(; abbreviated ), sometimes anglicised as Syntagmatarch, is used in modern Greek to denote the rank of
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
. It is translated as "leader of a regiment (''syntagma'')", and dates back to the Classical Age armies. However, the name is misleading in that the Hellenic Army retains very few regiments in its command structure. Thus, the typical responsibilities of ''Syntagmatarches'' are in staff positions, or as executive officers in brigades. Officers holding this rank should be addressed as ''Kyrie Syntagmatarcha'' (Κύριε Συνταγματάρχα).
In the modern
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...
the rank is superior to an ''Antisyntagmatarchis'' (
Lieutenant Colonel) and inferior to a ''
Taxiarchos'' (
Brigadier
Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
). The insignia consists of a flaming grenade and three golden stars.
The
Greek junta, a
military dictatorship
A military dictatorship, or a military regime, is a type of dictatorship in which Power (social and political), power is held by one or more military officers. Military dictatorships are led by either a single military dictator, known as a Polit ...
which ruled the country from 1967 until 1974, is also known as "The Regime of the Colonels" because most of its chief leaders were of Colonel rank, including two of the three chief leaders,
George Papadopoulos and
Nikolaos Makarezos.
Rank insignia
File:GR-Army-OF5-1912.svg, Rank insignia of a ''Syntagmatarchis'', 1908–1936
File:GR-Army-OF5-1937.svg, Rank insignia of a ''Syntagmatarchis'', 1937–1970
File:GR-Army-OF5-1970.png, Rank insignia of a ''Syntagmatarchis'', 1970–1973
File:Army-GRE-OF-05.svg, Current rank insignia of a ''Syntagmatarchis'', since 1975
References
Hellenic Army officers
Military ranks of Greece
Military ranks of ancient Greece
{{Greece-mil-stub