The newest theory for the fires in Greece: Blame the Romans who massively planted pine trees to put them on fire and destroy the regions they conquered.
Excuse me, what?
This is the baseless theory of the latest blame-game for the latest fire in north-eastern Attica and Athens that burned down 10,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land, entered the urban fabric in north-east Athens, charred one woman and killed thousands of wildlife.
It was published by daily naftermportiki.gr in the category “Technology and Science” under the title: “The Romans, the pines and the fiery nightmare” and subtitle “They planted pine trees en masse in the areas they conquered to control them through… arson.”
The theory is unproven, as the daily noted.
Hoowever, it certainly helps Greek mass media to blame somebody who died 2,100 years ago with the main aim to clear any government official from any responsibility whatsoever that a fire managed to travel 40 kilometers in 36 hours.
Penteli mountain, east Athens, 76 BC: Roman soldier Octavius Maximilianus Gaetius seen planting pine trees to have Greece burned down two millenniums later.
Roman soldier seen planting a pine tree in #Greece so the country quickly burns down 2.100 years later. 🔥 https://t.co/sLd1F5IJFL
— Keep Talking Greece (@keeptalkingGR) August 14, 2024
Here is the naftermportiki article …Media & Science in Greece 2.0
“It is common knowledge that the fiery nightmare that Greece has been experiencing in recent decades is favored to a large extent by the fact that a large part of the country is covered by pine forests. In their vast majority, the trees that dominate every place where there is tree planting, even within urban areas, are pines, which easily catch fire and spread it very quickly in all directions.
The situation is similar in many areas of the Mediterranean where pines dominate. A popular theory points to the Romans as being responsible for this event. Although still unproven, this theory is undoubtedly very interesting and certainly relevant [bold by KTG]
The ancient Greeks knew that the cypress does not burn like the pine because of this and created a perimeter of cypresses around the cities. In many cases, in fact, this perimeter consisted of several rows of cypress trees, so that in essence a fire zone was created.
According to this theory, the Romans decided that pines have a dual utility for their empire. So they planted them everywhere in the territories they conquered and they even made sure to cut down the cypress trees around the cities and settlements, carrying out a dense perimeter planting of pine trees there.
The Romans used pine trees for wood for all their needs but they also used them as… molotov cocktails so that in case a city or region reached the point of rebellion and they could no longer deal with it, they set fire to the trees to burn it down.
The cypress trees
When the Romans conquered Greece, the ancient Greeks, knowing the fireproof properties of cypress trees, planted them in the cemeteries that were always outside the cities so that in the event of a fire, intentional or not, there would be an escape route.
This tactic, i.e. the planting of cypress trees in cemeteries, was later continued by the Christians and it is estimated that they simply continued the tradition that existed in this matter without knowing the reason why this was done, although some say that the choice of cypress trees in the cemeteries is related to their root system which is not such as to cause problems in cemetery facilities and graves.
The secret of the cypress is that it manages to hold more water than many types of trees and has a great resistance to ignition. Obviously, cypresses also catch fire at some point, but much more difficult than pines.”
In the very end, this theory – for which the daily has no link -may not be wrong after all, because there were no fires in Ancient Greece, until the Roman Emperors Julius and Augustus came to power. Note that fires in Modern Greece occur in July and August. Coincidence?
I recall that during the nightmarish weekend, August 11-12, mainstream media spoke of “aggressive pine trees” again and again and that blaming the pine trees started during the devastating wildfire in Mati, eastern Attica (2018), when “angry” pine cones on fire were flying over the main road hindering the fire service and the Police to save lives.
PS On second thought, this Romans-Pine-trees-theory – for which the daily has no link -may not be wrong after all, because there were no fires in Ancient Greece, until the Roman Emperors Julius and Augustus came to power. Note that fires in Modern Greece occur in July and August. Coincidence? Hardly, right?
Well, maybe not to blame the romans, but it’s a fact that that pine trees are known to spread fires with ease as their cones explode like grenades when they are burning, spreading sparks for couple of meters.
Same for eucalyptus trees those burn like dynamite and well, ate either endemic in the Mediterranean regions.
Greece should sue Italy for damages as that country is the succesor to Rome!
Everybody blames everybody else for their troubles. Nobody is ever responsible themselves. It is the Balkan way.
This theory also assumes that the Greek of the past were stupid. Because if you know that pines burn fast and the Romans would set fire to pines in order to crush a rebellion, wouldn’t the first thing you would do when you start a rebellion is to cut all the pines?
they didn’t cut them, they saved them in case they needed them to build ships or add resin into their wine.
That is also why the Romans planted them. They also needed wood and resin. Or for firewood.
You can say, it was the base material for ancient industrial revolution.
Environmental pollution was also known back then. Ancient Greek wrote about the pollution caused by metallurgy for instance.
So if the Greeks are so smart and better than the romans, italians or turks, why didn’t they plant Cypress trees everywhere around cities, since the independence 200 years ago. This article just proves how stupid the greek modern politicians are. 200 years in power, and still have no clue on how to protect the greeks from fire. Ah yes, their ancestors knew… and it is a popular knowledge… but but but… there is nobody to put that in practice today.