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ArchivesRe: Meaning of the name Andalusia?
in reply to a message by Lu
Actually, Andalusia is Arabic in origin; it was dubbed "al-Andalus" ("country of the Vandals" - the post-Roman invaders) by the Moors who came in the 7th century. In the 11th century, when the Christians took the area back over, they retained the "Andalus" part and Latinized the original meaning to Andalusia.
Anneza's statement about Roman territorial naming customs sounds right in many circumstances, but they called the area Baetica (land of the Baeti?).
Sometimes the good ol' 30-volume Brittanica just beats the pants off the Internet, don'cha think?
Anneza's statement about Roman territorial naming customs sounds right in many circumstances, but they called the area Baetica (land of the Baeti?).
Sometimes the good ol' 30-volume Brittanica just beats the pants off the Internet, don'cha think?
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Replies
not 11th century ! but the 16th century
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The traditional interpretation has been disputed, as there is no known record of a toponym in Spain before Al-Andalus, that can be linked to the Vandals, and no indication in Arabic of its actual meaning. At the time of Muslim expansion through North Africa, the Kingdom of the Vandals and Alans was centered on Tunis, the Vandals having left Spain under pressure from the Goths and Suevi long before. A number of other suggestions have been made in recent decades, some more plausible than others, but no actual evidence exists for any of them. No recorded Latin, Gothic, Celtiberian, or Vandal name explains why the Muslim conquerors called the area under their control Al-Andalus.
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