Tectamus
Tectamus (Ancient Greek: Τέκταμος "craftsman"[1], derived from tectainomai "to build", "plan", from tecton, "carpenter", "builder") was a king of Crete and hero of ancient Hellenic mythology.He was also called Texaphos (Τέκσαφος), Teutamos (Τεύταμος), Tektaos (Τεκταῦος) and Tektaios (Τεκταῖος).
Name
Joseph Vendryes had suggested that the name Teutamos, after the legendary Pelasgian founder, may contain the Proto-Indo-European root *teutéhₐ- ('tribe, people').[2] Later scholars proposed a relation of Pelasgian Teutamos with similar names that appear in Italy in later times.[3]
Mythology
He was son of Dorus and grandson of Hellen. According to Diodorus Siculus, Tectamus invaded Crete together with a horde of Eolian and Pelasgian settlers and became the island's king.[4] It was the third of the tribes that migrated to Crete. According to another version, Tectamus was a chief of Dorians and Achaeans.[5] He married Cretheus’ daughter, who gave birth to his son Asterion.
In later Greek historiography
Historian Ctesias wrote of a king of "Assyrian" provenance named Teutamos, and this historical personage appears in an epic tale involving Memnon, son of Eos.[6]
References
- Robert Graves. The Greek Myths (1960)
- Vendryes, Joseph. "Teutomatos". In: Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 83ᵉ année, N. 5, 1939. p. 478. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/crai.1939.77232] ; www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1939_num_83_5_77232
- Briquel, Dominique. Les Pélasges en Italie. Recherches sur l'histoire de la légende (Monographie). Rome: Ecole française de Rome, 1984. p. XVIII. (Bibliothèque des Écoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome, 252) [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/befar.1984.1217] ; www.persee.fr/doc/befar_0257-4101_1984_mon_252_1
- Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library, IV 60, 2
- Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library, V 80, 2
- Petit, Thierry. "Amathousiens, Éthiopiens et Perses". In: Cahiers du Centre d'Etudes Chypriotes. Volume 28, 1998. p. 77. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/cchyp.1998.1340] ; www.persee.fr/doc/cchyp_0761-8271_1998_num_28_1_1340