Kydonia
/kaɪˈdoʊniə/noun
An ancient city and region on Crete, now associated with the modern city of Chania.
Did you know?Kydonia was one of Crete’s major ancient city-states, and its name survives in historical and archaeological writing as a direct link to Minoan and Greek civilization.
Etymological Timeline
Bronze Age / Pre-Greek
Pre-Greek
Kydonia
“An early place-name on western Crete, likely inherited from a pre-Hellenic substrate language.”
Classical Greek
Greek
Κυδωνία
“The city and district of Kydonia in Crete.”
Hellenistic Period
Greek
Κυδωνία
“A well-known Cretan polis and regional name in Greek historical writing.”
Roman Period
Latin
Cydonia
“The Latinized form of the Cretan place-name.”
Modern English
English
Kydonia
“The historical name used in archaeology and classical studies for the ancient Cretan city and region.”