Prosperity did not prevent the villagers of Syrrako from joining their compatriots during the Greek War of Independence. Ioannis Kolettis was born in Syrrako but spent his youth serving as the personal physician of Ali Pasha’s son. In March 1821 he joined the Philiki Etaireia and returned to Syrrako in order to spread the revolution in central Greece. The Ottoman forces descended upon the village and burned it to the ground in July 1821. Kolettis went on to play a significant role in Greek military and political affairs; he served twice as prime minister during King Otto’s reign and conceived the “Great Idea”, the guiding principle of Greek foreign policy until the early 20th century.