by Preveza Abrashi

Abstract

This study explores the etymology and cultural origins of the term ‘Greek’ (Γραικός/Graikoi), proposing that it derives not from ancient Greek sources but from Illyrian roots. Through an analysis of historical records, classical references, linguistic parallels, and mythological traditions, Abrashi argues that the term is connected to Illyrian populations in Epirus and the cultural role of women in these societies. By examining evidence from Aristotelian texts, Roman historiography, and Albanian linguistic continuities, this work presents the argument that ‘Greek’ reflects a socio-cultural heritage rooted in Illyrian matriarchal practices and the veneration of female figures, rather than classical Greek ethnogenesis.

The Non-Greek Essence of the Name ‘Greek’: An Illyrian Origin

Drawn from a publication by Preveza Abrashi, this essay aims to provide an analytical and supportive exposition of her research, confronting the evidence presented and revealing a novel perspective through her work titled The Non-Greek Essence of the Name ‘Greek’.

At a time when historical and ethnolinguistic studies continue to redefine the boundaries of knowledge about ancient peoples, the term ‘Greek’ or ‘Graikoi’ represents one of the most intriguing nodes in this debate. At the core of this essay lies a bold thesis: the name ‘Greek’ is not Greek in origin but an ethnonym deriving from Illyrian lands, carrying over centuries both mythological connotations and social realities in which the figure of the woman was central.

Through a combination of historical narratives, classical testimonies, and linguistic hypotheses, Abrashi draws upon authoritative sources to construct a portrait in which the name ‘Greek’ is experienced as ‘Graikhos’ or ‘Graikoi’—a term that, according to Aristotle in Meteorologica (I, xiv), was initially used for an Epirote tribe, possibly called the Graii, located in the border region of Epirus and Illyria.

This hypothesis is further reinforced by historian Irad Malkin (1998), who suggests that the term ‘Graikoi’ spread to southern Italy via Illyrians and Mesapians. Additionally, Henry Welsford (1845) and Wilhelm Ihne (1871) support the idea that its spread in the Roman sphere occurred through the Pelasgians or Epirotes, two peoples often intertwined with Illyrians in scholarly tradition, creating a Pelasgian-Illyrian-Epirote ethno-cultural continuity.

George Grote interprets ‘Graikoi’ as denoting an Illyrian people meaning ‘mountain dwellers,’ providing a broader ethnographic understanding connected to their terrain, lifestyle, and social structure.

Another line of argument explores the connection between the name ‘Greek’ and female figures. Scholars such as Malte Brun (1829) and Giuseppe Crispi (1831) interpret ‘Graia’ through the Albanian word grua (woman). This term is linked to the concept of the household matron, a woman of experience symbolizing ancient wisdom and gendered authority.

This aligns with the social context of Illyria, where, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911), women held high positions, including political power. Queen Teuta exemplifies this reality, ruling decisively and confronting Rome in the 3rd century BCE.

Strabo (VII, 2) mentions the priestly caste of Dodona, where three women prophesied, reinforcing the existence of an ancient mother cult and potentially a matriarchal society. Similarly, the myth of Perseus presents the three goddesses called Graiai, envisioned as old women giving birth in old age—a metaphor for inherited wisdom.

This myth intersects with linguistic evidence from Albanian dialects, preserving forms like gra, graria, and granimi, reflecting both the phonetic and semantic continuity of Graia. Strabo’s note that Molossians and Thesprotians called old women graias pelias establishes a direct etymological link with the Albanian word grua.

The convergence of myth, social reality, and language forms the basis for Abrashi’s conclusion: the name ‘Greek’ or ‘Graikoi’ derives from the concept of ‘elder women’ (gra plaka), closely associated with the veneration of mothers and female figures in ancient Illyrian-Pelasgian society. Thus, the term ‘Greek’ reflects an identity originating not from classical Athens but from the cult of women along the coasts of Epirus and Illyria.

Accepting this etymology implies a partial rewriting of history, restoring to scholarly memory a silent truth: at the origins of the term ‘Greek’ lies a woman, an Illyrian Graia.