[1][2] The name Panellinios can be translated as Pan-Hellenic in English, and may be used as an adjective that embraces the Greek Nation.

was founded by Giorgos Kalafatis in 1908, when he and 40 other athletes decided to break away from Panellinios Gymnastikos Syllogos, following the club's decision to discontinue its football team.

Members included Nikolaos Andriakopoulos, Petros Persakis, Thomas Xenakis, and 29 others.

Other club members who medaled in athletics at the 1896 Olympics were Alexandre Tuffère, Charilaos Vasilakos, Miltiadis Gouskos, Ioannis Persakis and Sotirios Versis.

In the early 1950s era the team was nicknamed "The Golden Five", referring to players Panagiotis Manias, Themis Cholevas, Kostas Papadimas, Mimis Stefanidis, and Aristeidis Roubanis, who dominated Greek basketball at the time.