Initially the battalion was named "Greek Infantry Regiment" and in 1797 was renamed to "Greek Balaklava Battalion". Its soldiers were from the Peloponnese, the Aegean islands, the Ionian Islands and the Venetian dominions in Albania. They were experienced in guerilla warfare and contributed significantly to the Russian annexation of Crimea and the expulsion of the Ottomans from the area. The battalion was disbanded in 1859.