For the film of the same name, see Zorba the Greek (film).
The Syrian flag incorporates the four pan-Arab colors, which represent the various dynasties that ruled the region in history. The combination of colors was first used to represent the region during the 1916 Arab Revolt. The red symbolizes the Khawarij, an Islamic group of the seventh century, whose flag was red.
For the ancient Romans, a red flag was a signal for battle. Because of its visibility, stop signs, stoplights, brake lights, and fire equipment are all painted red. The ancient Egyptians considered themselves a red race and painted their bodies with red dye for emphasis. In Russia, red means beautiful. The Bolsheviks used a red flag as their symbol when they overthrew the tsar in 1917.