January 17

Georgios Karaiskakis bust at Distomo

Events

• 395: Upon the death of Theodosius I, the Roman Empire is permanently split into West and East. Some historians consider this event the beginning of the Byzantine Empire.
• 1822: Ali Pasha is beheaded by the Turks on a small island of Lake Pamvotis. The severed head is sent to Sultan Mahmud II in Istanbul.
• 1827: Georgios Karaiskakis defeats the Turkish army at Distomo possibly saving the Greek Revolution from being extinguished in Rumeli.
• 1919: Greek forces battle Bolsheviks at Kherson during the Ukraine Expedition.
• 1983: A major earthquake (7.0 on the Richter scale) strikes off the coast of Kefalonia.

Sports

• 2009: 58-year old fan, Sotiris Serafeim, suffers a heart attack and dies in the midst of a fight in the stands following the football game between Iraklis and AEK at Kaftantzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki.

Births

• 1965: Nikos Nioplias, football player and coach.

Deaths

• 395: Theodosius I, Byzantine emperor.
• 1822: Ali Pasha
• 1848: Petrobey Mavromichalis, Maniote leader during the Greek Revolution.
• 1943: Antonis Travlantonis, author.
• 1981: Loukas Panourgias, President of Panathinaikos FC.
• 2007: Pefkios Georgiadis, Minister of Education and Culture of Cyprus.

Namesday

• Saint Anthony