Are modern Greeks the genetic descendants of the classical Hellenes?
Some yes, some no, but this is irrelevant. The racialists on both sides can ramble on and claim that we are 100% Slavic, or whatever else, as can those who want to portray us as the pure descendants of Aeakus. However, the true Hellenes did not refer to ‘race’ (it would have been comical, since at the time this term applied to a small group of ‘clans’). Admittedly, a racial consciousness existed in the classical period, which lacks credibility today, given that before and after 1821 other racial groups were absorbed, many of whose number can only be described as 100% Hellenic. Despite Kolokotrones and many other heroes being of Arvanite extraction, by our standards they are certainly Hellenes, since they shed their blood in the name of Hellas. What clown could deny Kolokotrones, Nikitaras and Androutsos their Hellenic identity, based on racial definitions?
