Gymnesian Islands
Encyclopedia
The collective name of the Gymnesian Islands or Gymnesic Islands distinguishes the two largest (and easternmost) Balearic islands
(Majorca and Minorca
), from the Pine Islands
(Catalan Illes Pitiüses; Spanish Islas Pitiusas: Ibiza
and Formentera
).
γυμνήτες gymnetes) means "naked". The Ancient Greeks
recruited the local inhabitants of these islands, the Talayotics, as sling
ers. According to some researchers, this does not mean that they fought naked, but that they used much lighter armament than the hoplites.
(the Pitiusas and Gymnesias) came under Roman
rule, the islands gained the overall Latin
name insulae baliares or Baleares insulae; and the collective concept has continued in use in modern languages, hence ultimately the English name "Balearic islands
".
the Catalan terms Illes Gimnèsies and Illes Pitiüses have come back to use in academic and scientific circles, because of the use of Greek-language sources for neologisms.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
(Majorca and Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
), from the Pine Islands
Pine Islands
Pine Islands or Pityuses is the name given collectively to the Balearic Islands of Ibiza , Formentera, S'Espalmador and other small islets in the Mediterranean Sea....
(Catalan Illes Pitiüses; Spanish Islas Pitiusas: Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
and Formentera
Formentera
Formentera is the smaller and more southerly island of the Pine Islands group , which belongs to the Balearic Islands autonomous community .-Geography:...
).
Etymology
The word Gymnesian (from the GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
γυμνήτες gymnetes) means "naked". The Ancient Greeks
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
recruited the local inhabitants of these islands, the Talayotics, as sling
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
ers. According to some researchers, this does not mean that they fought naked, but that they used much lighter armament than the hoplites.
Name usage
Later the Phoenicians referred to both Majorca and Minorca as the Baliarides. After the whole archipelagoArchipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
(the Pitiusas and Gymnesias) came under Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
rule, the islands gained the overall Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name insulae baliares or Baleares insulae; and the collective concept has continued in use in modern languages, hence ultimately the English name "Balearic islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
".
the Catalan terms Illes Gimnèsies and Illes Pitiüses have come back to use in academic and scientific circles, because of the use of Greek-language sources for neologisms.