Makedon (mythology)

Makedon, also Macedon (Ancient Greek: Μακεδών) or Makednos (Μακεδνός), was the eponymous mythological ancestor of the ancient Macedonians according to various ancient Greek fragmentary narratives. In most versions, he appears as a native or immigrant leader from Epirus, who gave his name to Macedon, previously called Emathia or Thrace.

Etymology

Both proper nouns Makedon (with a long medial vowel) and Makednos are morphologically derived from the Ancient Greek adjective makednos meaning "tall, slim", and are related to the term Macedonia. The adjective was traditionally derived from the Indo-European root *mak-, meaning 'long' or 'slender'. The tribal name of the Macedonians is commonly explained as having originally meant 'the tall ones' or 'highlanders' in Greek. It is traditionally derived from the Indo-European root *mak-,*meh2k, meaning 'long' or 'slender', cognate with poetic Greek makednos or mêkedanos "long, tall," Doric makos, Attic mêkos length,Makistos mythological eponymous of a town in Elis and epithet of Heracles, Avestan masah 'length', Latin macer 'meagre' Hittite mak-l-ant 'thin'. Vittore Pisani constructed a Macedonian word kedôn, out of the Greek chthon, 'earth' and proposed also a meaning of high land. However, modern research by Robert S. P. Beekes claims that the morphological analysis make- (root) + -dnos (suffix) is impossible in an Indo-European word and that it is more likely that the word has a Pre-Greek origin. According to him, both terms are of Pre-Greek substrate origin and cannot be explained in terms of Indo-European morphology.

Makednoi

Makednoi (Greek: Μακεδνοί) is a former municipality in Kastoria regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kastoria, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,468 (2001). The seat of the municipality was in Mavrochori. It comprises three municipal departments: Dispilio (Δισπηλιό), Mavrochori (Μαυροχώρι) and Polykarpi (Πολυκάρπη).

Name

The name is derived from the Ancient Greek name meaning "Macedonian", Makednos (Μακεδνός). Whereas in Greek the municipality is usually referred to as Dimos Makednon (Δήμος Μακεδνών), using the genitive plural form of the ancient name, Makednoi is the nominative plural form ("Macedonians"). In English, the names Makednon, Makednoi, Makednos and Makednes are occasionally used.

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