Minoa

Minoa is the name of several bronze-age settlements in the Aegean coasts, in Corfu and in Sicily. The original meaning of the word remains unknown, but it seems that there is a strong connection with the mythic king of Crete, Minos, during the bronze-age Minoan civilization which flourished in Crete and in the Aegean islands (2000-1470 BC). The inhabitants of Crete were named Minoans by Arthur Evans, after the legendary king. The root min- corresponds to a group of Aegean languages, and appears also in some toponyms like Minya, Minassos and in the name of the Minyans.