 August 1815, Metsovo – 15 July 1899, Alexandria), alternately Jorgos Averof or Georgios Averof (in Greek: Γεώργιος Αβέρωφ), was a businessman and philanthropist. He is one of the great national benefactors ...
—businessman and philanthropist
*
Gigi Becali
George "Gigi" Becali (; born 25 June 1958) is a Romanian businessman and former politician, mostly known for his ownership of the FCSB football club.
Becali was a Member of the European Parliament between June 2009 and December 2012, and a Memb ...
—businessman and politician
*
Emanoil Gojdu—lawyer
*
Petar Ičko—merchant
*
Mocioni family
The Mocioni family ( hu, Mocsonyi de Foen), also spelled as Mocsony, was an Austro-Hungarian family that produced barons, philanthropists and bankers. It had branches in Romania, Serbia (Belgrade) and Hungary (Pest). The family was of Aromanian or ...
—barons, philanthropists and bankers
*
Theodoros Modis—lumber merchant and scholar
*
Sterjo Nakov—businessman
*
Simon Sinas
Simon von Sina or Simon Sinas ( el, Σίμων Σίνας; 1810–1876) was a Greek-Austrian banker, aristocrat, benefactor and diplomat. He was one of the most important benefactors of the Greek nation together with Georgios Sinas.
Biography
Sim ...
—banker, aristocrat, benefactor and diplomat
*
Georgios Sinas—entrepreneur, banker and national benefactor
*
Michael Tositsas—benefactor
*
Evangelis Zappas—philanthropist and businessman
*
Konstantinos Zappas—entrepreneur and national benefactor
*
Toma Fila
Toma Fila (; born 29 July 1941) is a Serbian lawyer and politician serving as a member of the National Assembly since 3 August 2020. He is also a member of the presidency of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and a member of the Diocesan Council ...
—lawyer and politician
Military
*
Konda Bimbaša—fighter
*
Pitu Guli
Pitu Guli (; 1865–1903) was an Aromanian revolutionary in Ottoman Macedonia, a local leader of what is commonly referred to as the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO).Brown, K. (2003) ''The Past in Question: Modern Mace ...
—revolutionary
*
Christodoulos Hatzipetros
Christodoulos Hatzipetros ( el, Χριστόδουλος Χατζηπέτρος, 10 May 1799 – 29 October 1869) was a Greek military leader during the Greek War of Independence, who became a general and adjutant to King Otto of Greece after Ind ...
—military leader
*
Anastasios Manakis—revolutionary
*
Giorgakis Olympios ro, Iordache Olimpiotul
, birth_date = 1772
, death_date =
, birth_place = Livadi, Larissa, Ottoman Empire
, death_place = Neamț, Moldavia
, image = Georgakis Olympios Greek Fighter.JPG
, image_size = 180
, Nickname =
, bir ...
—military commander
*
Alexandros Papagos
Alexandros Papagos ( el, Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος; 9 December 1883 – 4 October 1955) was a Greek army officer who led the Hellenic Army in World War II and the later stages of the subsequent Greek Civil War. The only Greek caree ...
—army officer
*
Anastasios Pichion—educator and fighter
*
Stefanos Sarafis—army officer
*
Konstantinos Smolenskis—army officer
*
Leonidas Smolents—army officer
*
Mitre the Vlach—revolutionary
Politics
*
Apostol Arsache—politician and philanthropist
*
Evangelos Averoff
Evangelos Averoff-Tositsa (Greek: Ευάγγελος Αβέρωφ Τοσίτσας) (Trikala, 17 April 1910 – Athens, 2 January 1990) was a Greek politician, leader of the right wing party New Democracy (1981–1984), member of parliament, an ...
—politician and writer
*
Nicolae Constantin Batzaria—politician, activist and writer
*
Marko Bello—politician, diplomat and lecturer
*
Yannis Boutaris—politician and businessman
*
Costică Canacheu
Costică Canacheu (born October 15, 1958) is a Romanian politician and businessman of Aromanian descent. A participant in the 1989 Revolution, he started his political career as a member of the National Salvation Front (FSN), representing its s ...
—politician and businessman
*
Ion Caramitru—politician and actor
*
Alcibiades Diamandi
Alcibiades Diamandi (13 August 1893 – 9 July 1948, sometimes spelled ''Diamanti'' or ''Diamantis''; rup, Alcibiadi Diamandi; el, Αλκιβιάδης Διαμάντης) was an Aromanian political figure of Greece and Axis collaborator, act ...
—politician
*
Michael Dukakis—politician
*
Vladan Đorđević
Ipokrat "Vladan" Đorđević (, sr-Cyrl, Владан Ђорђевић, 21 November 1844 – 31 August 1930) was a Serbian politician, diplomat, physician, prolific writer, and organizer of the State Sanitary Service. He held the post of mayor ...
—politician, diplomat, physician, prolific writer, organizer of the State Sanitary Service
*
Rigas Feraios
Rigas Feraios ( el, Ρήγας Φεραίος , sometimes ''Rhegas Pheraeos''; rup, Riga Fereu) or Velestinlis (Βελεστινλής , also transliterated ''Velestinles''); 1757 – 24 June 1798), born as Antonios Rigas Velestinlis ( el ...
—writer, political thinker and revolutionary
*
Taki Fiti—politician
*
Ioannis Kolettis
Ioannis Kolettis (; died 17 September 1847) was a Greek politician who played a significant role in Greek affairs from the Greek War of Independence through the early years of the Greek Kingdom, including as Minister to France and serving twic ...
—politician
*
Helena Angelina Komnene
*
Spyridon Lambros
Spyridon Lambros or Lampros ( el, Σπυρίδων Λάμπρος; 1851–1919) was a Greek history professor and briefly Prime Minister of Greece during the National Schism.
Biography
He was born in Corfu in 1851 and was educated in London, Paris ...
—politician and professor
*
Apostol Mărgărit—writer
*
Nicolaos Matussis
Nicolaos Matussis, also spelled as Nicolae Matussi ( el, Νικόλαος Ματούσης; 1899–1991), was an Aromanian lawyer, politician and leader of the Roman Legion, a collaborationist, separatist Aromanian paramilitary unit active durin ...
—politician
*
Georgios Modis—jurist, politician and writer
*
Alexandros Papagos
Alexandros Papagos ( el, Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος; 9 December 1883 – 4 October 1955) was a Greek army officer who led the Hellenic Army in World War II and the later stages of the subsequent Greek Civil War. The only Greek caree ...
— politician and army officer
*
Pilo Peristeri
Pilo Peristeri (10 December 1909 – 5 August 2009) was an Albanian politician of the Albanian Party of Labour (PPSh).
Biography
Peristeri was born in Korçë, at that time still part of the Ottoman Empire to an Albanian family of the Eastern Ort ...
—politician
*
Alexandros Svolos—politician
*
Andreas Tzimas—politician
*
Petros Zappas—entrepreneur and politician
Religion
*
Cyril of Bulgaria—patriarch
*
Joachim III of Constantinople
Joachim III the Magnificent ( el, Ιωακείμ Γ' ο Μεγαλοπρεπής; 30 January 1834 – 26 November 1912) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1878 to 1884 and from 1901 to 1912.
Joachim was born in Istanbul in 183 ...
—ecumenical patriarch
*
Theodore Kavalliotis—priest and teacher
*
Andrei Șaguna
Andrei Șaguna (; 20 January 1808, Miskolc, Hungary – 28 June 1873, Nagyszeben, Hungary) was a Metropolitan bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Transylvania, and one of the Romanian community political leaders in the Habsburg monarchy, ...
—metropolitan bishop
*
Nektarios Terpos—scholar and monk
Sciences, academia and engineering
*
Sotiris Bletsas
*
Elie Carafoli
*
Ioannis Chalkeus
*
Sterie Diamandi
*
Neagu Djuvara
*
Jovan Karamata
*
Mina Minovici
Mina Minovici (; April 30, 1858 – April 25, 1933) was a Romanian forensic scientist, known for his extensive research regarding cadaverous alkaloids, putrefaction, simulated mind diseases, and criminal anthropology.
Studies
He was born in Bră ...
*
Theodore Modis
*
Yorgo Modis
*
Daniel Moscopolites
*
George Murnu
George Murnu (; rup, Ioryi Murnu; 1 January 1868, Veria, Salonica Vilayet, Ottoman Empire, now in Greece – 17 November 1957, Bucharest) was a Romanian university professor, archaeologist, historian, translator, and poet of Aromanian orig ...
*
Pericle Papahagi
*
Gheorghe Peltecu Gheorghe is a Romanian given name and surname. It is a variant of George, also a name in Romanian but with soft Gs. It may refer to:
Given name
* Gheorghe Adamescu
* Gheorghe Albu
* Gheorghe Alexandrescu
* Gheorghe Andriev
* Gheorghe Apostol
...
*
Nicolae Malaxa
Nicolae Malaxa ( – 1965) was a Romanian engineer and industrialist.
Biography
Born in a family of Greek origin in Huşi, Malaxa studied engineering in Iaşi (at the University of Iaşi) and Karlsruhe (at the Polytechnic University). Lat ...
Sports
*
Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe "Gică" Hagi (; born 5 February 1965) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player, who is currently the owner and manager of Liga I club Farul Constanța. Deployed as an attacking midfielder, Hagi was considered one of ...
—football coach and former player
*
Ianis Hagi—football player
*
Simona Halep
Simona Halep (; born 27 September 1991) is a Romanian professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles twice between 2017 and 2019, for a total of 64 weeks, which ranks eleventh in the history of the Women's Tennis Assoc ...
—tennis player
*
Cristian Gaţu—handball player
*
Rafail Dishnica Gërnjoti—boxer
*
Theodhor Gërnjoti—boxer
*
Dominique Moceanu
Dominique Helena Moceanu (, ; ; born September 30, 1981) is a retired American gymnast. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning United States women's gymnastics team (the " Magnificent Seven") at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Moceanu ...
—gymnast
Gallery
File:Vlachsche_Hirten_-_Schweiger_Lerchenfeld_Amand_(freiherr_Von)_-_1887.jpg, Vlach (Aromanian) herdsmen in Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
(Amand Schweiger from Lerchenfeld, 1887)
File:ValacosDeMacedonia--bulgariaherpeopl00monr.png, Aromanian men of Macedonia, circa 1914
File:Cutovlahi (1915).jpg, Kutsovlachs in 1915
See also
*
Romanians
The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym '' Vlachs'') are a Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Romanian culture and ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they live primarily in Romania and Moldova. The 2011 Roman ...
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Megleno-Romanians
The Megleno-Romanians, also known as Meglenites ( ruq, Miglinits), Moglenite Vlachs or simply Vlachs ( ruq, Vlaș), are a small Eastern Romance people, originally inhabiting seven villages in the Moglena region spanning the Pella and Kilkis re ...
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Istro-Romanians
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Vlachs
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other E ...
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Thraco-Roman The term Thraco-Roman describes the Romanization (cultural), Romanized culture of Thracians under the rule of the Roman Empire.
The Odrysian kingdom of Thrace became a Roman client kingdom c. 20 BC, while the Greek city-states on the Black Sea coas ...
Citations
General sources
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* Cozaru, G. C., A. C. Papari, and M. L. Sandu. "Considerations Regarding the Ethno-Cultural Identity of the Aromanians in Dobrogea". ''Tradition and Reform Social Reconstruction of Europe'' (2013): 121.
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* Kocój E., Heritage without Heirs? Tangible and religious cultural heritage of the Vlachs minority in Europe in the context of interdisciplinary research project (contribution to the subject), Balcanica Posnaniensia", Poznań 2015, s. 137–147.
* Kocój E., The Story of an Invisible City. The Cultural Heritage of Moscopole in Albania. Urban Regeneration, Cultural Memory and Space Management
n:Intangible heritage of the city. Musealisation, preservation, education, ed. By M. Kwiecińska, Kraków 2016, s. 267–280.
* Kocój E., Artifacts of the past as traces of memory. The Aromanian cultural heritage in the Balkans, Res Historica, 2016, p. 175–195.
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Further reading
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* Gica, Alexandru. ''The recent history of the Aromanians in Southeast Europe''. Scr/bd. Rome, 2010
The Recent History of the Aromanians in Southeast Europe-Alexandru Gica , Republic Of Macedonia , Greece
External links
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{{Aromanians
Eastern Romance people
Ethnic groups in Albania
Ethnic groups in Bulgaria
Ethnic groups in Greece
Ethnic groups in North Macedonia
Ethnic groups in Romania
Ethnic groups in Serbia
Ethnic groups in the Balkans
Romance peoples
Ethnic groups divided by international borders