March 12

Events

• 1449: Constantine XI arrives in Constantinople from Mystras, after being named Byzantine Emperor.
• 1910: The Battleship Georgios Averof is launched.
• 1943: Italian occupation troops execute 40 Greeks and burn most houses at Tsaritsani.
• 1947: The Truman Doctrine is announced making aid available to the Greek government.
• 1958: Fotis Pittas, Andreas Karios and two other EOKA members escape from Pyla prison.

Sports

• 1995: Lambros Papakostas, breaks the Greek indoor record in the high jump with 2.35m.
• 2006: Olympiakos sets a new record for most consecutive wins (16) in the A Division of Football with a 2-1 win over Apollon Kalamaria

Births

• 1878: Nikolaos Georgantas, athlete
• 1926: Giorgos Darivas, Olympiakos striker in the 1950s.

Deaths

• 2002: Spyros Kyprianou, Cypriot politician and President.