The Ethnicity of the Sea Peoples - RePub - Erasmus Universiteit ...

this and rebaptized it Caere. 483 Similarly, the Arkadians at
Rome headed by Evander, who are likely to be identified
with the Pelasgians reported for the same site, 484 are
clearly distinct from the Tyrrhenians to the north at the
time of the arrival of Aeneas and his Trojan companions
(see section 11). As a final example of relevance here, it
may be put forward that the Pelasgians at Pisa, called Teutones,
Teutoni or Teutae, are considered to be Greek
speaking, whereas at a later time the dominant language
here became Lydian. 485
If we realize that the name of the leader of the Pelasgians
at Rome, Evander, constitutes a Greek formation, being
a compound of eu “good” with anr (G andros) “man”,
the distinctive feature of these Pelasgian groups as opposed
to the Tyrrhenians appears to be their Greek or Greek-like
language. In the present section, however, we have experienced
that language is not a defining “criterium” for Pelasgians
in the Aegean during the Late Bronze Age, as they
may speak either Greek-like Thraco-Phrygian when in an
European environment or Luwian when in an Anatolian
environment, or even Semitic as a secondary language
when in a Cretan environment to keep up with the international
standards of the time. As such, the distinction between
Pelasgians and Tyrrhenians in the given Italian
situations results from secondary interference by later historians.
Nevertheless, it allows us to assume that the homeland
of some Pelasgians must be sought in those sections
of the Aegean where Greek or Greek-like Thraco-Phrygian
was spoken at the time of departure, whereas that of others
in sections of the Aegean where Luwian or Luwian-like
then predominated. Finally, it deserves our attention that
the Greek-like language of some of the Pelasgians in Italy
for the presence of the roots *h2nr- “man, strength”, *salor
*seh2l- “salt” (as in the TN Alsium), and *teut- “society,
folk, people” may further underline its overall Indo-
European nature.
483 Strabo, Geography V, 2, 3.
484 Eustathius in his commentary on Dionysios Periegetes 347; cf.
Briquel 1984: 456, esp. note 83. Note that according to Strabo,
Geography V, 2, 4 an Arkadian origin is already attributed to the
Pelasgians by Hesiodos.
485 Briquel 1984: 304-5.
105
Additional note 2: The inventor of
the trumpet: Tyrrhenian, Pelasgian,
or Lydian?
In his Geography, Strabo informs us about Regisvilla – the
harbor of Vulci – that it once used to be the seat of the palace
of Maleos, a Pelasgian king. After having reigned here,
this king is said to have moved with his Pelasgian following
to Athens. 486 In line with the latter reference, it is interesting
to note that a Tyrrhenian Maleos or Maleots is
actually recorded for Attica in connection with the feast of
Aiora. 487 Now, the Tyrrhenians who once lived with the
Athenians were notorious for their piracy, 488 and it hence
comes as no surprise that an excellent site for piratical
raids like cape Malea is reported to have been named after
their leader Maleos. This very same Maleos, then, is also
credited with the invention of the trumpet – a handy instrument
for the coordination of military and/or piratical
action. 489 (The dedication of a stone in the harbor of Phaistos
to Poseidon is also ascribed to a certain Maleos, but we
do not know whether this refers to one and the same person.
490 Note in this connection that in form of Marewa or
Marewo (genitive) or Mareu the name in question is already
attested for Linear B inscriptions from Malia and Pylos,
respectively. 491 )
The invention of the trumpet, however, is not only ascribed
to the Pelasgian or Tyrrhenian Maleos, but also to
the Tyrrhenian Pisaios492 or Tyrrhenos or his son – which
evidently keeps us in the sphere of influence of the Tyrrheno-Pelasgians493
– or the Lydian Mlas, a son of
Herakles and Omphale. 494 The latter name cannot be dis-
486 Strabo, Geography V, 2, 8.
487 Hesykhios, s.v. Aira; Etymologicum Magnum, s.v. Altis; cf.
Briquel 1984: 264-5.
488 Hesykhios, s.v. Tyrrhnoi desmoi and desmoi Tyrrhnikoi; cf.
Müller & Deecke 1877, I: 79, note 31.
489 Scholiast ad Statius, Thebaid IV, 224; VII, 16; VI, 382; cf.
Briquel 1984: 266.
490 Soudas, s.v. Maleos; cf. Briquel 1984: 266.
491 Best 1996-7: 123 (who less likely connects Mareus, etc.).
492 Photios, s.v. listosalpigktas; cf. Briquel 1991: 365, note 92.
493 Hyginus, Fabulae 274; Pausanias, Guide to Greece II, 21, 3;
cf. Briquel 1991: 322.
494 Scholiast ad Homeros, Iliad XVIII, 219; cf. Briquel 1991: 332,
note 53.