TheBebryces (Greek:Βέβρυκες) were a tribe of people who lived inBithynia. According toStrabo they were one of the manyThracian tribes that had crossed from Europe into Asia,[1] although modern scholars have rather argued for a Celtic origin.[2][3]
Classical linguists considered the name of Bebryces related to the thracian tribeBryges, which was later renamed toPhryges (Phrygians),[4][5] based on the geographic proximity, as well as the migration route of the Phrygians known from ancient myths.[6][7]
B. Sergent suggests that the nameBebryces could be related to the Celtic tribesBebruces, living in thePyrenees, andBriboci, dwelling in Britain,[8] all ultimately stemming fromProto-Celtic*brebu ('beaver'; seeGaulishbebros,bebrus,Old IrishBibar, 'beaver').[2][9]Ivan Duridanov also suggested that the ethnonym was related to Indo-European words meaning "beaver".[10]
The same word denotes beaver inSlavic Languages (*bebrus inProto-Balto-Slavic,bober inSlovenian,bobar inBulgarian,bobr inRussian).[11][12]
According to legend they were defeated byHeracles or theDioscuri,[13] who killed their king,Mygdon orAmycus.[13] Their land was then given to KingLycus of theMariandynians, who built the cityHeraclea there. Some say Amycus was a brother of Mygdon and another Bebrycian king; both were sons ofPoseidon andMelia. Greek mythology offers two different accounts for the origin of the name 'Bebryces': either from a woman named Bebryce (Eustath. adDionysius Periegetes 805.), or from a hero namedBebryx (or Bebrycus) (Steph. Byz. s.v. Bebrycus). Bebryce is possibly the same as Bryce, a daughter ofDanaus, a mythical King ofLibya andArabia (Apollodorus). Bebryx was also the father ofPyrene.
.jpg) | This article relating toGreek mythology is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |