Título: Names of the Greeks
Seção: Hellenes (Ellenes)
Background: The Greeks (Greek: Ellenes) have been identified by many ethnonyms. The most common native ethnonym is "Hellen" (Ellen), pl. Hellenes (Ellenes); the name "Greeks" (Latin: Graeci) was used by the Ancient Romans and gradually entered the European languages through its use in Latin. The mythological patriarch Hellen is the named progenitor of the Greek peoples; his descendants the Aeolians, Dorians, Achaeans and Ionians correspond to the main Greek tribes and to the main dialects spoken in Greece and Asia Minor (Anatolia).

Conteúdo: There is currently no satisfactory etymology for the name Hellenes. Some scholars assert that the name of the priests of Zeus in Dodona, "Selloi" (Selloi; also Elloi Helloi), changed to Sellanes (by analogy with Akarnanes) and then to Hellanes and Hellenes. This theory is based on Aristotle's comments in Meteorologica where he places Ancient Hellas in Epirus between Dodona and the Achelous river, where in his opinion the great deluge of Deucalion must have occurred. The land was inhabited by Selloi and Graeci, who later came to be known as Hellenes. In that regard Graici (Graikoi) was a native name of a Dorian tribe in Epirus which was used by the Illyrians. Homer mentions that the Selloi were the prophets of Zeus at Dodona, but he is referring to Zeus of Dodona as god of the Pelasgians who were Pre-Dorian populations. It is possible that the extension of a particular cult of Zeus in Dodona (a tendency among the Greeks to form ever-larger communities and amphictionies) caused the name to further extend to the rest of the peninsula.  However, this theory connects the name Hellenes with the Dorians who occupied Epirus, and the relation with the name Greeks given by the Romans becomes uncertain. The toponyms, especially an ancient city Hellas in southern Thessaly and the Greek tradition indicate that the name Hellenes is Pre-Dorian and that it is more likely that the homeland of the Graikoi who were later called Hellenes was in central Greece. The Greek tradition mentions an ear

user: What is the origin of the name Hellenes?

assistant: There is currently no satisfactory etymology for the name Hellenes.

user: Are there any potential ideas as to how the name was created?

assistant: the name of the priests of Zeus in Dodona, "Selloi" (Selloi; also Elloi Helloi), changed to Sellanes (by analogy with Akarnanes) and then to Hellanes and Hellenes.

user: Is there a scholar or group of people that promote this idea?

assistant: Some scholars assert that

user: What is an interesting aspect of this section?

assistant: Homer refers to Hellenes as an originally relatively small tribe settled in Thessalic Phthia.

user: Did Homer write about the Hellenes in his stories?

assistant: This Homeric Hellas is expressly described as "kalligunaikos", kalligynaikos, "of beautiful women", and its warriors, the Hellenes,

user: Did the origin of Hellenes derive from anyone in Greek mythology?

assistant: In Greek mythology, Hellen, the patriarch of Hellenes, was son of Deucalion, who ruled around Phthia with Pyrrha,

user: Were their other names used for the Hellenes?

assistant: this name was given to those previously called Greeks (Graikoi).Alcman (7th century BC) also refers that the mothers of Hellenes were Graikoi.