When is the presence of Greeks in the New World first attested? This historical—and not at all philosophical—question is answered by the present study of H.D. Lazos, the result of research conducted over three years in numerous Spanish archives. From this investigation it is established that the participation of Greeks in the discovery and exploration of the American continent was significant.
The first (;) Greeks are found among the crews of Christopher Columbus. However, a wealth of additional evidence also comes to light regarding three other important Greeks: Francisco Albo, Peter the Cretan, and Ioannis Fokas. Their activity was fascinating; they took part in famous expeditions in the American continent under the orders of well-known Spanish conquistadors.
All these restless Greeks, who left their mark on the newly discovered continent, open an important chapter of the unknown medieval history and offer us a field of research that until now has not been sufficiently explored.
