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Tinos (Municipality, Greece)

Τήνος

Flag of Tinos, two versions - Images by Tomislav Šipek, 6 July 2019, and Olivier Touzeau, 16 January 2015, respectively

Presentation of Tinos
Flag of Tinos
Former flag of Tinos

See also:

Presentation of Tinos

The municipality of Tinos (8,636 inhabitants in 2011, 19,460 ha) was formed in the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Exomvourgo (Εξώμβουργο, 2,692 inh.), Panormos (Πάνορμος, 679 inh.) and Tinos (5,203 inh.).

Tinos is famous in Greece for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, its 80 windmills, and its Venetian fortifications at the mountain, Exomvourgo. Tinos is also the center of a yearly pilgrimage that takes place on the date of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (15 August).
In antiquity, Tinos was also known as Ophiussa and Hydroessa. Following the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, Tinos was one of several islands ruled by private Venetian citizens and belonged to Geremia Ghisi, whose heirs held it until 1390 when the last member of the family branch bequeathed both Tinos and Mykonos to Venice. It was ruled by Venice until 1715, when Tinos was captured by the Ottoman Empire and became known as İstendil. The Ottomans held Tinos until 1821 when the inhabitants joined in the Greek War of Independence.

Olivier Touzeau, 16 January 2015

Flag of Tinos

The flag of Tinos is blue with a white Greek cross and the municipal emblem in the middle, on an ochre field. The circular emblem is surrounded by a white disk with the municipality's name (photo, 2013), sometimes with a full inscription added.

The inscription refers to Panaetius's Tenian trireme, as referred to by Herodotus (The Histories), Book VIII, 82-83 (Loeb Classical Library edition, English translation by A. D. Godley. 1925). The general context is the battle of Salamis (480 BC).

82 But while they yet disbelieved, there came a trireme with Tenian deserters, whose captain was one Panaetius son of Sosimenes, and this brought them the whole truth. For that deed the men of Tenos were engraved on the tripod at Delphi among those that had vanquished the foreigner. With this ship that deserted to Salamis and the Lemnian which had already deserted to Artemisium, the Greek fleet, which had fallen short by two of three hundred and eighty, now attained to that full number.
83 The Greeks, believing at last the tale of the Tenians, made ready for battle. It was now earliest dawn, and they called the fighting men to an assembly, wherein Themistocles made an harangue in which he excelled all others; the tenor of his words was to array all the good in man's nature and estate against the evil; and having exhorted them to choose the better, he made an end of speaking and bade them embark. Even as they so did, came the trireme from Aegina which had been sent away for the Sons of Aeacus.

Olivier Touzeau, Tomislav Šipek & Ivan Sache, 12 July 2019

Former flag of Tinos

Former flag of Tinos - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 16 January 2015

An earlier flag of Tinos was charged with an ellipsoidal emblem (Kokkonis website, before 2011).

Olivier Touzeau, 16 January 2015