Messana
/mɛˈsɑːnə/noun
Messana is the ancient Greek and Roman name for the Sicilian city now called Messina.
Did you know?Messana’s name is connected in ancient tradition with Messene, a legendary Greek queen, but scholars caution that the deeper origin of the name remains uncertain rather than definitively magical or mythological.
Etymological Timeline
8th Century BCE
Greek
Ζάγκλη (Zanklē)
“The original Greek name of the settlement, commonly interpreted as “sickle,” referring to the curved shape of its harbor.”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Μεσσήνη (Messēnē)
“The city was renamed Messene after its takeover by settlers associated with Rhegium; the name echoed the Greek region and legendary figure Messene.”
4th–3rd Century BCE
Greek
Μεσσάνα (Messána)
“A Greek form of the city’s name used after the settlement’s renaming.”
1st Century BCE–5th Century CE
Latin
Messana
“The Latin name for the Sicilian city under Roman rule.”
Medieval Period
Italian
Messina
“The medieval and modern Italian development of the ancient name.”
Modern English
English
Messana
“An antiquarian or historical name for modern Messina.”