FROM MILLET TO NATION

This work analyzes the modern Greek enlightenment and 19th century GreekNationalism in the light of the nationalism theories. It confronts with the process ofModern Greek enlightenment which took place within the lands of the OttomanEmpire and the Greek nationalism which was the second phase of the modern Greekenlightenment. The work argues that the lands where today Greeks live had beeninvaded and settled by various ethnic groups. As a result it lost its ethnic ties with theancient Greeks. Modern Greeks are not the descendants of ancient Greeks as theyaccept. Modern Greek national identity is a constructed one and Greek nation whichis a mixture of different Balkan Orthodox people such as Slavs AlbaniansMacedonians and Bulgars. Greek Nation was built within the Ottoman Millet systemby the help of the European Philhellenes and Greek intellectuals. This assumption isbased on Fallmayer theory which suggests that ancient Greeks had disappearedcompletely and the modern Greeks were merely descendants of Slavs and Albanians.