Minoa

Minoa is the name of several bronze-age city in the Aegean coasts, in Corfu and in Sicily. The original meaning of the word remains unknown, but it seems that there is a strong connection with the mythic king of Crete, Minos, during the bronze-age Minoan civilization which flourished in Crete and in the Aegean islands (2000-1470 BC). The inhabitants of Crete were named Minoans by Arthur Evans, after the legendary king. The root min- corresponds to a group of Aegean languages, and appears also in some toponyms like Minya, Minassos and in the name of the Minyans.

The name was given to some harbours in the north coast of Crete, and it is also an older indication in the islands Paros, Siphnos, Amorgos, Corfu (Korkyra) and Sicily. In Gaza the name was introduced later by the Philistines in 1200 BC. These settlements appear not only in the islands but also in harbours that were specially selected as support-points for thalassocracy. This is evident for an island outside of the Laconic coast with the present name Monemvasia, and for the small island outside of the harbour of Megara in Greece.

Minoa (disambiguation)

Minoa may refer to:

Cities

Biology

Other uses

Minoa (moth)

Minoa is a genus of moth in the Geometridae family.

Species

References

External links