Book Description

This book focuses on a frigate ship from the island of Hydra, demonstrating how a few humble ledgers can shed light on the economic life of the Greek Revolution. The long history of Hydra has provided important material for a larger research topic that includes the maritime societies of the Aegean Sea, the merchant captains, and capital formation from sea transportation from the 18th century onwards. Within this scope, the sailing vessel Timoleon and its captain Lazaros Pinotsis serve as a case study. The detailed analysis of its ledgers sheds light on particular aspects of the small society of Hydra and of the maritime world of the Aegean in general. Between 1821 and 1828, approximately 800 people were involved with the Timoleon, a middle-sized sailing ship, which, during this period, accounts for expenses of over 250,000 Ottoman piastres, from its involvement in various revolutionary expeditions, although the real figure may have been double that amount. This important aspect of economic life highlights the benefits from the study of archival sources for our understanding of the financial facet of the Greek War of Independence.