Ophiussa

From Free net encyclopedia

Template:History of Portugal Ophiussa is the ancient name given by the ancient Greeks to what is today modern Portuguese territory. It means Land of Serpents.

1 The expulsion of the Oestrimni
2 Land of the Ophi
3 Ophi legend
4 See also
5 External links

[edit]

The expulsion of the Oestrimni

The 4th century Roman poet on geographical subjects, Rufus Avienus Festus, in Ora Maritima ("Seacoasts"), a document inspired by a Greek mariners' Periplus, records Oestriminis (Extreme West in Latin) peopled by the Oestrimni, a people that lived there from a long time, who had to run away from their lands after an invasion of serpents. This could be a relation to, the Saephe or Ophis ("People of the Serpents") and the Dragani ("People of the Dragons") that came to that lands and formed what was known by the Ancient Greeks as Ophiussa. Most authors relate this peoples to the first wave of Indo-European migrations into Iberia, of the Urnfield culture (Proto-Celts or Celts). Some extravagant theories tried to relate them to Ancient Egypt (where a local tradition said that "serpents" from Carnac or Luxor had migrated to Europe).

The expulsion of the Oestrimni, from Ora Maritima:

Ophiussam ad usque. rursum ab huius litore

internum ad aequor, qua mare insinuare se

dixi ante terris, quodque Sardum nuncupant,

septem dierum tenditur pediti via.

Ophiussa porro tanta panditur latus

quantam iacere Pelopis audis insulam

Graiorum in agro. haec dicta primo Oestrymnis est

locos et arva Oestrymnicis habitantibus,

post multa serpens effugavit incolas

vacuamque glaebam nominis fecit sui.

[edit]

Land of the Ophi

The Ophi people lived mainly in the interior mountains in Northern Portugal (including Galicia). Others say they lived mainly in the estuaries of Rivers Douro and Tagus. This people worshiped the serpents, hence Land of Serpents. There have been some ancient archeological findings that could be related to this people or culture. Some believe that the dragon, symbol of the city of Porto is related to this people, or to the Celts who later invaded the area who also could have been influenciated by the Ophi cult.

[edit]

Ophi legend

There is a legend that on the Summer Solstice a maiden-serpent, a Chthonic goddess, revels the occult treasures to the forest explorers. The city of Porto was where this maiden would live. Festivities related to this goddess occurred during the Solstice, while for the rest of the year this maiden transformes into a serpent living under and between the rocks, where shepherds would take some milk from their sheep to give to her.

[edit]