Pelasgia
/pəˈlæz.dʒi.ə/noun
An ancient geographical name associated with the Pelasgians, and the modern name of a town in Phthiotis, Greece.
Did you know?Ancient writers used “Pelasgian” for an elusive pre-Greek population, but the name’s original meaning and the identity of the people remain disputed.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Πελασγία (Pelasgía)
“A region or land associated with the Pelasgians; the exact geographic referent varied among ancient authors.”
5th Century BCE
Greek
Πελασγοί (Pelasgoí)
“The Pelasgians, a people whom Greek writers described as inhabitants of Greece before or alongside the Greeks.”
Hellenistic Period
Greek
Πελασγίς (Pelasgís)
“A feminine geographical form meaning Pelasgian land or territory.”
Roman and Byzantine Periods
Greek/Latin
Pelasgia
“A learned geographical name preserved in historical and antiquarian writing.”
Modern English
English
Pelasgia
“A historical name for a Pelasgian-associated region and the English form of the modern Greek place-name Pelasgia.”
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