Time: 11:37:24 CET
Topic: 6. The Pelasgians
Tags: history, Greece, Romans, Greeks, Hellenes, Pelasgians, Arian, Celts, Teutons, prehistoric, ancestors, Angles, Saxons, English, tribes, ascendency, Dodonean Zeus, sanctuary, Dodona, Epirus
Unveiling the Ancestors of Greece: The Pelasgians
The Romans bestowed the name "Greeks" upon the inhabitants of this land, but the people themselves proudly referred to themselves as Hellenes, a name derived from their legendary forefather, Hellen.
However, Greek history stretches back even further than the Hellenes. According to their own accounts, they were preceded by a people known as the Pelasgians. The true identity and connection between the Pelasgians and the later Greeks remain a subject of debate among scholars.
Theories on Pelasgian Origins:
- Aryan Pioneers: Some propose that the Pelasgians were the first Indo-European settlers in this region, akin to the Celts in Western Europe who laid the groundwork for the arrival of Germanic tribes.
- Proto-Greeks: Another view suggests they were simply the prehistoric ancestors of all or part of the Hellenes, similar to how the Angles and Saxons formed the foundation of modern English people.
- Related Tribes: A third theory posits that Pelasgians and Hellenes were kindred ethnicities. However, the Hellenes, possessing superior qualities, gradually rose to dominance and eventually absorbed the Pelasgians into their own society.
Traces of the Pelasgians:
Regardless of their exact origins, the Pelasgians demonstrably possessed a certain level of civilization. Evidence suggests they practiced agriculture and constructed walled cities for protection. Scattered across Greece, one can still find remnants of their imposing, albeit crude, stonework, a testament to their early presence in the region.
The Dodonaean Zeus:
The Pelasgians held a particular deity in high regard: the Dodonaean Zeus, named after his sanctuary in Epirus. This god shared many characteristics with the Olympian Zeus worshipped by the later Hellenes, hinting at a potential continuity in religious beliefs despite the passage of time.