Antonio Sciarretta's Toponymy Ancient Toponymy

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Sicilia

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This page is dedicated to Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. A part of the Western Greek world, later colonized also by the Carthaginians, Siciliy finally became the first Roman province. In late Roma times, it was divided in two halves, Lilybetana (West) and Syracusana (East). Also discussed here are the islands off the Sicily's coasts, toward Italy and Africa.

Common remarks: the place-names have been put in the nominative case, an asterisk * means not attested, reconstructed form. The late place-names of probable Latin origin have not been included. The IE roots are in the form given by Pokorny's Indogermanische Wörterbuch. The links will be active when the single pages will be published, see the main page. For any comment, suggestion, email me.

Western Sicilia (Lilybetana)

Acithius fl.

• Place: river Birgi, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Acithius fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: The ending with aspirated stop seems to be typically Sicanian, while the first part could recall the IE root *akwa- 'water, river'.

Aegitharsus pr.

• Place: cape San Vito, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aegitharsus pr. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Unclear.

Agrigentum

• Place: Agrigento (Girgenti), province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Agrigentum (Ptol., Plin., Liv., Cic., Peut., It. Mar.) Acragas (Strab., Mel., Sil. It.) Agragas (Plin.)
• Etymology: The Greek name is Akragas, -antos, later latinized as Agrigentum. It is usually [TI, p. 79; DNGI, p. 6] related to Greek akros 'mountain top'.

Alabus fl.

• Place: river Verdura, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Alabus fl. (Ptol.) Alabis fl.(Sil. It.) Alabum fl. (Diod.)
• Etymology: The hydronym has exact counterparts in Alabum (Britannia), Alaba (Tarraconensis) and also Alabontis (Narbonensis). These are names realted to the stem *al- which is considered as alteuropäisch by Villar, Udolph and many others, or in any case derived from an IE root *el- 'to flow'. Alternatively, the root *al- 'to grow, nourish' does not require an A-language to explain the initial a.

Alicia

• Place: Monte Polizzo di Salemi, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Alicia (inscr.)
• Etymology: It may be a cognate of the hydronym Alabus fl.

Bathis fl.

• Place: river Iato, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Bathis fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: It is not clear whether it is Greek bathys 'deep' or a pre-Greek hydronym, to be compared with Batinus fl. (Picenum) and possibly also Bathynias fl. (Thracia). Maybe an hydronymic stem *bat- may be assumed, possible related to Greek bathys itself.

Camicus

• Place: possibly Sant'Angelo Muxaro, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Camicus (Strab., Arist., Diod.)
• Etymology: Unknown. It is the residence of the mythical Sicanian king Cocalus, constructed for him by Daedalus, to whom he had given shelter when pursued by Minos, king of Crete. The ending of the name is the same as that of Inicus, another town of the Sicani.

Cephaloedium

• Place: Cefalù, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Cephaloedium (Strab.) Cephaloedis (Ptol., Plin.) Cephaledum (Peut.)
• Etymology: A name derived from Greek kephale 'head' and attributed originally to a rock on the shore of the sea [TI, p. 81].

Cetaria

• Place: Scopello di Castellammare del Golfo, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Cetaria (Ptol.) Citaria (Plin.)
• Etymology: Usually considered as a Greek name related to ketos 'big fish'. The Latin word cetaria is a Greek loanword with the meaning of 'place of rich fishing'.

Crastus

• Place: possibly Mercato d'Arrigo di Pietraperzia, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Crastus (Diod. ?)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the name is explained as *(s)kr_ed-to-, from the IE root *sker-d(h)-, an extension of *sker- 'to cut'.

Drepanum

• Place: Trapani, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Drepanum (Ptol.) Drepana (Plin.) Drepane (Sil. It.) Drepanae (Peut.)
• Etymology: From Greek drepane 'sickle', likely for the shape of its harbor [TI, p. 80].

Eleutherus fl.

• Place: river Eleuterio, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Eleutherus fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: From Greek eleutheros 'free'.

Engyum

• Place: not proveably Gangi Vecchia, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Engyum (Ptol., Plut., Sil. It.) Egguum (Plin.)
• Etymology: The name looks identical to Greek eggue 'bond, contract'. But Diodorus reported that Engyum was founded by people from Crete who named the place after a spring that was there. Then, it is possible that the original name was from an archaic Greek appellative derived from the IE root *sengw- 'to fall, sink', with loss of the initial s-. Successively, with the arrival of the iron age Greek colonists, the name was paretymologized after tha word eggue.

Entella

• Place: Rocca d'Entella di Contessa Entellina, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Entella (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: The place is said to have been founded by the Elymi, an obscure people of the Western Sicily. Like the other placenames from the Elymi, also this one compares with a placename in Liguria, Entella fl..

Eryx

• Place: Erice, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Eryx (Plin., Liv., Verg., Ovid., Sil. It., Nep.)
• Etymology: Unknown. The city is said to have been founded by the Elymi. The ending -uc- is considered by Villar to belong to the alteuropaeisch stratum.

Gela, Gelas fl.

• Place: Gela (Gela), river Gela (Gelas fl.), province Caltanissetta, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Gela (Ptol.) Gelas fl. (Plin., Thuc.)
• Etymology: The name of the Greek colony derives from that of the river, which is likely pre-Greek. It is usually [TI, p. 55] explained as a Siculian hydronym related to Latin gelu 'cold, frost', which is from the IE root *gel- 'cold'.

Halicus fl.

• Place: river Platani, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Halicus fl. (Strab., Plin.) Halycus fl. (Polyb.)
• Etymology: It is usually related to Greek hals 'salt'. It can be a Greek name or a grecized form of a pre-existing name, from the IE root *sal- 'salt, salty water'.

Helcethium

• Place: Alalbo di Trapani, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Helcethium (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Unknown. The ending -thio- could be Sicanian, with th<*t.

Heraclea Minoa

• Place: Capobianco di Cattolica Eraclea, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Heraclea (Ptol., Cic., Mel.) Heraclea Minoa (Liv., Polyb.)
• Etymology: The name Heraclea is very common in the Mediterranean basin and it is often associated with the Dorian colonization. Minoa is likely a previous name, and may recall an archaic, "Cretan" colonization.

Himera, Himera fl.

• Place: close to Termini Imerese (Himera), river Grande (Himera fl.), province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Himera (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Cic., Sil. It., Front.) Himera fl. (Plin., Peut.)
• Etymology: The name of the Greek colony derives from that of the river. This may reflect the IE root *g'heim- 'snow, cold', an extension (from *g'hei-mn- ?) of *g'hei- 'winter, snow'. Then, the name meant 'the cold (frozen) river', or 'the river from the snow'. The name compares with Himella fl. (Samnium).

Hippana

• Place: Montagna dei Cavalli di Prizzi, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hippana (Polyb.)
• Etymology: The stem *hipp- is found also in Hipparis fl., an hydronmy, and ouside Sicily in Hipponium (Bruttium). They can be all Grecized forms (folk-etymology from hippos 'horse') of names of different origin. One of the possible explainations consists in assuming a word *ipo meaning 'town' or similar, which would have been responsible also of the numerous toponyms enfding with -ipo in Hispania.

Hyccara

• Place: Muro di Carini, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hyccara (Thuc.)
• Etymology: The stem *huk- is found in Greek hukes 'a kind of fish'. This is the origin of the name Hyccara according to the historian Timaeus, quoted by Athenaeus.

Hypsa fl.

• Place: river Belice, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hypsa fl. (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: Maybe related to Greek hypo 'under, below' and to a mountain and town Hypsus (Arcadia).

Iaetae

• Place: Iato di San Giuseppe Iato, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Iaetia (Philistus) Iaetae (Plin.) Ietae (Sil. It., Diod., Cic., Plut.)
• Etymology: Unknown.

Inicus

• Place: not identified, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Inicus (Strab., Diod.)
• Etymology: The name is known only from the story of Dedalus and does not correspond to any historical town. The ending is the same of Camicus, while the initial part of the name compares with Inessa.

Isburus fl.

• Place: not idenfied, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Isburus fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the name is explained as a compound with a prefix Is- related to latin ex 'from', and a second part that should mean 'mountain' and derive from the IE root *gwer- 'mountain', with *gw>b as in Osco-Umbrian. Then, the meaning of the hydronym would be 'from the mountain(s)'.

Lilybaeum, Lilybaeum pr.

• Place: Marsala (Lilybaeum), cape Boeo (Lilybaeum pr.), province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Lilybaeum (Ptol., Plin., Liv., Mel., Polyb., Cic.) Lilybeum (Peut.) Lilybaeum pr. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: It is said to be of Punic origin, probably a compound with ubba 'port'.

Macella

• Place: Montagnola di Marineo, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Macella (Ptol., Liv.) Magella (Plin.)
• Etymology: The name is identical with an obscure Greek word, makella 'axe' and also very similar to makellon 'meat market'. It is also possible that the version Macella is a folk-etymology, while an original Magella could be compared with *Magella m. (Samnium) and be derived from the IE root *meg'(h)- 'big'.

Mactorium

• Place: possibly Bubbonia di Mazzarino, province Caltanissetta, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Mactorium (Her.)
• Etymology: If the name is Siculian, it could be related to Latin macto, -are 'to celebrate', which is from the IE root *meg'(h)- 'big'.

Mazara, Mazara fl.

• Place: Mazara del Vallo (Mazara), river Mazzaro (Mazara fl.), province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Mazara (Ptol., Plin.) Mazara fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Likely, a Punic name (UTET).

Motya

• Place: Isola San Pantaleo di Marsala, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Motya (Thuc.)
• Etymology: It is considered a Punic name [TI, p. 48].

Nacona

• Place: Valle Secco di Partanna, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Nacona (inscr.)
• Etymology: Unknown, maybe a corruption of an *Inacona.

Nisa

• Place: Gibil-Gabib di Caltanissetta, province Caltanissetta, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Nisa (inscr.)
• Etymology: If the name was originally an hydronym, it could be explained as *nid-sa, from the IE root *neid- 'to flow'. Compare with Nissos (Macedonia).

Panhormus

• Place: Palermo, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Panormus (Ptol., Strab., Thuc., Polyb., Diod.) Panhormus (Plin., Mel., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: A very common Greek name meaning 'wide port', from pas 'all', hormos 'port' [TI, p. 80; DNGI, p. 367]. But according to some scholar [Garbini], the word hormos was used for its second meaning of 'lace, collar', referring to the curtain of mountains behind the port. This explaination is also compatible with the Phoenician name of the town, Sys, Ziz, that probably meant 'jewel'.

Phintia

• Place: possibly Licata, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Pintia (Ptol.) Phintia (Plin.)
• Etymology: founded in the III c. by the tyrant of Akragas, Phintias.

Schera

• Place: possibly Montagna dei Cavalli di Corleone, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Schera (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: Identical or related to Greek scheros 'bank, shore', possibly a pre-Greek (Pelasgian) word from the IE root *(s)ker- 'to cut'. If the name Schera was not just given by the Greeks, it must be Sicanian for the shift *k>ch. Compare also with Homer's Scheria, an island in the West.

Segesta

• Place: Segesta di Calatafimi Segesta, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Segesta (Ptol., Plin., Cic., Tac.)
• Etymology: Other Segesta's are curiously found in the Celtic domain, e.g., Segesta Tigulliorum (Liguria), Segesta (Venetia), Segestica i. (Pannonia). These names are clearly from Gaulish segos 'strength (stronghold)', which is from the IE root *seg'h- 'to hold, possess, overcome, victory' and may be reconstructed as a compound *seges-sta 'place of the victory'. The presence of such a name in Sicily has been always considered as a proof of the special relationship between Sicily and Liguria. For the substratists, Segesta was therefore a pre-IE name and, consequently, the ending -esta was a typical pre-IE suffix.

Selinus

• Place: Manuzza di Castelvetrano, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Selinuntis (Ptol.) Selinuus (Plin.) Selinus, -untos (Polyb., Thuc., Diod.)
• Etymology: From the Greek selinon 'celery'.

Solus

• Place: Catalfano di Santa Flavia (Solanto), province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Solus (Ptol., Diod.) Soluus (Plin.) Soloeis (Thuc.) Soluntum (Peut.)
• Etymology: Usually it is considered a Punic name, compared with another Soloeis pr. and thus meaning 'cape'. But the Punic name of the settlement, found on coins, was kfr (kafara) 'village'.

Thermae Himerenses

• Place: Termini Imerese, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Thermae (Plin., Mel., Peut.)
• Etymology: Literally, 'the thermae of Himera'. After the destruction of Himera, a new city was build in a near place, famous for its hot springs. It seems that the Thermae mentioned by Pliny and Mela was a town on the southern coast, possibly different from Termini Imerese, which lays on the northern coast.

Triocala

• Place: San Giorgio di Caltabellotta, province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Triocala (Ptol., Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Maybe a compound with the numeral tri- 'three'.

Eastern Sicilia (Syracusana)

Abacaenum

• Place: Tripi, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Abacaenum (coins) Abacaena (Ptol.)
• Etymology: The name should be Siculian. The ending -caenum recalls Caenina (Latium), which may be derived from the IE root *k'uei- 'shining, white'. This appellative could have been applied to a white, chalk rock. With this, the first part of the toponym could be explained from the IE root *abh- 'quick, abrupt'. The overall meaning would be therefore 'abrupt white (rock)'. The placename is Siculian for the phonetic feature *bh>b and also for the existence of a related name in Latium.

Achates fl.

• Place: river Dirillo, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Achates fl. (Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: It is the Latin achates 'agate', a Greek loanword. It is commonly thought that the name was given to the river for the presence of this stone. But it is also possible that it is the very name achates that derives from the hydronym, as Pliny states. In this case, the hydronym should be interpreted as derived from the IE root *akwa- 'water, river', in a language where *k>kh. This could have been the language of the Sicani or some stratum affine to the pre-Greek or "Pelasgian".

Acrae

• Place: Palazzolo Acreide, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Acrae (Ptol., Liv., Sil. It., Thuc.) Agrae (Peut.)
• Etymology: Founded by the Syracusians, the name is Greek akra 'field, edge, top' (UTET).

Acrillae

• Place: close to Chiaramonte Gulfi, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Acrillae (Liv.)
• Etymology: Likely, the name of this Syracusan foundation has the same origin as Acrae.

Aetna m.

• Place: mount Etna (Mongibello), province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aetna m. (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Verg., Ovid., Peut.)
• Etymology: One of the first "Liguro-Sicanian" etymologies. The name is explained as *aidh-ena, from the IE root *aidh- 'to burn'. The shift *dh>t cannot be explained with the Greek language (in which *dh>th), nor with a Western Italic language like the Siculian (in which *dh>d). Thus, it has to belong originally to a third stratum, likely the language of the Sicani, the most ancient inhabitants of Sicily recorded.

Agathyrnum

• Place: Capo d'Orlando, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Agathyrnum (Ptol., Plin., Strab.) Agaturnum (Peut.)
• Etymology: It is reported in the Greek mythology to have been founded by Agathyrnus, son of Aeolus king of the Aeolian islands and ruler of the winds, the latter said to be of Greek parentage (a descendent of Deucalion). The name seems a Greek compound with aga- 'very' or agatho- 'good, noble' and compares with the Thracian ethnic Agathyrsi. But maybe it is only an adaptation of a pre-existing placename.

Agyrium

• Place: Agira (San Filippo d'Argirò), province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Agyrium (Ptol., Plin., Cic.) Agurium (Peut.)
• Etymology: It was a Siculian town, later colonized by the Greeks. According to Villar, the placename shows a suffix ur 'water'. In any case, the stem ag- is almost isolated, it compares with Agylla,a Pelasgian foundation.

Ameselum

• Place: San Giorgio di Regalbuto, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Ameselum (Diod.)
• Etymology: Unknown. The name can be compared for the first part with Amestratus.

Amestratus

• Place: Mistretta, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Amestratus (Cic.) *Mutustratum (Plin.) Myttistratum (Polyb.) Amastra (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: It is not clear whether the two names refer to the same town. Possibly it is two different places, both called with an appellative *strato- but differently specified. In the first case it could be a derivative of the IE *ambhi- 'around, from both sides'. In the second case the IE root *medh- 'middle' could be invoked. The shift *dh>t, later preserved by the Greek colonists, can be explaind assuming that the name was originated in a Sicanian environment. But this is not necessary, since an extension *met- with the same meaning of 'middle' is also productive in toponymy. As for the appellative, it is formally the same as Greek stratos, which means 'flock, troop, branch' and is derived from the IE root *st(e)r(e)- 'to widen, scatter' but with different meanings in the cognate languages, among which that of 'stall'. Local scholars used the name of the Phoenician goddess Ashtart to explain the name(s).

Anapus fl.

• Place: river Anapo, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Anapus fl. (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the hydronym is related to the the IE root *ap- 'water, river'.

Apollonia

• Place: Monte Vecchio di San Fratello, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Apollonia (Diod., Cic.)
• Etymology: From the Greek god Apollo [TI, p. 82]. The town was of the Sicels before it was Grecized.

Argennum pr.

• Place: cape Sant'Alessio, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Argennum pr. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: It means 'silver cape' in Greek. Other places in the Greek islands show the same appellative.

Asines fl.

• Place: river Alcantara, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Asines fl. (Plin.)
• Etymology: See Assinarus fl.. It is not clear whether these two were the same river or not.

Assinarus fl.

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Assinarus fl. (Thuc.)
• Etymology: The first part has been explained by [Zamboni] as pre-Greek (Siculian), from the IE root *as- 'to burn', and then 'dry river', or from the same root as Greek asis 'mud'. The first proposal fits better if the hydronym refers to the Fiumara di Noto, a seasonal river that is dry for part of the year. The second part is related by [Zamboni] to various hydronyms showing the stem nar-, among which Nar fl. (Umbria), grouped by Pokorny under the IE root *ner- 'to conceive, cover, hiding place, hollow'. If the latter is the original meaning, then maybe an overall sense of '(river) that covers with mud' is more appropriate.

Assorus

• Place: Assoro, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Assorus (Ptol., Plin., Cic.)
• Etymology: It is considered by UTET a "mediterranean" substrate word, related to Greek asis 'mud', since the closeby river Dittaino is from Arab 'muddy river'. Of course, this intepretation does not require a pre-IE stratum, even if the etymology of Greek asis is unclear (for Pokorny, it is from an IE root *n_esi- 'dirt, black'). The second part of the name compares with that of Cyamosorus fl., and possibly it may derive from the O-grade of the IE root *ser- 'to flow'. Then, a 'dry stream' could have originated the place-name.

Bidis

• Place: possibly Vizzini, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Bidis (Plin., Cic.)
• Etymology: Formally, it is compatible with the IE root *bheid- 'to prick, pierce', as a name of a gap or a fork. In this case, the name would be in agreement with the phonetics of Siculian as a Western Italic language, in which *bh>b.

Cacyparis fl.

• Place: river Cassibile, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Cacyparis fl. (Thuc.)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the ending recalls the Thracian para, interpreted as 'river', while the first part would be a name *kak- 'caw (a croaking bird)', then 'river of the caws'. For Pokorny, the hydronym is a compound of the same ornithonym, classified under the onomatopoeic IE root *kak- 'crow, caw', and the variant *up- of *ap- 'water, river', which seems to be very productive for hydronyms. The name seems to have various counterparts in the Baltic.

Calacta

• Place: disputed, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Calacta (Ptol., Cic.) Calacte (Sil. It., Peut.) Galacta (Plin.)
• Etymology: It is the Greek kale akte 'beautiful coast' or 'beautiful promontory' [TI, p. 82].

Camarina

• Place: Scoglitti di Vittoria, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Camarina (Ptol., Plin., Strab., Polyb., Thuc.)
• Etymology: From the Greek kamara 'camera, arch'.

Capytium

• Place: Capizzi, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Capytium (Ptol., Cic.)
• Etymology: It has been intepreted [DNGI, p. 95] as a Siculian name related to Latin caput 'head', then from the IE root *kaput 'head'.

Casmenae

• Place: disputed, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Casmenae (Thuc.)
• Etymology: The placename has an exact counterpart in Ca(s)menae, old Roman goddesses of wells and springs. Thus probably the name is Siculian and was referred to a spring, i.e., the fountain of Diana in one of the two disputed places, Cozzo d'Apollo di Comiso. [Zamboni] explains the placename from the IE root *kad- 'to shine, flaunt, excel'. The likely derivation is *kad-s-men-.

Catana

• Place: Catania, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Catana (Ptol., Strab.) Catina (Plin., Liv., Mel., Cic., It. Mar.)
• Etymology: Unknown for [DNGI, p. 131]. But it can be a Siculian appellative related to Latin catus 'sharp', from the IE root *k'ei- 'to sharpen, whet'. In TI, p. 55, a meaning of 'knife' is assigned to the Sicel name.

Caucana

• Place: Punta Secca di Santa Croce Camerina, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Caucana (Ptol.)
• Etymology: The name fits the extension *keuk- of the IE root *keu- 'to turn, bend', particularly as an appellative meaning 'hill' or similar.

Centuripae

• Place: Centuripe (Centorbi), province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Centoripa (Ptol., Strab., Polyb., Thuc.) Centuripae (Plin., Sil. It., Cic.) Centuripinum (Mel.)
• Etymology: Usually considered as Siculian [DNGI, p. 137; TI, p. 55], for the similarity with Latin centum ripae. As for Zamboni, the second part is related to Latin ripa 'steep edge', from the IE root *reip- 'to tear, cut'. But the first part of the compound is rather related to the IE root *kert- 'to turn, roll, wind', in the overall meaning of 'steep bank'.

Chyda fl.

• Place: river Rosmarino, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Chyda fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Likely, it is related to Greek kokhudeo 'I gush', which is ultimately a derivate of kheo 'I flow', from the IE root *g'heu- 'to pour'.

Cyamosorus fl.

• Place: river Salso, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Cyamosorus fl. (Polyb.)
• Etymology: The first part of the hydronym seems to be fitted by the Greek kuamos 'bean'. As for the second part, it is not clear whether it may be derived from the IE root *ser- 'to flow', or it is a suffix.

Cyane fl.

• Place: fiume Ciane, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Cyane fl. (Sil. It., Ovid.)
• Etymology: From the Greek kuanos 'dark blue'.

Echetla

• Place: Terravecchia di Grammichele, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Echetla (Plin., Polyb., Diod.)
• Etymology: From the Greek echetle 'plowshare' maybe for the shape of the ridge where the ancient town was situated.

Elorus fl., Elorum

• Place: river Tellaro, (Elorus fl.), Lido di Noto (Elorum), province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Elorus fl. (Plin., Verg.) Elorum (Ptol., Cic.) Helorum (Liv.)
• Etymology: Unknown. The ending -oro has been often interpreted as a typical "Mediterranean", pre-IE suffix. Compare with Pelorus pr., Assorus.

Galaria

• Place: traditionally identified with Gagliano Castelferrato, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Galaria (Diod.)
• Etymology: Maybe the same origin as Gela, from the IE root *gel- 'cold'.

Hadranum

• Place: Adrano, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hadranum (Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Local scholars believe that the name was given to the Greek colony for the existence in situ of a temple of a local god with the same name. But consider that probably there was at least another similar placename in ancient Sicily, today Monte Adranone, province Agrigento. Therefore, the origin of the placename is unclear. For UTET, it is related to Latin ater, Umbrian adro 'black'. But this does not explain the initial aspiration (although this could be a Greek rendering).

Halaesa

• Place: Santa Maria di Tusa, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Halaesa (Ptol., Plin., Cic., Sil. It.) Halesa (Peut.)
• Etymology: Unknown. A Greek hero Halaesus is reported in the mythology to have been the founder of Falerii (Etruria).

Haluntium

• Place: San Marco d'Alunzio, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Halontium (Ptol.) Haluntium (Plin., Cic.)
• Etymology: It is of pre-Greek origin for UTET. It may derive from an *al-ont-, with the initial aspiration inserted under Greek influence. The IE root that fits better is, in this case, *al- 'to grow, nourish' as referred, e.g., to a pasture. Compare with Aletium (Apulia). But the initial h- could also be explained from a s-, aspirated under Greek influence or maybe as a phonetic shift in the language of the Sicani.

Helico fl.

• Place: river Elicona, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Helicon fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Likely a name given by the Greeks.

Henna

• Place: Enna (Castrogiovanni), province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Henna (Ptol., Plin., Liv., Cic., Ovid., Sil. It., Val. Max.) Enna (Peut.)
• Etymology: Usually considered as pre-Greek, Sicanian or Siculian [DNGI, p. 188; TI, p. 54]. The consonant cluster recalls the Italic languages branch, so the initial h could actually reflect an IE *gh-. Possibly, the IE root *g'hei-mn- 'cold, winter' should be invoked.

Herbessus

• Place: not identified, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Herbessus (Ptol., Plin.) Herbesus (Liv.)
• Etymology: The name could be a cognate of Latin urbs 'city', derived via a form *gherdhes-io from the IE root *gherdh- 'to encircle, enclose'. This would mean that the placename is Siculian. According to the substratist scholar De Giovanni, the name would be related to Latin herba 'grass' as a pre-IE word. But likely herba shows a similar phonetic shift as Herbessus, having been explained by Pokorny as from *gher-dha.

Himera fl.

• Place: river Salso, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Himera fl. (Ptol)
• Etymology: See the other Himera fl.

Hipparis fl.

• Place: river Ippari, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hipparus fl. (Ptol.) Hipparis fl. (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Traditionally, it is explained with the name of a horse-god, Hipparis. The ending, likely reflecting the IE format *-_ero is very common in hydronyms. Thus, the name could tentatively be explained also with an extension *seip- of the IE root *sei- 'to be damp, to drip'. In this case, the any relation with Greek hippos 'horse' is a later folk-etymology. The name is not Siculian, otherwise it would have retained the initial s-, so maybe it is Sicanian.

Hybla Heraea, Hybla m.

• Place: Ragusa Ibla (Hybla), mount Iblei (Hybla m.), province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hybla (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Sil. It.) Hibla (Peut.)
• Etymology: There were three cities named Hybla in Sicily, and Hybla (or rather Hyblaea) is also the name of a Sicilian goddess, likely derived from the name of the town. Likely, this is a pre-Greek name, Sicanian or Siculian, possibly from the IE root *g'heu- 'to pour', with the meaning of 'valley'. The Hybla m. was famous for its honey.

Hybla Maior

• Place: possibly Paternò, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hybla (Liv., Thuc.)
• Etymology: See under Hybla Heraea.

Hyrminus fl.

• Place: river Irmino, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hyrminus fl. (Plin.)
• Etymology: Probably a Greek name.

Ichana

• Place: Morghella di Marzamemi, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Ichana (Plin.)
• Etymology: Tentatively, it could reflect a form *eika-na 'property', from the IE root *eik- 'to possess'. The shift *k>ch could be Sicanian.

Imachara

• Place: Mirabella Imbàccari, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Imachara (Ptol., Cic.) Imacara (Plin.)
• Etymology: A substratum name for UTET. The alternance c/ch could reflect an original Sicanian *ch.

Inessa

• Place: disputed, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Inessa (Thuc.)
• Etymology: Like another Ina, mentioned by Ptolemy, the name could be compared with many hydronyms grouped by Udolph under the IE root *ei-n-, a possible extension of *ei- 'to go'.

Leontini

• Place: Metapiccola di Carlentini, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Leontini (Plin., Liv., Mel.) Leontium (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Usually related [TI, p. 82] to Leon, the name of a bay north of Siracuse.

Lissus fl.

• Place: river Lisso, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Lissos fl. (Steph. ?)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni] the hydronym is derived from the IE root *(s)lei- 'to pour, slimy'.

Longum pr.

• Place: cape Murro di Porco, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Longum pr. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Likely a Siculian word, related to Latin longus 'long', which is from the IE *dlongho-, an extension of the root *del- 'long'.

Megara Hyblaea

• Place: Megara Giannalena di Augusta, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Megara (Ptol., Liv.) Megaris (Plin.)
• Etymology: From the Doric town of Megara, homeland of the founders. The appellative Hyblaea derives from the third Hybla in Sicily, besides Hybla Heraea and Hybla Maior, which is likely to be localized near Pantalica.

Menae

• Place: Mineo, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Menae (Ptol., Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Unknown.

Messana, Zancle

• Place: Messina, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Messana (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Liv., Cic., Caes., Peut.) Zancle (Thuc.)
• Etymology: The name Zancle, meaning 'sickle' in Greek, was given by the first Chalcidians colonists because it recalled the shape of the coast. After the city was re-populated by people from the Greek region of Messenia, it took the new name.

Motyca, Motycanus fl.

• Place: Modica, province Ragusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Motyca (Ptol.) Mutyce (Plin., Sil. It.) Motycanus fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Usually compared with Motya and interpreted as a substratum word (UTET). But if the latter is Punic, then Motyca must have a different origin.

Murgentia

• Place: Cittadella di Aidone, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Murgentia (Plin., Liv.) Morgantium (Thuc. ?) Morgentia (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: The name is related to the Morgetes, a people that is reported to be of the Oenotrian stock, akin to the Sicani. Compare with Murgantia, with which it shares the origin, possibly from the IE root *mereg'- 'edge, border'. In my hypothetical reconstruction of the "Liguro-Sicanian" language, the *g was preserved. It is also possible that the very name of Morgetes meant 'border men'.

Mylae

• Place: Milazzo, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Mylae (Ptol., Plin., Liv.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Probably of Greek origin, if it compares with Mylae i. (Creta).

Naphtia lac.

• Place: lake Naftia, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Naphtia lac. (Thuc. ?)
• Etymology: From the Greek naphtha 'bitumen'. The lake is of volcanic origin and eas famous for its gas exhalations.

Naxos

• Place: Schiso di Giardini-Naxos, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Naxos (Plin., Tac.)
• Etymology: It took the name of the Aegean island of Naxos. Likely there were some Naxian Greeks from that island in the original colonists.

Nebrodes m.

• Place: mounts Nebrodi, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Nebrodes m. (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Usually [DNGI, p. 337; Zamboni] derived from Greek nebros 'fawn'.

Neetum

• Place: Alveria (Noto Antica) di Noto, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Neetum (Ptol.) Netum (Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Tentatively, it is related to the IE root *nei- 'down', a variant of *en 'in' according to Pokorny. This explaination could be in contrast with the fact that the Roman town was on a hill (but it also extended in the plain). A common meaning for the extension *nei-uo- was indeed 'field'.

Pachynus

• Place: cape Passero, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Pachynus pr. (Ptol., Plin., Strab., Verg., Ovid.) Pachynum (Liv., Mel., Polyb.)
• Etymology: Likely a Greek name [TI, p. 81; DNGI, p. 363], from pakhus 'fat, rotund'.

Palica

• Place: Rocchicella di Palagonia, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Palica (Diod.)
• Etymology: It is a mythical city founded by Ducetius king of the Sicels in honor of the Palici, a couple of brothers sons of Zeus and of a Sicilian nymph. According to [Zamboni], it is the name of the semi-gods that derives from that of the town (as it is often the case) and the name Palica would be then derived from the IE root *pele- 'swamp' (the near Naphtia lac.). A derivation from *pel- 'wide and flat' is less likely, since the town was on the top of a hill.

Pantagies fl.

• Place: river Porcaria, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Pantacius fl. (Ptol.) Pantagies fl. (Plin.) Pantagia fl. (Verg.) Pantagias fl. (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: If it is not Greek, it could be related to Pantanus lac. (Apulia), in the sense of '(river) that goes'.

Pelorus pr.

• Place: cape Faro (Peloro), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Pelorus pr. (Ptol., Plin.) Pelorias pr. (Plin., Mel.)
• Etymology: It has been related [DNGI, p. 376] to Greek pelor 'monster', which compares with Scylla, on the other side of the Strait.

Pergus lac.

• Place: lake Pergusa, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Pergus lac. (Ovid.)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the name means 'high (lake)' and is derived from the IE root *bher(e)g'h- 'high, mountain'. The mentioned author does not explain the shift *bh>p but this is just what I assumed for the language of the Sicani. Moreover, of two aspirated the second dissimilated and the resulting *g remained unchanged. This justifies the shift *bhergh- > *bherg- > *perg-.

Phalacrum pr.

• Place: region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Phalacrum pr. (Ptol., Cic.)
• Etymology: It is the Greek phalakros 'bald', found also in Phalacrum pr. of Corcyra. An island between Sicily and Africa was also called in the late antiquity Falacron (It. Mar.). The Greek word phalos 'crest', from whence the adjective derives, seems to be rather archaic.

Piacus

• Place: possibly Mendolito di Adrano, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Piacus (coins)
• Etymology: Unknown.

Stiela

• Place: possibly Pedagaggi di Carlentini, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Stiela or Styella (coins)
• Etymology: Unknown.

Symaethus fl.

• Place: river Simeto, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Symaethus fl. (Ptol., Plin., Thuc.) Simetus fl. (Peut.)
• Etymology: It is considered a substrate hydronym by UTET. Tentatively, it may be related to Latin tumidus 'swolled', which is from the IE root *teum-, an extension of *teu- 'to swell, crowd, folk, fat, strong, boil, abscess'. The hydronym could have meant 'swolled (of waters)'. The river Simeto is the largest of Sicily. The shift *t>th and also the initial *t>s (for *th) could be attributed to the Sicanian stratum.

Syracusae

• Place: Siracusa, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Syracusa (Ptol., Paul. Diac.) Syracusae (Plin., Liv., Sil. It., Cic., Thuc., Svet.) Siracusae (Peut.)
• Etymology: Usually explained as *sur-aku-nt-i-a 'salt water' [DNGI, p. 503; Zamboni; Pokorny], from the name of a marsh by the city. The first part ultimately derives from the IE root *su-ro- 'salty, bitter, cheese'. The second part is an appellative for 'water', from the IE root *akwa- 'water'.

Tabas

• Place: Leonforte, province Enna, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Tabas (Steph. ?)
• Etymology: It is compared by [Zamboni] to Tabae in Caria and to the related Carian word taba 'stone'. Thus the name is derived from the IE root *steb(h)- 'post, pillar support', like Stabiae (Campania)

Tauromenium

• Place: Taormina, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Tauromenium (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Since the stem *tauro- was considered a substrate, pre-IE word meaning 'mountain', also the name Tauromenium was usually [DNGI, p. 518; TI, p. 54] attributed to a pre-IE stratum. But it is likely a compound of a Siculian word for 'mount', related to Latin mons from the IE root *men- 'to tower'. The first part can be simply the Siculian word for 'bull', a cognate of Latin taurus. Or, like *Teura (Bruttium) and Taurus pr., it can be an appellative secribing the shape of the mountain, from the same IE root *teu- 'to swell, crowd, folk, fat, strong, boil, abscess', of which *teur- is an extension. Today, the hill of Taormina is called Monte Tauro.

Thymethus fl.

• Place: river Timeto, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Thymethus fl. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: It could be the same as Symaethus fl., with the initial th<*t (a Sicanian shift) preserved in the Greek version.

Tissa

• Place: Sant'Anastasia di Randazzo, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Tissa (Ptol., Sil. It., Cic.)
• Etymology: According to [Zamboni], the name is explained as *tibh-ia, from the IE root *tibh- an extension of *tei- 'to melt, dissipate, decay'.

Trinacia

• Place: Cittavecchia di Randazzo, province Catania, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Trinacia (Diod.)
• Etymology: The same name found in Homer's Odyssey to designate likely the whole Sicilia. The name in Greek means 'three capes'.

Tyndaris

• Place: Tindari di Patti, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Tyndarium (Ptol.) Tyndaris (Plin.)
• Etymology: The traditional explaination is that, since the name is identical to the appellative of the Dioscurs Tyndaridai, it was given to the city by its Messenian founders, who were worshippers of the Dioscurs.

Tyracinae

• Place: Stafenna di Rosolini, province Siracusa, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Tyracinae (Plin.)
• Etymology: Tentatively, the name can be explained as a composed hydronym *tur-ak-, with the first part derived from the IE root *dheu- 'to run' and the second part from the IE root *akwa- 'water'. The shift *dh>t that must be assumed is one of the reconstructed features of the language of the Sicani.

not identified

Acesta

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Acesta (Plin., Verg.) Acestae (Sil. It.)
• Etymology: It is said by Vergil to have been founded by a Trojan Acestes, who elsewhere is said Aegestus (a comrade of Elymus and then related to the people of the Elymi). After this spelling, the name Acesta has been often assimilated to Segesta, but in the relative passage of Pliny it should be clear that these are two distinct cities. The ending -esta is the same and should have meant simply 'place'. The first part of the place-name may recall the IE root *ak'- 'sharp'. Then, the whole meaning could have been 'sharp place'.

Herbita

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Herbita (Ptol., Plin., Cic.)
• Etymology: Likely the same origin as Herbessus.

Hydia

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hydia (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Unknown.

Letum

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Letum (Ptol.)
• Etymology: It has been related to a hypothetical substrate word *leto- that would survive in some placenames of today's Sicily. Possibly, this word is the same as IE *leto- 'heat (zool.), warm season, day, summer' in Pokorny.

Paropus

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Paropus (Plin., Polyb.)
• Etymology: It seems an archaic Greek name, being -opos a common suffix in Greek placenames.

Petra

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Petra (Ptol., Plin., Cic.)
• Etymology: It seems to correspond to Greek word of uncertain origin petra, from whence also Latin petra.

Sergentium, Ergetium

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Sergentium (Ptol.) Ergetium (Ptol., Plin., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Likely, the initial s- disappeared under Greek influence. Tentatively, the name may be derived from the IE *serg-, an extension of the root *ser- 'to guard, watch over, support' and thus the meaning could be 'watchtower' or similar.

Taurus pr.

• Place: not identified, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Taurus pr. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: For the substratists, it is one of the name of mountains derived from a stem *tauro-. But this word has a good IE etymology, when it is explained with the root *teur-, an extension of *teu- 'to swell, crowd, folk, fat, strong, boil, abscess', in toponymy meaning something swelled.

Isles

Aegates i.

• Place: islands Egadi, province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aegates i. (Liv., Mel., Sil. It.)
• Etymology: Like Aegusa i., one of the three main isles of this group, the name should mean 'island of the goat' and compare with Greek aix, -gos 'goat' [Peck]. It has been identified with an island mentioned by Ulysses.

Aegusa i.

• Place: island Favignana (Egadi), province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aegusa i. (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: The stem aig-, which is found also in Aegates i., has been considered by UTET as a substrate word. It is diffused especially in Greece and for islands and was compared (e.g., by Georgiev) with Greek aix, -gos 'goat'. Moreover, the suffix -usa is quite used for islands and in combination with (sometimes archaic) Greek appellatives. Thus, the name could mean 'island of the goats' and derive from the first wave of Greek commercial expansion in the Western Mediterranean.

Aeoliae i.

• Place: islands Eolie, province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aeoliae i. (Plin., Mel., Sil. It.) Aeoli i. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: From the Greek Aeolus, ruler of the winds and king of the islands, mentioned in the Odyssey.

Aethusa i.

• Place: possibly island Linosa (Pelagie), province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Aethusa i. (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: The ending -usa seems to be typical Greek, therefore the first part of the name should be aitho 'I burn'. This name ('the burning island') applies much better to a volcano than to the island Linosa, and in fact this identification is not universally accepted [DNGI, p. 259]. But Aethusa is also a character of the Greek mytology.

Bucinna i., Phorbantia i.

• Place: island Levanzo (Egadi), province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Bucinna i. (Plin.) Phorbantia i. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: The name Bucinna could be related to the name of the buccinum, a 'shellfish' from which, like the murex, the purple was extracted. The name Phorbantia seems to be related to Greek pherbo, -omai 'to pasture, feed'. But according to [Zamboni], it could derive from the IE root *bher- 'to boil', but it is not said in which language.

Didyme i.

• Place: island Salina (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Didyme i. (Ptol., Plin., Mel.)
• Etymology: From the Greek didymos 'twin', because the island is made by two volcanic mountains separated by a large gap [DNGI, p. 452].

Ericodes i.

• Place: island Alicudi (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Ericodes i. (Ptol.) Ericusa i. (Plin., Solin.)
• Etymology: From the Greek erike 'erica', a plant that covered the island [Frisk, vol. I, p. 551].

Euonymus i., Hicesia i.

• Place: island Panarea (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Euonymus i. (Ptol., Plin.) Hicesia i. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Both names are Greek. The former is from euonymos 'on the left side', on the route from Lipara to Sicily. The latter is from hikesios 'the suppliant', but the meaning is unclear.

Hieronnesos i.

• Place: island Marettimo (Egadi), province Trapani, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hiera i. (Ptol.) Hieronnesos i. (Plin.)
• Etymology: From the Greek 'sacred island'.

Hiera i., Therasia i., Vulcani i.

• Place: island Vulcano (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Hiera i. (Plin.) Therasia i. (Plin.) Vulcani i. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: The first name was Therasia, the same of a small island close to Thera (Santorini) in the Aegean. Then it was called also Hiera i. 'sacred (island)', similarly to another small island of the same Aegean archipelago. Later, the island was associated to Vulcanus, a smith-god, and the name vulcanus became an appellative for 'volcano'.

Lipara, Lipara i., Meligunis i.

• Place: island and town Lipari (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Lipara (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Polyb.) Liparae i. (Peut.) Meligunis i. (Plin.)
• Etymology: According to Pliny, Meligunis is the oldest name. It is explained with the Greek melos 'sweet' and gounos 'mound'. The classical name Lipara was related to its mythical founder, and is considered a substrate word by UTET. But likely, the name is related or identical to Greek liparos 'rich, fat' and could have been originally a nickname.

Lopadusa i.

• Place: island Lampedusa (Pelagie), province Agrigento, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Lopadusa i. (Ptol., Plin., Strab.)
• Etymology: It means 'island of (a kind of) molluscs', from Greek lopas 'a kind of mollusc', Latin lopada [DNGI, p. 259].

Osteodes i.

• Place: submerged close to Ustica, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Osteodes i. (Ptol., Plin., Mel.)
• Etymology: A Greek name meaning '(island) of the bones' [DNGI, p. 547].

Phoenicusa i.

• Place: island Filicudi (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Phoenicusa i. (Plin., Solin.) Phoenicodes i. (Ptol.)
• Etymology: A Greek name meaning 'island of the palms (or ferns)' (phoinix), less likely 'island of the purple' (phoinikoeis). It seems not to be the case of a meaning 'island of the Phoenicians' [DNGI, p. 201].

Strongyle i.

• Place: island Stromboli (Eolie), province Messina, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Strongyle i. (Ptol., Plin., Mel.)
• Etymology: From the Greek strongulos 'round', because of the shape.

Ustica i.

• Place: island Ustica, province Palermo, region Sicilia, Italy
• Name: Ustica i. (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Maybe related somehow to Osteodes i.

Conclusions

Most of the cities and town on the coeast of Sicily are Greek foundations and thus have Greek names

In the interior, at least two linguistic strata may be identified. The first is characterized by a typical shift of the stop consonant, with the IE voiced aspirated becoming voiceless and the voiceless becoming voiceless aspirated, e.g., *dh>t, *t>th. Other features of this stratum can be only guessed. For the archaicity of the language and its distribution over the whole Sicily it could be attributed to the Sicani who, according to the classical sources, moved from Southern Italy.

Another stratum appears to be particularly similar to Latin, both in placenames and in the few words we know from inscription, glosses, etc. It is likely the language of the Siculi, of the Western Italic branch.

Also found in the Western part of Sicily are names of Punic origin.