# Tellos Agras > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tellos_Agras > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tellos_Agras.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tellos_Agras > Source revision: 1353509117 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Greek combatant during the Macedonian Struggle Tellos Agras Tellos Agras in uniform Nicknames Tellos Agras Τέλλος Άγρας Kapetan Agras Καπετάν Άγρας Born Sarantis-Tellos Agapinos Σαράντης-Τέλλος Αγαπηνός (1880-02-17)17 February 1880 Gargalianoi, Kingdom of Greece Died 7 June 1907(1907-06-07) (aged 27) Tekhovo, Salonika Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (now Karydia, Greece) Allegiance Kingdom of Greece Branch Hellenic Army Service years 1901–1907 Rank First Lieutenant Conflicts Macedonian Struggle Alma mater Hellenic Army Academy **Sarantis-Tellos Agapinos** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): Σαράντης-Τέλλος Αγαπηνός, c. 1880 – 7 June 1907), known by the *[nom de guerre](/source/Nom_de_guerre)* **Tellos Agras** (Τέλλος Άγρας), was a [Greek](/source/Greeks) officer of the [Hellenic Army](/source/Hellenic_Army) who played a prominent role during the [Greek Struggle for Macedonia](/source/Greek_Struggle_for_Macedonia). ## Early life Agras was born in [Gargalianoi](/source/Gargalianoi), [Messenia](/source/Messenia) in about 1880, from an important family of that region, members of which had participated in the [Greek War of Independence](/source/Greek_War_of_Independence). He entered the [Hellenic Military Academy](/source/Hellenic_Military_Academy), from where he graduated as lieutenant of the Hellenic Army in 1901. The increasing presence of Bulgarian [Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization](/source/Internal_Macedonian_Revolutionary_Organization) guerrilla troops in [Ottoman](/source/Ottoman_Empire)-held [Macedonia](/source/Macedonia_(region)) and their actions against the followers of the [Patriarchate of Constantinople](/source/Patriarchate_of_Constantinople) and generally against the [Macedonian Greek](/source/Macedonians_(Greeks)) population concerned Greek public opinion in Athens, which led to the creation of some underground organizations financed by wealthy Greeks, initially without official support, with the intention of establishing Greek military bands in Macedonia to confront the threat. Agras entered one of these organizations, the *Macedonian Committee* in 1904, after the death of [Pavlos Melas](/source/Pavlos_Melas). The Bulgarian troops were often allied with [Aromanian](/source/Aromanians) [armatole](/source/Armatole) soldiers.[1] Tellos Agras was Agapinos' pseudonym. Tellos meant "perfect" and "complete" but also "the one from afar", "the one who is not among us". On the other hand, Agras meant "fierce", "untamed", "wild".[1] ## Involvement in the Macedonian Struggle Tellos Agras in Makedonomachos uniform (1906). In September 1906, he entered Macedonia leading a 14 men band with the mission to protect Greek villages in [Giannitsa](/source/Giannitsa) Lake (called *O Valtos*, i.e., "the Swamp" by locals) from the attacks of VMRO members that controlled the northern part of the lake. With the help of local Macedonian Greeks such as the wealthy tradesman Zafeiris Loggos and [Antonis Mingas](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antonis_Mingas&action=edit&redlink=1) [[bg](https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%B0); [el](https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%8E%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%9C%CE%AF%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%B1%CF%82)] from [Naoussa](/source/Naousa%2C_Imathia), in only three months he managed to limit Bulgarian presence in the Swamp. But on November 14, 1906 Agras was seriously injured after an unsuccessful attack against the leader of the [Bulgarian](/source/Macedonians_(Bulgarians)) guerrilla troops, [Apostol Petkov](/source/Apostol_Petkov), near the village of Zervochori and was recalled to [Thessaloniki](/source/Thessaloniki) to be healed. He continued his activity in the area for some months but his health deteriorated by his continuous presence and fights in the lake, resulting in his infection by [malaria](/source/Malaria). The coordinator of the Greek forces, [Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian](/source/Konstantinos_Mazarakis-Ainian), concerned for his life, ordered Agras to withdraw to [Naoussa](/source/Naousa%2C_Imathia) in April 1907, where he started recruiting locals to man the band of his substitute Captain Amyntas, alias Lieutenant Doumpiotis. ## Death The Ottoman forces, although initially passive and not intervening in Greek-Bulgarian fights, began attacking both, worried by the presence of so many armed bands in the area. That led Agras to seek cooperation with the leaders of the Bulgarian forces of the area against the Turks and a meeting was arranged on June 3, 1907 between Agras and his opponent, Ivan Zlatanov (Zlatan), near the town of Aghia Foteini, 10km north of Naoussa. According to their agreement each group would be unarmed. There are contradictory accounts of the events that led to the death of Agras and his ally Mingas: According to one version, Agras, along with seven followers (all unarmed, as agreed), were initially met by a group of 18 Aromanians led by Mihail Handuri, who escorted them to the location of Zlatan and Aromanian chief [Ioryi Mucitano](/source/Ioryi_Mucitano), who himself commanded a group of 15 men. Despite Zlatan's opposition, Mucitano captured Agras and his ally Mingas, tortured them, and hanged them on 7 June 1907 in an area between the villages of [Techovo](/source/Karydia%2C_Pella) and [Vladovo](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Agras,_Pella&action=edit&redlink=1) [[el](https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%86%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%82_%CE%A0%CE%AD%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B1%CF%82)].[2][3] Another version of events indicates that the meeting with Zlatan and his companions proceeded as planned, with only Agras and Zlatan being armed. It is then indicated that once the Bulgarian group realized that Agras's companions had come unarmed as intended, they accused Agras of collaborating with Turkish forces and took him into custody, releasing the rest of his group, with the exception of Mingas, who remained behind. As with the other version of events, they were held for several days until being hanged on 7 June 1907.[4] According to another version by the Turkish publication "Correspondence Bureau" dated 21 July 1907, a Greek force of 18 men was attacked by a stronger Bulgarian group near Vladovo, three were killed in the battle, and the rest were captured. Five were tortured, while two (including Agras) were hanged. The remaining eight were released and instructed to spread news of the incident to others. Notes found on the dead bodies, signed by the Bulgarian voivode [Apostol](/source/Apostol_Petkov), stated that only Bulgarian and Turkish were to be spoken in the area, and that anyone spreading the Greek language would share the same fate.[5] The bodies of Agras (left) and Mingas (right). Agras was replaced by [Captain Amyntas](/source/Nikolaos_Doumpiotis),[3] who managed to bring order in the area between June and October 1907.[6] ## Legacy The memorial of Tellos Agras and Antonios Mingas in the location of their executions. Tellos Agras is considered to be a martyr of the Greek Struggle for Macedonia and one of its most important and effective band leaders. He and his exploits are better known through the pages of the novel *Ta Mystika tou Valtou* ("The Secrets of the Marsh"), written by [Penelope Delta](/source/Penelope_Delta). A village in [Pella](/source/Pella_(regional_unit)) close to the site of his death was named Agras in his honour. There is a memorial at the location of his hanging between [Karydia](/source/Karydia%2C_Pella) and Agras. There is a bust of him in [Thessaloniki](/source/Thessaloniki). ## Gallery - Tellos Agras (middle), with fellow chieftains, [Ioannis Demestichas](/source/Ioannis_Demestichas) (left) and Konstantinos Sorros (right) at the [Giannitsa Lake](/source/Giannitsa_Lake). - "Kapetan Agras with his band" (standing middle). - Tellos Agras (seated middle) with his band. ## Footnotes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nicea_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nicea_1-1) [Nicea, Cola](/source/Cola_Nicea) (2001). ["Memorii"](http://www.proiectavdela.ro/pdf/cola_nicea_memoriile.pdf) (PDF). *Scara – revistă de oceanografie ortodoxă* (in Romanian) (7): 1–32. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Minov, Nikola (2018). [""Романските" чети на Македонската револуционерна организација 1906-1908"](https://repository.ukim.mk/bitstream/20.500.12188/6787/1/03%20MINOV.pdf) (PDF). *Istorija / Journal of history* (in Macedonian). **53** (2): 48. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dakin1993-285_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dakin1993-285_3-1) [Dakin, Douglas](/source/Douglas_Dakin) (1993). [*The Greek Struggle in Macedonia, 1897–1913*](https://books.google.com/books?id=rJFZAAAAYAAJ). [Institute for Balkan Studies](/source/Institute_for_Balkan_Studies_(Greece)). p. 285. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-960-7387-00-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-960-7387-00-4). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Ρότζιος, Γεώργιος (2022-06-07). ["Σαν Σήμερα, απαγχονίζονται οι Μακεδονομάχοι Καπετάν Άγρας και Αντώνης Μίγγας"](https://cognoscoteam.gr/archives/9821). *Cognosco Team* (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-11-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Hristo Silyanov](/source/Hristo_Silyanov) (1943). [*The Liberation Struggles of Macedonia*](https://www.strumski.com/books/hr_siljanov_osv_borbi_makedonija_tom2.pdf) (PDF) (in Bulgarian). Vol. II (Sled Ilindenskoto vastanie). Sofia: Ilinden Organization. p. 234. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Ζέλλιου-Μαστοροκώστα, Ερατώ (2006). ["Η οικογένεια Δουμπιώτη"](https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/makedonika/article/view/5579). *Makedonika* (in Greek). **35**. [Society for Macedonian Studies](/source/Society_for_Macedonian_Studies): 297. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.12681/makedonika.16](https://doi.org/10.12681%2Fmakedonika.16). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2241-2018](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2241-2018). ## References - [Dakin Douglas](/source/Douglas_Dakin). *The Greek Struggle in Macedonia 1897-1913*. Thessaloniki, 1966, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-960-7387-00-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-960-7387-00-4). - Vakalopoulos, Apostolos. *History of the Greek Nation 1204-1985*. - Archives of the Macedonian Struggle of Penelope Delta, Thessaloniki, 1959. - Mazarakis-Ainian, Konstantinos. *The Macedonian Struggle*. ## External links - [Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, Thessaloniki](http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Museums/History_And_War/Mma_Thessalonikhs.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110827145305/http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Museums/History_And_War/Mma_Thessalonikhs.html) 2011-08-27 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) v t e Hellenic Macedonian Committee Macedonian Committee Ion Dragoumis Stefanos Dragoumis Dimitrios Kalapothakis Germanos Karavangelis Pavlos Melas Georgios Pentzikis Makedonomachoi (with nom de guerre) Theodoros Adam Sarantis-Tellos Agapinos (Agras) Michail Anagnostakos (Matapas) Charalambos Boufidis (Fourtounas) Theodoros Boulasikis Ioannis Boubaras Antigonos Choleris Petros Christou Konstantinos Christou (Kottas) Nikolaos Dailakis Panagiotis Danglis (Parmenion) Stergios Daoutis (Perifanos) Nikolaos Davelis Ioannis Demertzis Ioannis Demestichas (Nikiforos) Christos Dogiamas (Itsos) Dimitrios Dogiamas (Bikas) Lazos Dogiamas (Barovitsalis) Konstantinos Dogras Georgios Doitsinis Nikolaos Doumpiotis (Amyntas) Periklis Drakos Ioannis Evaggelopoulos Doukas Gaitatzis (Zervas) Konstantinos Garefis Dimitrios Golnas Nikolaos Gousios Stergios Goutas Pavlos Gyparis Petros Hatzitasis Simos Ioannidis (Armenskiotis) Georgios Kakoulidis (Dragas) Nikostratos Kalomenopoulos (Nidas) Pantelis Kandilas Efthymios Kaoudis (Old Kaoudis) Filippos Kapetanopoulos Georgios Karaiskakis Ioannis Karavitis Georgios Katechakis (Rouvas) Dimitrios Kechagias (Dalipis) Nikolaos Kollias Georgios Kondylis Alexandros Kontoulis (Skourtis) Stavros Kotsopoulos (Banitsiotis) Evangelos Koukoudeas Theodoros Koukoulakis Georgios Koutles Pavlos Kyrou Dimitrios Lalas Georgios Lepidatos (Arkoudas) Traianos Liantzakis (Traikos) Nikolaos Manos Konstantinos Manos (Michailidis) Petros Manos (Vergos) Ioannis Martzios Apostolis Matopoulos Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian (Akritas) Pavlos Melas (Mikis Zezas) Alexandros Merentitis (Doukas) Georgios Modis Evangelos Natsis (Srebreniotis) Pavlos Nikolaidis (Rakovitis) Alexandros Othonaios (Palamidis) Markos Palamidis Pantelis Papaioannou (Nikotsaras) Konstantinos Papastavrou (Mavromatis) Iraklis Patikas Filolaos Pichion (Filotas) Nikolaos Pyrzas (Lakis) Stavros Rigas (Kavodoros) Nikolaos Rokas (Kolios) Michail Sapkas Dimitrios Sarros Georgios Savvas Georgios Seridis (Spanos) Ioannis Simanikas Michael Sionidis Konstantinos Sorros (Kallas) Georgios Soulios Spyros Spyromilios (Bouas) Dimitrios Stagas (Mizas) Athanasios Stavroudis Christos Stogiannidis (Lilis or Iason) Markos Theodoridis Georgios Thomopoulos (Gogos) Georgios Tombras (Roupakias) Ioannis Tsangaridis Lazaros Tsamis Dimitrios Tsapanos Nikolaos Tsipouras Dimitrios Tsitsimis Christos Tsolakopoulos (Rembelos) Georgios Tsontos (Vardas) Lazaros Varzis (Zarkadas) Zisis Verros Ioannis Villioglou (Ramnalis) Stergios Vlachveis Argyrios Vouzas Zisis Vrakas Georgios Yiotas (Gonos) Antonios Zois Consular officials & undercover agents Ion Dragoumis Athanasios Exadaktylos (Antoniou) Lambros Koromilas Spyridon Levidis Alexandros Mazarakis-Ainian (Ioannidis) Anastasios Pichion Ptolemaios Sarigiannis (Kalamidis) Museums Museum for the Macedonian Struggle (Thessaloniki) Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (Kastoria) Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (Chromio) Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (Skopje) Folklore Museum of Giannitsa Pavlos Melas Museum Captain Kottas Museum --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tellos Agras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tellos_Agras) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tellos_Agras?action=history)). 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