Greek military ranks

Modern Greek military ranks are based on Ancient Greek and Byzantine terminology.

In the army and air force, these names are often based on the unit or post that a holder of each rank usual commands. For example, a tagmatarchis is in charge of a tagma, which is derived from an Ancient Greek word translatable as "command", "order", or "class", and in modern Greek is a unit equivalent to a battalion in other armies; hence a modern tagmatarchis is a rank equivalent to major in other armies. Similarly, a lochagos normally commands a lochos (a word that originally meant "warband"), which in Ancient Greece was a 100-strong hoplite unit, but in modern Greek usage is equivalent to an infantry company. Hence a lochagos is the equivalent of a captain in other armies, and the modern Greek equivalent of an army first lieutenant is the modern neologism ypolochagos: literally, "sub-captain". Likewise, the modern Greek equivalent of a sergeant is a .

The suffixes -agos and -archos (or -arches), which are often found in Greek rank names, are derived from the roots agein "to lead" and archein "to rule", respectively.

Air Force[]

The Hellenic Air Force, is the youngest of the three services (founded in 1930). Its insignia are based on the British Royal Air Force, while it uses Army rank titles when translated to English.^[1]

Officer ranks[]

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Hellenic Air Force[2] v t
			Πτέραρχος Pterarchos		Αντιπτέραρχος Antipterarchos		Υποπτέραρχος Ypopterarchos		Ταξίαρχος Taxiarchos		Σμήναρχος Sminarchos		Αντισμήναρχος Antisminarchos		Επισμηναγός Episminagos		Σμηναγός Sminagos		Υποσμηναγός Yposminagos			Ανθυποσμηναγός Anthyposminagos

NCO and other ranks[]

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Hellenic Air Force[2] v t
	Ανθυπασπιστής[a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχισμηνίας Archisminias		Επισμηνίας Episminias		Σμηνίας Sminias												Υποσμηνίας Yposminias												Σμηνίτης Sminitis
Greece (Conscripts)	No equivalent																						No equivalent												No insignia
																	Conscript Sergeant Κληρωτός Σμηνίας																		Conscript Aircraftman Σμηνίτης
Transliteration																	Klirotos Sminias																		Sminitis

Army[]

Officer ranks[]

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Hellenic Army[3] v t
			Στρατηγός Stratigos		Αντιστράτηγος Antistratigos		Υποστράτηγος Ypostratigos		Ταξίαρχος Taxiarchos		Συνταγματάρχης Syntagmatarchis		Αντισυνταγματάρχης Antisyntagmatarchis		Ταγματάρχης Tagmatarchis		Λοχαγός Lochagos		Υπολοχαγός Ypolochagos			Ανθυπολοχαγός Anthypolochagos			Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός Dokimos efedros aksio­matikos

NCO and other ranks[]

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Hellenic Army[4] v t																																			Arm/corps insignia only
	Ανθυπασπιστής[a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχιλοχίας Archilochias		Επιλοχίας Epilochias		Λοχίας Lochias												Δεκανέας Dekaneas				Υποδεκανέας Ypodekaneas								Στρατιώτης Stratiotis
Greece (Conscripts)							No equivalent										No equivalent												No equivalent							No insignia
	Officer Designate Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός										Sergeant Λοχίας												Corporal Δεκανέας				Lance Corporal Υποδεκανέας								Candidate Reservist Rank Υποψήφιος Έφεδρος Βαθμοφόρος	Private Στρατιώτης
Transliteration	Dokimos Efedros Axiomatikos[a]										Lochias												Dekaneas				Ypodekaneas								Ypopsifios Efedros Bathmoforos	Stratiotis

Navy[]

Officer ranks[]

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Hellenic Navy[5] v t
			Ναύαρχος Navarchos		Αντιναύαρχος Antinavarchos		Υποναύαρχος Yponavarchos		Αρχιπλοίαρχος Archiploiarchos		Πλοίαρχος Ploiarchos		Αντιπλοίαρχος Antiploiarchos		Πλωτάρχης Plotarchis		Υποπλοίαρχος Ypoploiarchos		Ανθυποπλοίαρχος Anthypoploiarchos			Σημαιοφόρος Simaioforos			Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός Simaioforos epikouros axiomatikos

NCO and other ranks[]

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Hellenic Navy[5] v t																							male		female										male	female
	Ανθυπασπιστής[a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχικελευστής Archikelefstis		Επικελευστής Epikelefstis		Κελευστής Kelefstis												Δίοπος Diopos												Ναύτης Naftis
Greece (Conscripts)							No equivalent										No equivalent										No equivalent
	Officer Designate Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός										Conscript Petty Officer Κελευστής												Conscript Leading Seaman Δίοπος												Conscript Seaman Ναύτης
Transliteration	Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos										Kelefstis												Diopos												Naftis

See also[]

• Military of Greece
• Royal Hellenic Army Ranks
• Royal Hellenic Navy rank insignia
• Royal Hellenic Air Force ranks

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

• Hellenic Airforce Ranks, Hellenic Air Force website
• Διακριτικά Ελληνικού Στρατού (Hellenic Army Insignia), Hellenic Army website
• Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ (Hellenic Navy Personnel Rank Insignia), Hellenic Navy website