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 lochias.

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.

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
			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
	Ανθυπασπιστής Anthypaspistis						Αρχισμηνίας Archisminias		Επισμηνίας Episminias		Σμηνίας Sminias												Υποσμηνίας Yposminias												Σμηνίτης Sminitis
Greece (Conscripts)	No equivalent																																		No insignia
																	Κληρωτός Σμηνίας Klirotos Sminias																		Σμηνίτης 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
			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																																			Arm/corps insignia only
	Ανθυπασπιστής Anthypaspistis						Αρχιλοχίας Archilochias		Επιλοχίας Epilochias		Λοχίας Lochias												Δεκανέας Dekaneas				Υποδεκανέας Ypodekaneas								Στρατιώτης Stratiotis
Greece (Conscripts)							No equivalent																													No insignia
	Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός Dokimos Efedros Axiomatikos										Λοχίας Lochias												Δεκανέας Dekaneas				Υποδεκανέας Ypodekaneas								Υποψήφιος Έφεδρος Βαθμοφόρος Ypopsifios Efedros Bathmoforos	Στρατιώτης 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
			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																							male		female										male	female
	Ανθυπασπιστής Anthypaspistis						Αρχικελευστής Archikelefstis		Επικελευστής Epikelefstis		Κελευστής Kelefstis												Δίοπος Diopos												Ναύτης Naftis
Greece (Conscripts)							No equivalent
	Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos										Κελευστής Kelefstis												Δίοπος Diopos												Ναύτης Naftis

See also

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

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