Pelasgians
/pəˈlæz.dʒi.ənz/noun
An ancient name for peoples associated with Greece before or alongside the traditionally Greek-speaking populations.
Did you know?Ancient Greek writers used “Pelasgians” inconsistently, sometimes treating them as indigenous inhabitants of Greece and sometimes placing them in distant regions, making the name a historical mystery rather than a clearly defined ethnicity.
Etymological Timeline
Late Bronze Age or earlier
Pre-Greek
*Pelasgo-
“A reconstructed ancestral form proposed by some scholars; its original meaning is unknown and its linguistic origin remains disputed.”
8th–5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Πελασγοί (Pelasgoi)
“A name used by Greek authors for peoples regarded as ancient inhabitants of Greece or neighboring regions.”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Πελασγικόν (Pelasgikon)
“Pelasgian; associated with the people, places, or customs attributed to the Pelasgoi.”
1st Century BCE–2nd Century CE
Latin
Pelasgi / Pelasgus
“Latin forms referring to the Pelasgians or to Pelasgus, a legendary ancestral figure in Greek mythology.”
16th–17th Century
English
Pelasgians
“A learned historical name adopted into English for the ancient people described in Greek and Roman sources.”
Modern English
English
Pelasgians
“A conventional historical term for an ancient and poorly defined population associated with pre-classical Greece.”