Καλπε: The Etymology of the Oldest Place Names on the Iberian Peninsula

• Main Author: D.M. Kamari
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Kazan Federal University 2016-10-01
• Series: Učënye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta: Seriâ Gumanitarnye Nauki
• Subjects: Καλπε (Calpe); Pillars of Hercules; Greeks; Iberians; Phoenicians
• Online Access: http://kpfu.ru/portal/docs/F8477825/158_5_gum_3.pdf

The paper reviews the issue of the origin of toponym Καλπε (Calpe), which can be rightfully called one of the oldest place names on the Iberian Peninsula. For a long time, the etymology of Καλπε has troubled the minds of historians, geographers, and linguists. However, only a few of them seriously studied the origin of the place name. In spite of that, mainly Iberian and Greek versions of the origin of the toponym have been reviewed to study this question, thereby leaving aside other points of view. Based on the data of Ancient Greek and Roman sources in which it is written that the Phoenicians and Semitized Iberian tribes Bastetani or Baestuli lived around Καλπε, the conclusions have been made about their role and importance in the appearance of the place name. Furthermore, the work uses linguistic comparative data which testify the probability of Semitic origin of the toponym.