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ArchivesRe: Maria, Mariam and Marian
in reply to a message by Andy ;—)
In reply to your question: "according to what rules did the Greeks adopt foreign names to their own language.":
Although the Greeks before christianity were using just a few foreign names among the over 28000 names of Greek origin (www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk), that changed dramatically after their conversion to christianity, when they had to start using foreign, mainly hebrew, names.
This is because of a 4th century AD law of the Christian Orthodox church of the eastern Roman Empire, (known as "Byzantine Empire"), according to which every baby must get baptized to christianity, in order for the Greeks to start using only biblical or Christian names, facing heavy punishments if not done so. The law ("Neara 116"), was part of a group of laws used by the Christians until 10th century AD to force the Greeks to lose their "Hellenism" and become Christians.
Unfortunately that law is still in use in Greece, luckily without the punishment… :)
References: Trombley Frank R.: "Hellenic Religion and Christianization, 370-529", Vol. 1, Leiden, 1993
Jaeger Werner: "Early Christianity and Greek Paideia", N.Y., 1961
Pharr C. "The Theodosian Code", Princeton, 1952
Boyd William K.: "The Eclesiastical Edicts of The Theodosian Code", N.Y., 1905
Krueger Paul: "Corpus Juris Civilis. Codex Justinianus", Berlin, 1954
Adeney Walter: "The Greek and Eastern Churches" N.Y., 1928
Baron d'Holback Paul Heinrich Dietrich: "Christianity Unveiled", London, 1819
Baur F.C.: "The Church History of the first Three Centuries" London, 1878
Chuvin Pierre: "A Chronicle of the Last Pagans", N.Y.,1990
Ellerbe Helen: "The Dark Side of Christian History", San Rafael CA, 1995
Fletcher Richard: "The Conversion of Europe. From Paganism to Christianity, 371-1386 AD", London, 1997
Haught James A.: "Holly Horrors", Buffalo, 1990
Vlassis Rassias: "A... Love story. (History of Christian Override)", Athens, 2005
Although the Greeks before christianity were using just a few foreign names among the over 28000 names of Greek origin (www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk), that changed dramatically after their conversion to christianity, when they had to start using foreign, mainly hebrew, names.
This is because of a 4th century AD law of the Christian Orthodox church of the eastern Roman Empire, (known as "Byzantine Empire"), according to which every baby must get baptized to christianity, in order for the Greeks to start using only biblical or Christian names, facing heavy punishments if not done so. The law ("Neara 116"), was part of a group of laws used by the Christians until 10th century AD to force the Greeks to lose their "Hellenism" and become Christians.
Unfortunately that law is still in use in Greece, luckily without the punishment… :)
References: Trombley Frank R.: "Hellenic Religion and Christianization, 370-529", Vol. 1, Leiden, 1993
Jaeger Werner: "Early Christianity and Greek Paideia", N.Y., 1961
Pharr C. "The Theodosian Code", Princeton, 1952
Boyd William K.: "The Eclesiastical Edicts of The Theodosian Code", N.Y., 1905
Krueger Paul: "Corpus Juris Civilis. Codex Justinianus", Berlin, 1954
Adeney Walter: "The Greek and Eastern Churches" N.Y., 1928
Baron d'Holback Paul Heinrich Dietrich: "Christianity Unveiled", London, 1819
Baur F.C.: "The Church History of the first Three Centuries" London, 1878
Chuvin Pierre: "A Chronicle of the Last Pagans", N.Y.,1990
Ellerbe Helen: "The Dark Side of Christian History", San Rafael CA, 1995
Fletcher Richard: "The Conversion of Europe. From Paganism to Christianity, 371-1386 AD", London, 1997
Haught James A.: "Holly Horrors", Buffalo, 1990
Vlassis Rassias: "A... Love story. (History of Christian Override)", Athens, 2005
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Replies
Thank you very much for the information and the reference books!
My question was a bit inaccurate, I'm afraid. I shouldn't have asked about "the Greeks", but rather about the process of Hellenization of (part of) the Jewish culture. The Septuagint obviously reflects this: The Hebrew names in the bible were shaped into a Greek-like form, which supposedly existed before. A 3rd cent. BCE Jew in Alexandria would probably call his children Elisabeth and Yoanan instead of Elisheva and Yokhanan. (I have no idea, if this is true.)
Now going back (or ratehr forth) to the 4th cent. law you are talking about, we would find Elisabeth again, but now Yoannes instead of Yoanan. So the rules may have changed …
This is what I'd like to know more about. Maybe I can get hold of one of the books you mention. So thanks once more!
My question was a bit inaccurate, I'm afraid. I shouldn't have asked about "the Greeks", but rather about the process of Hellenization of (part of) the Jewish culture. The Septuagint obviously reflects this: The Hebrew names in the bible were shaped into a Greek-like form, which supposedly existed before. A 3rd cent. BCE Jew in Alexandria would probably call his children Elisabeth and Yoanan instead of Elisheva and Yokhanan. (I have no idea, if this is true.)
Now going back (or ratehr forth) to the 4th cent. law you are talking about, we would find Elisabeth again, but now Yoannes instead of Yoanan. So the rules may have changed …
This is what I'd like to know more about. Maybe I can get hold of one of the books you mention. So thanks once more!
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