| Lycaonian | |
|---|---|
| Region | Lycaonia,Asia Minor |
| Extinct | c. 50 AD |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | None |
Lycaonian is an unclassified extinct language spoken in the former region ofLycaonia. The Lycaonians appear to have retained a distinct nationality in the time ofStrabo, but their ethnical affiliations are unknown. The mention of the Lycaonian language in theActs of the Apostles (Acts 14:11–12) shows that the native language was spoken by the common people of Lystra around 50 AD.[1]
The name "Lycaonia" is believed to be a Greek-adapted version (influenced by the Greek masculine nameLycaon) of an originalLukkawanna, which would mean 'the land of theLukka people' in an oldAnatolian language related toHittite.[2]
It is notable though that in the Acts of the Apostles,Barnabas was called 'Zeus', andPaul was thought to beHermes by the Lycaonians.