The term Sacred Band, also Sacred Company or Sacred Squadron (from Ancient Greek: Ἱερὸς Λόχος, Modern Greek: Ιερός Λόχος) can refer to one of the following military units:
In the ancient world:
- Sacred Band of Thebes
- Sacred Band of Carthage
In modern Greek history, the name has been used to denote several military units:
- Sacred Band (1821) of the Greek War of Independence
- Cretan Sacred Band during the Cretan Revolt of 1866–1869
- Cretan Student's Sacred Band, which participated in the Balkan Wars as a part of the Hellenic Army
- Epirote Sacred Band (1914), formed during the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus.
- Sacred Band (World War II), a special forces unit composed entirely of officers
In fiction:
- the Sacred Band of Stepsons is a mythical Sacred Band of ancient cavalry fighters that eventually unites with the survivors of the Sacred Band of Thebes in a seven-novel saga
Famous quotes containing the words sacred and/or band:
“Whatever has made, or does make, or may make music, should be held sacred as the golden bridle-bit of the Shah of Persia’s horse, and the golden hammer, with which his hoofs are shod.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Citizen’s Band radio renders one accessible to a wide variety of people from all walks of life. It should not be forgotten that all walks of life include conceptual artists, dry cleaners, and living poets.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)