Background
Balanos was born in Ioannina, major center of the Greek Enlightenment movement during that time.
Balanos was born in Ioannina, major center of the Greek Enlightenment movement during that time.
He made a significant contribution in the growth of Greek Enlightenment during the Ottoman occupation of the Greek world. He was a student of Methodios Anthrakites director of the local Gouma (later Balaneios) school. As a teacher he initially became director of the school Epifaneios Igoumenos (1719–1734) and then the Gouma.
Both schools were the most prestigious in Ioannina.
In the Greek language question, he supported the conservative party and the teaching of classical Greek in education. Balanos was accused for this position by Eugenios Voulgaris, a progressive supporter of Demotic.