Singular or plural form for irregular armed soldiers or militia members, particularly those serving under Ottoman rule in Greece and southeastern Europe during the 18th-19th centuries.
From Greek armatoli, derived from Romance language terms for 'armed' (armata). The word became famous through Greek revolutionary literature and folklore celebrating these local fighters.
The armatoli are a perfect example of how history is complicated—they were both law enforcers for the Ottoman Empire and freedom fighters for Greece, depending on which side of the revolution you were on.
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