Spetses Flag during 1821 Greek War of Independence T-Shirt

From 1821, the island of Spetses played an important role in the Greek War of Independence, and it was the home of celebrated war heroine Laskarina Bouboulina. It was the first of the Greek islands to raise the flag of the Revolution in 1821. Along with their counterparts in nearby Hydra, Spetsiote captains were so wealthy they had been hoarding their gold in wells, a wealth that they tapped to fund the war of liberation. The motto "Eleftheria i Thanatos" means "Freedom or Death" and is the motto of Greece. It originated in the Greek songs of resistance that were powerful motivating factors for independence. It was adopted in 1814 by the Filiki Eteria, a secret organization formed specifically for the overthrow of Ottoman rule.