#armatole

• Armatole — A member of a Christian armed militia in the Ottoman Empire (especially in Greece and the Balkans), historically organized to guard roads and mountain passes. Many armatoles eventually joined anti-Ottoman rebels.
• Armatole — A member of Greek, Aromanian, or Balkan Christian militias who, during the Ottoman rule, were officially recognized and paid by the Turkish authorities to maintain public order, guard roads, mountain passes, and protect against brigands. In a historical sense, armatoles held a privileged and autonomous military status, with many later joining the revolutionary struggles for Greek national independence.