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Ionians: the story on HearLore | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Etymological Origins And Etymology —
Ionians.
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The word Ionian carries an uncertain linguistic root. Robert S. P. Beekes notes that Frisk isolates an unknown root pronounced ya-. Some theories suggest a Proto-Indo-European onomatopoeic root meaning a shout uttered by persons running to the assistance of others. Pokorny proposed that Iāwones could mean devotees of Apollo based on the cry iē paiōn. This god was also called iēios himself in ancient worship. Other scholars point to an unknown early name of an eastern Mediterranean island population represented by haw-nbwt, an ancient Egyptian name for people living there. Nikolaev suggests a Proto-Indo-European root uiH- meaning power exists as another possibility. The etymology remains open despite these competing theories from linguists like Pokorny and Beekes.
Mycenaean Records And Early History
A fragmentary Linear B tablet from Knossos bears the name i-ja-wo-ne. Ventris and Chadwick interpreted this as possibly the dative or nominative plural case of Iāwones. These Knossos tablets date to 1400 or 1200 BC. They pre-date Dorian dominance in Crete if the name refers to Cretans. Homer used the form iāones on a single occasion in Book XIII of the Iliad. Hector attacked some long-robed Greeks identified with Athenians in this passage. Hesiod wrote the singular iāōn in a surviving fragment numbered 10a.23 M-W. Literary evidence leads back to mainland Greece during Mycenaean times before any region named Ionia existed. Classical sources claim they were called Ionians along with other names even then. This cannot be documented with inscriptional evidence yet seems to reflect general verbal tradition.
What is the etymology of the word Ionian according to Robert S. P. Beekes and other linguists?
Robert S. P. Beekes notes that Frisk isolates an unknown root pronounced ya- for the word Ionian. Some theories suggest a Proto-Indo-European onomatopoeic root meaning a shout uttered by persons running to the assistance of others.
When did the Knossos tablets bearing the name i-ja-wo-ne date from?
The fragmentary Linear B tablet from Knossos dates to 1400 or 1200 BC. These tablets pre-date Dorian dominance in Crete if the name refers to Cretans.
How did the Ionians migrate from Aigialeia to Asia Minor according to Apollodorus and Herodotus?
Displaced Achaeans moved into Aigialeia which became known as Achaea before expelling the Ionians from there. The Ionians moved to Attica and mingled with the local population before emigrating to the Asia Minor coast to found historical region Ionia.
Which Neo-Assyrian Empire letters record attacks by Ionians on Phoenician cities during the 8th century BC?
Neo-Assyrian Empire letters from the 8th century BC record attacks by what appear to be Ionians on Phoenician cities. A raid reported to Tiglath-Pileser III occurred in the 730s BC discovered at Nimrud.
What dialectal varieties of Ionic Greek were spoken from around 1000 BC onward?
Three dialectal varieties traditionally spoken in Euboea, northern Cyclades, and Asiatic Ionia existed from around 1000 BC onward. Ionic colonists from Athens founded their cities there using this literary form.
Apollodorus stated that Ion was son of Xuthus who lived in Aigialeia. Dorians invaded the Peloponnese and expelled Achaeans from Argolid and Lacedaemonia. Displaced Achaeans moved into Aigialeia which became known as Achaea. They in turn expelled the Ionians from Aigialeia according to Pausanias VII, 1.7. The Ionians moved to Attica and mingled with local population there. Many years later they emigrated to Asia Minor coast founding historical region of Ionia. Herodotus claimed all are Ionians who keep feast Apaturia if of Athenian descent. Strabo described how Ion conquered Thrace after which Athenians made him king of Athens. Those Ionians colonized Aigialia changing its name to Ionia also. Under Codridae they set forth for Anatolia and founded twelve cities in Caria and Lydia following model of twelve cities of Achaea. These included Pellene, Aegira, Aegae, Bura, Helice, Aegion, Rhype, Patrae, Phareae, Olenus, Dyme and Tritaeae.
Ancient Foreign Perspectives On Ionians
Neo-Assyrian Empire letters from 8th century BC record attacks by what appear to be Ionians on Phoenician cities. A raid reported to Tiglath-Pileser III occurred in 730s BC discovered at Nimrud. Sargon II related that he took people like fish from sea of setting sun. Seven kings of Ya sent tribute confirmed by stele at Citium in Cyprus. Old Persian inscriptions of Achaemenid Empire use term Yaunā as nominative plural masculine. Darius inscription on south wall of palace at Persepolis lists provinces including Ionians who are mainland and those by sea. Edicts of Ashoka dated 260, 258 BC refer directly to Yonas in Thirteenth Edict. Chinese explorer Zhang Qian mentioned Dayuan in accounts from 130 BCE describing Ferghana valley controlled by Hellenistic polis Alexandria Eschate. Most modern Western Asian languages use terms Ionia or Ionian to refer to Greece and Greeks today.
Dialectal Varieties And Literary Evolution
Ionic Greek was subdialect of Attic-Ionic or Eastern dialect group of Ancient Greek. Three dialectal varieties traditionally spoken in Euboea, northern Cyclades, and Asiatic Ionia from around 1000 BC onward. Ionic colonists from Athens founded their cities there. Works of Homer written in literary form called Homeric Greek or Epic Greek. Hesiod also wrote using this literary form of Ionic dialect. Ionic eventually supplanted by Attic dialect which became dominant by 5th century BC. Herodotus stated whole Hellenic stock was small with Ionian being least regarded branch having no considerable city except Athens. These Ionians spread from Athens to places like Sifnos, Serifos, Naxos, Kea, and Samos. Cynurians were aboriginal and seem only Ionians but Dorianized by time and Argive rule according to Herodotus Book 8 Section 73.3.
The Ionian School Of Philosophy
During 6th century BC coastal towns such as Miletus and Ephesus focused on revolution in traditional thinking about Nature. Men began forming hypotheses about natural world based on ideas gained from personal experience and deep reflection instead of recourse to religion or myth. Thales and his successors were called physiologoi who discoursed on Nature. They sought purely mechanical and physical explanations skeptical of religious ones for natural phenomena. Physicist Carlo Rovelli credited work of Ionian school with producing first great scientific revolution. This earliest example of critical thinking would come to define Greek thought subsequently modern thought. Cultural climate allowed men to form hypotheses about natural world without supernatural explanation during this period.