January 18

Events

532: The Nika riots are put down by General Belisarius. 30,000 rioters are slain in Constantinople.
1854: Greek guerrilas attack Turkish positions near Komboti, Arta, Epirus.
1913: The Naval Battle of Lemnos ends in Greek victory.
1936: Benjamin I is controversially elected Patriarch of Constantinople.
1957: EOKA guerilla fighter, Markos Drakos, is ambushed and slain by the British at Solea, Cyprus.
1982: A major earthquake (7.0 on the Richter scale) strikes off the coast of Thasos.
1996: Costas Simitis becomes leader of PASOK and Prime Minister of Greece
1997: A powerful earthquake (6.6 on the Richter scale) strikes Zakynthos.
2010: Greek-owned super-tanker, Maran Centaurus, was released by Somali pirates after a ransom was paid. Its crew of nine Greeks and 19 foreigners were unharmed.