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Graea or Graia (Greek: Γραῖα Graîa) was a city on the coast of Boeotia in ancient Greece.

It is placed under Boeotia in Homer's Catalogue of Ships. It seems to have included the city of Oropos, though by the fifth century BC it was probably a kome (district) of that city.^[1] According to Pausanias the name was a shortcut of the original name Tanagraia, who was daughter of Asopos. Graia was a greater area including Avlida, Mycalissos, Arma etc.^[2] It is also described by some sources as a city; Fossey argues for its identification with the hill of Dhrámesi 8 km from Tanagra,^[3] while others suggest it is identical with Oropos itself.^[4]

Graea was sometimes said to be the oldest city of Greece. Aristotle said that this city was created before the deluge. The same assertion about the origins of Graia city is found in an ancient marble, the Parian Chronicle, discovered in 1687 and dated to 267-263 BC, that is currently kept in Oxford and on Paros.

Reports about this ancient city can be also found in Homer, in Pausanias, in Thucydides, etc. The name Graïke (Ancient Greek: Γραϊκή [ɡra.ikɛ̌ː]) was used of the Oropus area, which was dependent on Athens during the Peloponnesian War, by Thucydides, and the term was also used by Stephanus of Byzantium.^[5]^[6]

The word Γραικός (Graecus, Greek) is interpreted as "inhabitant of Graia" by some authors.^[7] The German historian George Bussolt suggested that the name Graeci was given initially by the Romans to the colonists from Graia who helped the Euboeans to establish Cumae in southern Italy, and was then used for all Greeks.^[8] The classicist Robin Lane Fox states that Oropus was either located in or identical with the city Graia, and writes:

If men from Oropos-Graia were among the early Greek visitors to Capua or Veii and even early Rome, we can better understand an age-old puzzle: why Greeks were called "Greeks" in the Latin West. Such people told their first contacts in the Latin region that they were "Graikoi," that is, people from Graia. They were thus called "Graeci" by the people whom they met.^[9]

There are various etymologies of the name. The most common is the connection with γραῖα graia "old woman", derived from the PIE root *ǵerh₂-/*ǵreh₂-, "to grow old" via Proto-Greek *gera-/grau-iu;^[10] the same root later gave γέρας geras (/keras/), "gift of honour" in Mycenean Greek.^[11]

Another possibility is the relation with a word for "gray". Graikos (Γραικός) may be interpreted "inhabitant of Graia". Aristotle uses Graikos as equivalent to Hellenes, and believes that it was the name originally used by Illyrians for the Dorians in Epirus.^[12]^[13]

References

^ G. S. Kirk, The Iliad: A Commentary: Volume 1, Books 1-4. Cambridge University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-521-28171-7, p. 191.
^ Pausanias: Boeotica 20–24
^ John M. Fossey, "The Identification of Graia," Euphrosyne 4 (1970), pp. 3–22.
^ Simon Hornblower and Elaine Matthews, Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence. Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-19-726216-3, p. 95; similarly Maria Stamatopoulou and Marina Yeroulanou, Excavating Classical Culture: Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Greece. Archaeopress, 2002, ISBN 1-84171-411-9, p. 151.
^ Thucydides, Histories 2.23.3
^ cf. Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica s.v. Oropus.
^ Hatzidakis, 1977, quoted in Babiniotis Dictionary
^ Online Etymology Dictionary.[1]
^ Robin Lane Fox, Travelling Heroes: In the Epic Age of Homer. Random House, 2009: ISBN 0-679-44431-9, p. 61/161; see also John Nicolas Coldstream, Geometric Greece: 900-700 BC. Routledge, 2003, ISBN 0-415-29899-7, p. 403 (note 7).
^ The word is related to the Greek word geron ("old man", from the PIE base *gere,"to grow old"), Proto Greek guraj, "old age" and later kera,geras,"gift of honour" in Mycenean Greek and grau-j,"old lady". -- R. S. P. Beekes, Greek Etymological Dictionary, Brill, 2009, p. 285
^ R. S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 267.
^ Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ Aristotle, Meteorologica I.xiv

[1] G. S. Kirk, The Iliad: A Commentary: Volume 1, Books 1-4. Cambridge University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-521-28171-7, p. 191.

[2] Pausanias: Boeotica 20–24

[3] John M. Fossey, "The Identification of Graia," Euphrosyne 4 (1970), pp. 3–22.

[4] Simon Hornblower and Elaine Matthews, Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence. Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-19-726216-3, p. 95; similarly Maria Stamatopoulou and Marina Yeroulanou, Excavating Classical Culture: Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Greece. Archaeopress, 2002, ISBN 1-84171-411-9, p. 151.

[5] Thucydides, Histories 2.23.3

[6] . Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica s.v. Oropus.

[7] Hatzidakis, 1977, quoted in Babiniotis Dictionary

[8] Online Etymology Dictionary.[1]

[9] Robin Lane Fox, Travelling Heroes: In the Epic Age of Homer. Random House, 2009: ISBN 0-679-44431-9, p. 61/161; see also John Nicolas Coldstream, Geometric Greece: 900-700 BC. Routledge, 2003, ISBN 0-415-29899-7, p. 403 (note 7).

[10] The word is related to the Greek word geron ("old man", from the PIE base *gere,"to grow old"), Proto Greek guraj, "old age" and later kera,geras,"gift of honour" in Mycenean Greek and grau-j,"old lady". -- R. S. P. Beekes, Greek Etymological Dictionary, Brill, 2009, p. 285

[11] R. S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 267.

[12] Online Etymology Dictionary.

[13] Aristotle, Meteorologica I.xiv

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{distinguish|Graeae}}
 [[File:Boeotia ancient-en.svg|thumb|Map of ancient Boeotia,indicating the city [[Tanagra]],which could be the place of '''Graia''']]
+'''Graea''' or '''Graia''' ({{lang-el|Γραῖα}} ''{{transl|el|Graîa}}'') was a city on the coast of [[Boeotia]] in [[ancient Greece]].
-'''Graea''' or '''Graia''' ({{lang-el|Γραῖα}} ''{{transl|el|Graîa}}'') is a region, or a city of [[ancient Greece]] that is placed under [[Boeotia]] in [[Homer]]'s [[Catalogue of Ships]]; it seems to have included the city of [[Oropos]], though by the fifth century BC it was probably a ''kome'' (district) of that city.<ref>G. S. Kirk, ''The Iliad: A Commentary: Volume 1, Books 1-4''. Cambridge University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-521-28171-7, p. 191.</ref> According to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] the name was a shortcut of the original name ''Tanagraia'', who was daughter of [[Asopos (Boeotia)|Asopos]]. Graia was a greater area including [[Avlida]], Mycalissos, Arma etc.<ref>Pausanias: Boeotica 20–24</ref> It is also described by some sources as a city; Fossey argues for its identification with the hill of Dhrámesi 8&nbsp;km from [[Tanagra]],<ref>John M. Fossey, "The Identification of Graia," ''Euphrosyne'' 4 (1970), pp. 3–22.</ref> while others suggest it is identical with Oropos itself.<ref>Simon Hornblower and Elaine Matthews, ''Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence''. Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-19-726216-3, p. 95; similarly Maria Stamatopoulou and Marina Yeroulanou, ''Excavating Classical Culture: Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Greece''. Archaeopress, 2002, ISBN 1-84171-411-9, p. 151.</ref> It may have been the source of the word "Greek"; the classicist [[Robin Lane Fox]] writes:
+It is placed under [[Boeotia]] in [[Homer]]'s [[Catalogue of Ships]]. It seems to have included the city of [[Oropos]], though by the fifth century BC it was probably a ''kome'' (district) of that city.<ref>G. S. Kirk, ''The Iliad: A Commentary: Volume 1, Books 1-4''. Cambridge University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-521-28171-7, p. 191.</ref> According to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] the name was a shortcut of the original name ''Tanagraia'', who was daughter of [[Asopos (Boeotia)|Asopos]]. Graia was a greater area including [[Avlida]], Mycalissos, Arma etc.<ref>Pausanias: Boeotica 20–24</ref> It is also described by some sources as a city; Fossey argues for its identification with the hill of Dhrámesi 8&nbsp;km from [[Tanagra]],<ref>John M. Fossey, "The Identification of Graia," ''Euphrosyne'' 4 (1970), pp. 3–22.</ref> while others suggest it is identical with Oropos itself.<ref>Simon Hornblower and Elaine Matthews, ''Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence''. Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-19-726216-3, p. 95; similarly Maria Stamatopoulou and Marina Yeroulanou, ''Excavating Classical Culture: Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Greece''. Archaeopress, 2002, ISBN 1-84171-411-9, p. 151.</ref>
+Graea was sometimes said to be the oldest city of Greece. [[Aristotle]] said that this city was created before the [[Deluge (mythology)|deluge]]. The same assertion about the origins of Graia city is found in an ancient marble, the [[Parian Chronicle]], discovered in 1687 and dated to 267-263 BC, that is currently kept in [[Oxford]] and on [[Paros]].
+Reports about this ancient city can be also found in [[Homer]], in [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], in [[Thucydides]], etc. The name '''Graïke''' ({{lang-grc|Γραϊκή}} {{IPA-grc|ɡra.ikɛ̌ː|}}) was used of the [[Oropus]] area, which was dependent on [[Athens]] during the [[Peloponnesian War]], by Thucydides, and the term was also used by [[Stephanus of Byzantium]].<ref>[[Thucydides]], ''Histories'' 2.23.3 </ref><ref>cf. [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], ''Ethnica'' s.v. Oropus.</ref>
+The word Γραικός (''Graecus'', ''Greek'') is interpreted as "inhabitant of Graia"  by some authors.<ref>Hatzidakis, 1977, quoted in Babiniotis Dictionary</ref> The German historian George Bussolt suggested that the name [[Graeci]] was given initially by the Romans to the colonists from ''Graia'' who helped the [[Euboea]]ns to establish [[Cumae]] in southern [[Italy]], and was then used for all Greeks.<ref>[[Online Etymology Dictionary]].[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=greek]</ref> The classicist [[Robin Lane Fox]] states that Oropus was either located in or identical with the city [[Graia]], and writes:
 <blockquote>
-If men from Oropos-Graia were among the early Greek visitors to [[Capua]] or [[Veii]] and even early Rome, we can better understand an age-old puzzle: why Greeks were called "Greeks" in the [[Latin West]]. Such people told their first contacts in the Latin region that they were "Graikoi," that is, people from Graia. They were thus called "Graeci" by the people whom they met.<ref>Robin Lane Fox, ''Travelling Heroes: In the Epic Age of Homer''. Random House, 2009: ISBN 0-679-44431-9, p. 61; see also John Nicolas Coldstream, ''Geometric Greece: 900-700 BC''. Routledge, 2003, ISBN 0-415-29899-7, p. 403 (note 7).</ref>
+If men from Oropos-Graia were among the early Greek visitors to [[Capua]] or [[Veii]] and even early Rome, we can better understand an age-old puzzle: why Greeks were called "Greeks" in the [[Latin West]]. Such people told their first contacts in the Latin region that they were "Graikoi," that is, people from Graia. They were thus called "Graeci" by the people whom they met.<ref>Robin Lane Fox, ''Travelling Heroes: In the Epic Age of Homer''. Random House, 2009: ISBN 0-679-44431-9, p. 61/161; see also John Nicolas Coldstream, ''Geometric Greece: 900-700 BC''. Routledge, 2003, ISBN 0-415-29899-7, p. 403 (note 7).</ref>
 </blockquote>
-There are various etymologies of the name. The most common is the connection with {{lang|grc|γραῖα}} ''{{transl|grc|graia}}'' "old woman", derived from the [[PIE]] root *''[[:wikt:Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/ǵerh₂-|ǵerh<sub>2</sub>]]-''/*''ǵreh<sub>2</sub>-'', "to grow old" via [[Proto-Greek language|Proto-Greek]] *''gera-/grau-iu'';<ref>[[Robert S. P. Beekes|R. S. P. Beekes]], ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 285.</ref> the same root later gave γέρας ''geras'' (/keras/), "gift of honour" in [[Mycenean Greek]].<ref>R. S. P. Beekes, ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 267.</ref>
+There are various etymologies of the name. The most common is the connection with {{lang|grc|γραῖα}} ''{{transl|grc|graia}}'' "old woman", derived from the [[PIE]] root *''[[:wikt:Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/ǵerh₂-|ǵerh<sub>2</sub>]]-''/*''ǵreh<sub>2</sub>-'', "to grow old" via [[Proto-Greek language|Proto-Greek]] *''gera-/grau-iu'';<ref>The word is related to the Greek word ''geron'' ("old man", from the [[PIE]] base ''*gere'',"to grow old"), [[Proto-Greek language|Proto Greek]] ''guraj'', "old age" and later ''kera'',''geras'',"gift of honour" in [[Mycenean Greek]] and ''grau-j'',"old lady". -- [[Robert S. P. Beekes|R. S. P. Beekes]], ''Greek Etymological Dictionary'', Brill, 2009, p. 285</ref> the same root later gave γέρας ''geras'' (/keras/), "gift of honour" in [[Mycenean Greek]].<ref>R. S. P. Beekes, ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 267.</ref>
 Another possibility is the relation with a word for "gray". ''{{transl|grc|[[Graikos (name)|Graikos]]}}'' ({{lang|grc|Γραικός}}) may be interpreted "inhabitant of Graia". [[Aristotle]] uses ''{{transl|grc|Graikos}}'' as equivalent to [[Hellenes]], and believes that it was the name originally used by Illyrians for the Dorians in [[Epirus]].<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=greek&searchmode=none Online Etymology Dictionary].</ref><ref>Aristotle, ''Meteorologica'' I.xiv</ref>

Revision as of 19:14, 26 July 2015

See also

References