Nikolaos Zosimas (1759 – February 16, 1842)

Nikolaos Zosimas (1759 – February 16, 1842)

From Ioannina in Epirus, he was a Greek businessman, merchant and national benefactor and part of the prominent Zosimades family.

After completing his schooling in Ioannina, before he was 20, he left his homeland for firstly Italy and then Russia, where he excelled in business and the trading of goods, notably wool, tobacco and fish. 2 of his brothers, Anastasios and Zois also joined him in Moscow.

He became so successful, that very soon his wealth was measured into the millions.

Nikolaos Zosimas and his brothers, were well aware of their fortunate position and knew they were in a position to now help their oppressed countrymen and wasted no time in doing so.

They funded among other things, the building of the Ζωσιμαία Σχολή, high school in Ioannina, the establishment of the Νομισματικό Μουσείο in Athens, which they furnished with their own personal collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins and paid for the construction of an orphanage on Patmos.

Zosimas also spent much of his fortune equipping, arming and supplying the fighters of the Revolution of 1821, in Moldavia and Wallachia as well as all over Greece.

Following his death, in his will he left all his money for Greece, which was used to build a hospital, nursing home, while further funds were used to supply libraries with books and to pay the salaries of school teachers, as well as to feed the poor.