Marino Sanudo Torsello the Elder (1270-1343), a Venetian generally regarded as very objective and knowledgeable writer, statesman and geographer is a very good source about the events and situation of the first half of the 14th century period. Travelled and lived in the area for years, advocating a crusade against the Turks and being a great source of information for the powerful and active Doges back in Venice. Among his writings, the "Istoria del regno di Romania" written between 1326 and 1323, gives a very useful insight of the Orthodox world (those following the "Greek rite) and the situation of Greeks among them (Greeks by nation). He doesn’t omit to narrate for us the distribution of the Greek population, and the other Orthodox (and Armenian) nations, of course from the viewpoint of a faithful Catholic and a Venetian patriot. Surely he cannot be considered as favoring Greeks, in contrast he follows all the usual stereotypes for Greeks circulating in the West. Some very interesting points for Greeks here: “It is true that there are many peoples scattered here and there, subjected to other lords, who follow the Greek rites, as is the nation of Gazaria, which is under the Tartars and other lords, situated near the Black Sea. In Hungary, it is said that there are more than sixty thousand people who follow the Greek rite. In Asia Minor, which is a larger country than Spain, of which we have mentioned there are four kingdoms, the majority of which is under the Turks. For the most part, the peoples there follow the Greek rites and are mostly Greek. Also, Armenia, which was formerly called Cilicia, is inhabited by Greeks. In Mesopotamia, there is a great number of Greeks, and there used to be even more during the time of the passage of Peter the Hermit and Godfrey of Bouillon, whose brother, Baldwin, was Count in Mesopotamia and was called Count of Edessa. In the Sultanate of Cairo, where Persian Tartars now reside, Greeks and Turks live, and the Greeks follow the Greek rite. In this Sultanate, there used to be forty walled cities with castles. In the islands of Cyprus, Crete, Negroponte, Rhodes, and other islands, as well as in the Principality of Morea, although these places are under the rule of the Franks and obedient to the Roman Church, almost the entire population is Greek and inclined towards that sect, and their hearts are turned towards Greek matters. When they could show it freely, they would. It is clear, therefore, that the Greeks and those who follow them occupy a larger territory than the Catholic kings. It is indeed true that the Catholics are incomparably better in arms, more numerous than the Greeks, and have greater power. There are also many Greeks in Calabria and in Terra d’Otranto who obey the Holy Roman Church, but perhaps not as devoutly as they would if Emperor Sior Michiel Paleologo, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the son of the said Emperor, Sior Andronico, were firm and obedient to the Roman Church, and not in contempt, which causes immense harm.” Detail of Marino Sanudo's World map, 1321:

55χρονη νοσηλεύτρια έπαθε ανακοπή πάνω στην ένταση της δουλειάς και πέθανε εν ώρα υπηρεσίας στο Νοσοκομείο Ναυπλίου. Γι' αυτό δεν έχει τόση μεγάλη σημασία αν το ΤΕΠ είναι φρεσκοβαμμένο, αλλά αν είναι στελεχωμένο...

🇹🇷Aerial views of ancient Lycia. And the 2000-year old ancient theatre. Where the FIFA World Cup was watched by 3000 fans. Pretty cool.