1. Introduction
A great number of publications deal with the origins, languages and the territories occupied by the ancient Messapians (M) but, in essence, it is possible to say that up to now what represented the entity constituted by the ancient M is rather uncertain. An approach to acquire information about them through the M personal (pers.) anthroponyms (a.) was object of some publications. In one of them (Krahe, 1929) a list of M pers. a. according to their appearance in the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (CIL) was proposed without providing information about their etymology. The purpose of this article is to deepen the knowledge about the M by considering the M pers. a. according to their appearance in the Monumenta Linguae Messapicae (MLM) (De Simone & Marchesini, 2002) and the meaning of their roots according to their similarity with corresponding lexemes in the present surviving Slavic languages. This article follows a first publication dedicated to the Veneti (V) pers. a. (Stein & Tomezzoli, 2020) and a second one dedicated to the Illyrian (I) pers. a. (Tomezzoli & Stein, 2021) and inter alia provides a reply to the question about the way in which the ancient M, I and V were related.
2. Messapian Personal Anthroponyms
The records in the MLM (De Simone & Marchesini, 2002) have been considered one by one and only those containing M pers. a. having Slavic roots have been retained in alphabetic order in Table 1.
1) If a record contained a M pers. a. in nominative case, the record was retained in Table 1 and other records containing the same M pers. a. but in other cases have not been retained.
2) If a record contained a M pers. a. not in the nominative case but in one of the other cases, the record was retained in Table 1 and other records containing the same M pers. a. in other cases have not been retained.
3) If two or more records contained the same M pers. a. in the same case only one has been retained in Table 1.
4) If two records contained respectively the same M pers. a. in the masc. and the fem. case, both the two records have been retained in Table 1.
Each Table 1 record contains:
A first item containing: the progressive record number, the M pers. a. either in nominative or another case, the attestation: i.e. the number of the inscription containing the M pers. a. and the locality of the inscription discovery, the corresponding MLM (De Simone & Marchesini, 2002) page number and the corresponding meaning of its Slavic root (Glosbe, 2022; Google, 2022; Kovalev, 1999) ; in case of a M pers. a. with two roots: 1) indicates the first root; 1a) indicates a possible alternative first root; 2) indicates the second root; 2a) indicates a possible alternative second root;
A second item containing the corresponding lexemes having the same root in the present surviving Slavic languages (Table 2);
A third item containing the correspondence of the M pers. a., if any, with a V pers. a. (V.T1.n: Table 1 of Stein & Tomezzoli, 2020 , record number) and its correspondence with an I pers. a. (I.T1.n: Table 1 of Tomezzoli & Stein, 2021 , record number).
In Table 1 the following conventions apply: θ = θ, š = š, Ѱ = dental affricate, Ų ψ ↑ = velar affricates.
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Table 1. Messapian anthroponym list.
3. Discussion
The Slavic root for each M pers. a. was identified by comparing it with corresponding lexemes in the present surviving Slavic languages (Table 2), this because ancient Slavic documents are rare (Ambrozic & Tomezzoli, 2003; Ambrozic, 2005; Ambrozic et al., 2006; Pellergini & Prosdocimi, 1967; Pigozzo Bernardi, 2020; Šavli et al., 1996; Serafimov, 2006; Serafimov, 2007a; Serafimov, 2007b; Serafimov & Tomezzoli, 2009; Serafimov & Tomezzoli, 2012; Tomažič & Tomezzoli, 2003; Tomezzoli, 2001; Tomezzoli & Čudinov, 2002; Tomezzoli, Serafimov, & Vodopivec, 2009; Tomezzoli & Serafimov, 2013; Vodopivec, 2008; Vodopivec, 2009a; Vodopivec, 2009b) and normally contain few lexemes, insufficient for meaningful comparisons with Table 1 M a.
3.1. Initial Considerations
Similarly to what already observed in considering the V pers. a. (Stein & Tomezzoli, 2020) and the I pers. a. (Tomezzoli & Stein, 2021) , the following is observed.
The concept of nature is present in:
T1.10 white; T1.14, T1.15, T1.16, T1.17, T1.18 swamp; T1.19 bean; T1.20 God; T1.23 pine forest; T1.25, T1.26, T1.27 mountain; T1.30 bunch; T1.79, T1.80, T1.81, T1.82, T1.83, T1.84, T1.85 wave; T1.108, T1.109, T1.110 apple tree; T1.124 stone; T1.133(1), T1.134(1) horse; T1.135, T1.136(1), T1.138, T1.139 root; T1.146 hunting dog; T1.147(1) paw; T1.159(2) harvest; T1.166, T1.167, T1.168, T1.169 carrot; T1.180 alder; T1.183, T1.184, T1.188 wasp; T1.186, T1.187, T1.189 flock; T1.192 to graze; T1.193, T1.194 hemp; T1.215, T1.220, T1.221 salt; T1.216 hay; T1.217 Svarog.
The concept of person is present in:
T1.6, T1.203(2) let’s go; T1.7 yeah; T1.13 to run; T1.21, T1.22 pain; T1.28, T1.29 dream; T1.31, T1.32, T1.34, T1.40, T1.42, T1.43, T1.44(1), T1.45(1), T1.46(1), T1.47, T1.53, T1.54(1), T1.60, T1.63, T1.67 1st pers. sing. imperative of to give; T1.33, T1.48, T1.48, T1.49, T1.50, T1.51, T1.52, T1.55, T1.56, T1.57, T1.58, T1.59, T1.74 1st pers. plur. imperative of to give; T1.61, T1.62, T1.64, T1.65, T1.66 will give; T1.68, T1.69, T1.70, T1.71(1) virgin; T1.73 shiver; T1.75, T1.76, T1.77, T1.78, T1.93(2), T1.104(2), T1.179(2) this; T1.86, T1.89(1) your; T1.89(2), T1.123(2) gesture; T1.90, T1.91, T1.92(1), T1.98 to lead; T1.106 alive; T1.107 vein; T1.111(2), T1.112 to eat; T1.114 shadow; T1.116, T1.117, T1.118, T1.119, T1.130(2) 1st pers. sing. imperative of to go; T1.153(1) small; T1.128 bone; T1.129, T1.130(1) hernia; T1.137 to reproach; T1.148 womb; T1.122(2), T1.154(1), T1.155(1) my; T1.157(1) dear; T1.159(1) peace; T1.161, T1.162, T1.163, T1.164 joung; T1.165 snout; T1.170 ugly; T1.177 assembly, meeting; T1.178, T1.179(1) dream; T1.182(1) scream; T1.157(2), T1.182(2), T1.218(2), T1.227(2) our; T1.190 finger; T1.203(1), T1.204(1), 205(1), T1.206, T1.207, T1.208, T1.209 sex; T1.212 wound; T1.213 to quarrel; T1.218(1) force; T1.222 to sleep; T1.223 slept; T1.225(1) that.
The concept of personality is present in:
T1.1, T1.2, T1.3, T1.4, T1.5 to reveal; T1.93(1), T1.94, T1.96, T1.97 faith; T1.111 boor T1.147(2), 178(2), T1.179(1) glad; T1.172, T1.173 crazy.
The concept of profession is present in:
T1.8, T1.9 gem, precious stone; T1.11, T1.12 sorcerer; T1.24 efemere; T1.35 ten; T1.44(2), T1.45(2), T1.46(2), T1.54(2), T1.92(2), T1.94(2), T1.205(2) hunt; T1.71(2), T1.204(2) new; T1.87, T1.88 to boil, T1.95, T1.96, T1.97 wine; T1.99 hot; T1.100, T1.101, T1.102, T1.103 heat; T1.104(1) to reap, T1.113 to conceal, T1.115 merchandise; T1.120 tavern; T1.121, T1.126 barn; T1.122(1), T1.123(1), T1.127, T1.131 pickaxe; T1.125 pocket; T1.132, T1.134(2) ring; 133(2) without; T1.140, T1.141 brief; T1.142 short; T1.143 sack; T1.144 harmony, order; T1.145 hole; T1.149, T1.150(1) bast; T1.150(2) net; T1.151 metal pointed rod; T1.152 shovel; T1.153(2), T1.154(2), T1.155(2) messenger; T1.156 measured; T1.158 beside; T1.160 grave; T1.171 to wear; T1.174, T1.175 wooly; T1.176 table; T1.181 guardianship; T1.195 foam; T1.196, T1.197, T1.198, T1.199, T1.200, T1.201, T1.202 pay; T1.210 to tear; T1.211 sling; T1.214 oblong or round wheat loaf; T1.219 livestock; T1.224 glass, cup; T1.226 end; T1.227(1) market, bargain.
3.2. Intermediate Considerations
Similarly to what already observed in considering the V pers. a. (Stein & Tomezzoli, 2020) and the I pers. a. (Tomezzoli & Stein, 2021) , the following is observed.
T1.16 swamp, T1.70 virgin, T1.84 wave, T1.96 wine, T1.114 shadow, T1.165 snout, T1.187 flock preserve the suffix -na present in today’s Slavic pers. a. like: Dragana, Stana and Svetlana.
In addition, in two roots M pers. a., the roots precise each other. Some of two roots M pers. a. still preserve a comprehensible meaning: T1.44 to give hunt, T1.71 new virgin, T1.89 your gesture, T1.92 to lead hunt, T1.93 this faith, T1.104 to reap this, T1.122 my pickaxe, T1.133 without horse, T1.134 horse ring, T1.136 root home, T1.150 bast net, T1. 153 small messenger, T1.154 - T1.155 my messenger, T1.157 our dear, T1.179 this dream, T1.182 our scream, T1.203 sex let’s go, T1.218 our force - our village, T1.225 that father. Some other two roots M pers. a. preserve a meaning no longer comprehensible: T1.123 pickaxe gesture, T1.130 hernia to go, T1.147 paw glad, T1.159 peace to harvest, T1.204 new sex, T1.205 sex hunt.
3.3. Final Considerations
In said publication (De Simone & Marchesini, 2002) , the M pers. a. total is 429 which represents a good sample for a statistical consideration. Table 1 M pers. a. having Slavic roots are 227 which represent 52.91% of said total. Table 1 V pers. a. in the previous publication (Stein & Tomezzoli, 2020) having Slavic roots is roughly 24% and Table 1 I pers. a. in the other previous publication (Tomezzoli & Stein, 2021) having Slavic roots is roughly 46%. This permits to estimate that in the period from the VI to the I cen. BC, roughly 53% of the M population, 46% of the I population and 24% of the V population had Slavic ascendancies. This permits to reply to the above question in saying that ancient M, I and V were related through their Slavic ascendancies.
4. Conclusion
Said 53% of the M population, 46% of I population and 24% of V population having Slavic ascendancies, in the period from the period from VI to the I cen. BC, highlight that Slavs were already present in Europe well before the VII cen. AD, the date, according to the generally accepted theory, of the Slav’s late arrival in Europe (Britannica, 2022) . The logical consequence is that this theory is wrong and should be rejected.