Tectamus

Summary

Tectamus /ˈtɛktəməs/[1] (Ancient Greek: Τέκταμος "craftsman",[2] derived from tectainomai "to build", "plan", from tecton, "carpenter", "builder") was a king of Crete and hero of ancient Hellenic mythology. He was also called Tectaphus (Τέκταφος), Teutamus (Τεύταμος), Tectauus (Τεκταῦος) and Tectaeus (Τεκταῖος).

Name edit

Joseph Vendryes had suggested that the name Teutamus, after the legendary Pelasgian founder, may contain the Proto-Indo-European root *teutéha- ('tribe, people').[3] Later scholars proposed a relation of Pelasgian Teutamus with similar names that appear in Italy in later times.[4]

Mythology edit

Tectamus was the son of Dorus and grandson of Hellen. According to Diodorus Siculus, Tectamus invaded Crete together with a horde of Aeolian and Pelasgian settlers and became the island's king.[5] It was the third of the tribes that migrated to Crete. According to another version, Tectamus was a chief of Dorians and Achaeans.[6] He married Cres' or Cretheus' daughter who gave birth to his son Asterion.

In later Greek historiography edit

Historian Ctesias wrote of a king of "Assyrian" provenance named Teutamus, and this historical personage appears in an epic tale involving Memnon, son of Eos.[7]

Notes edit

  1. ^ James Knowles (1845) A Pronouncing and Explanatory Dictionary of the English Language
  2. ^ Robert Graves. The Greek Myths (1960)
  3. ^ Vendryes, Joseph. "Teutomatos". In: Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 83e année, N. 5, 1939. p. 478. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/crai.1939.77232] ; www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1939_num_83_5_77232
  4. ^ Briquel, Dominique. Les Pélasges en Italie. Recherches sur l'histoire de la légende (Monographie). Rome: Ecole française de Rome, 1984. p. XVIII. (Bibliothèque des Écoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome, 252) [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/befar.1984.1217] ; www.persee.fr/doc/befar_0257-4101_1984_mon_252_1
  5. ^ Diodorus Siculus, 4.60.2
  6. ^ Diodorus Siculus, 5.80.2
  7. ^ Petit, Thierry. "Amathousiens, Éthiopiens et Perses". In: Cahiers du Centre d'Etudes Chypriotes. Volume 28, 1998. p. 77. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/cchyp.1998.1340] ; www.persee.fr/doc/cchyp_0761-8271_1998_num_28_1_1340

References edit

  • Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
  • Graves, Robert, The Greek Myths: The Complete and Definitive Edition. Penguin Books Limited. 2017. ISBN 978-0-241-98338-6, 024198338X