Athena is the name of the goddess who was worshiped in ancient Greece, also being the name of the city of Athens which, in ancient Greek is called Athenai .
Since ancient times, scholars have debated whether the name of the goddess Athena comes from the name of the city of Athens or whether the name of the city of Athens comes from the name of the goddess Athena. This is a challenge to trace the etymological aspect.
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Disclosure of the etymology or origin of a word can provide a bright spot in efforts to trace world history which is very ancient, because the collective human memory which stores words or language cannot be intervened to be manipulated later.
In the scientific world, this is included in the study of historical linguistics ( Historical linguistics ) whose scope of study is not only about the history of language, but also the study of how language changes, and how languages are related to one another.
In turn, the form of the origin of a word that we get from this study can serve as an important puzzle – which provides a wider perspective – in an effort to understand how the history of the ancient world really was.
It is an undeniable fact that, vocabulary in a language often increases due to the development of our perception of something. What used to be just a noun then undergoes derivation – producing an adjective or a verb. A recent case in point: 'sambo'.
Sometimes it also experiences phonetic morphology and shifts in meaning, for example: the Qur'an (Islamic holy book) becomes the word 'newspaper' (daily or newspaper).
In this article, I will review how the name or word Athena (which is also commonly called Pallas , Polias and Poliouchos ) seems to have a connection – either as a form of derivation, morphology or synonymous form – with other words that are seen to be used by various nations in the world, the process of spreading continues over a period of thousands of years.
Etymology of the name Athena
In his dialogue Cratylus , Plato (428–347 bce) gives this view:
...My friend, the modern interpreters of Homer, I think, can help explain the views of the ancients. Most in their explanations…, assert that by Athena they meant both “mind” ( nous ) and “intelligence” ( dianoia ), and they seem to have had a single idea of her (Goddess Athena); and indeed they call him by the higher title, namely “divine intelligence” ( theou noesis ), as if they wanted to say: Here he has the mind of God ( a theonoa ). However, it is possible that the name Theonoe could mean “he who knows divine things.” We are also not mistaken in thinking that the author wanted to identify this Goddess with moral intelligence (en ethei noesin ), and therefore gave it the name Etheonoe ; which, however, he or his successors had transformed her into a form they thought was more flattering, and called her Athena .
Thus, Plato believed that the name Athena came from the Greek Atheonoa —which the Greeks later rationalized as from "Mind of God" (theos = God) (nous = Mind).
So, from the opinion of Plato and other ancient Greek philosophers, we get an idea that there is a meaning "mind" contained in the name Athena. Interestingly, we can find this meaning related to the nickname of Athens, namely “ Pallas , Polias or Poliouchos” – in which case, this nickname is also related to the term “Polis ” which means “city-state”.
To be able to see the connection between Athena's name and the nickname Pallas , Polias or Poliouchos, we must look at it from Athena's perspective as the patron goddess of the city of Athens.
Socrates' View of the Nickname 'Pallas'
The etymology of 'Pallas' is offered by Socrates in the long middle section of Kratylos (391a-427d). Socrates said "As I see it, we are right in thinking this name [Pallas] comes from her dancing [dance for the goddess Athena] in [dance costume] weapons and armor."
Euripides' Views of the Nickname 'Pallas'
In Euripides' Heracles, Pallas is the name used when the goddess appears suddenly and acts as cruel as she did in her contest with the giant Enkelados.
From this view of Socrates and Euripides, it is evident that the nickname 'Pallas' for the goddess Athena is related to her image as a protector especially in the context of battle.
The Term "Poliad Divinity"
The term "Poliad Divinity" is generally understood to mean the patron deity of the ancient city. In Greek this term is used in the form Poliouchos which means "mainstay of the city" or "defender of the city".
We can find this term used for the goddess Athena as “Poliouchos in the city of Athens,” the goddess Aphrodite Poliouchos in Epirus, or the god Zeus Poliouchos in Antioch. However, the nickname 'Polias' seems to apply only to Athena. This gives an indication of the possibility that the term “Poliouchos” was first used by the Greeks for the goddess Athena. In this case, Poliouchos is a derivative of the word 'Polias' – and earlier 'Pallas'.
By looking at the term 'Pallas' specifically used only when the goddess Athena is depicted in an aspect as a war goddess who uses a helmet, armor and shield, then, of course the important question is: what is the literal meaning of the word pallas? - Is it enough for the word pallas to be interpreted as “ protector”? or is there another explanation?
Traces of the Word "Pallas" in the Original Language in Indonesia
In the Tae language (which is spoken in South Sulawesi) there is the word 'lapa' which means “to cover / cover”. While in Indonesian we know the word 'bar' which means "something that is installed to block or hinder something so that it cannot pass or pass."
Of course, we can see that the words 'lapa' and 'palang' are related to the meaning carried by the word 'pallas' in Greek. Phonetically they can be said to be identical.
Philosophical Understanding of the Etymology of the Word Temple and Its Traces in Indonesian Language
There seems to be an understanding among people in ancient times that, if the body is analogous to a country then the head is the city. That's why they put the highest symbol of the king's power on their head and they named it 'crown' (mahara-city). Then it develops, we call the contents inside the head 'brain' which is an anagram form of the word city.
Another piece of evidence is the word temple, which is used for the front of the head – just above the eye and the ear. See image below…
Place the temple on the head (source: wikipedia)
In the understanding of the ancient world, a temple (shrine) is a place of refuge or sanctuary. And what's interesting, temple or shrine also means "temple".
Temple as a place of refuge – then, temple also means temple – forces us to see the possibility that the word 'temple' is related to the word Polias or Poliouchos which means “protector”.
The word 'temple' as a protector, furthermore, we can find in the word 'shell' – which protects the inside of the head and, also the word 'combat'.
The word 'tempurung' or 'combat' in Indonesian is almost the same as the etymological form of the word 'temple' from the Latin form 'tempora' – which also carries the meaning of “protector” (sanctuary) and/or “one who fights” against external threats.
From the description of the meaning of the word pallas to temple, finally we have new insights to review the meaning of the name Athena which is considered to be from the word Atheonoa – which has been considered to mean “God's Mind” (theos = God) (nous = Mind) - Becomes "Goddess Protector of the Mind" ” which, symbolized by the goddess Athena by always wearing a protective helmet. Because apart from the God of War Ares, it seems that only the goddess Athena from the 12 Olympians is almost always seen wearing a protective helmet in every appearance.
Thus, ancient words in the Indo-European language family in many cases (I have reviewed in many previous articles, for example here: Migration in Ancient Times from the Archipelago to the West ) show their connection with words found in languages in Indonesia.