Talk:List of ancient towns in Scythia Minor

Correcting the etymologies
I haven't seen all the etymologies, however at S. Olteanu's LTDM site I found a discussion of Messembria. It appears that Thracologists agree that -bria here represents the attested Thracian word bria (mentioned in some Greek ms.) which meant "fortress, town" and seen also in various Thracian toponyms. Mese- seems to have variants, one of them being Melsa, also considered to be a form of Thracian origin. I also made other corrections & will make more. Alex (talk) 12:07, 19 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Here is some clear text:Într-o inscripţie descoperită la Mesembria (IGB I, nr. 345, randul 4) citim: Μεσεμβρία δὲ μυ πατρὶς, ἀπὸ [Μ]έλσα καὶ βρία "patrie îmi este Mesembria, de la Melsa şi bria". Adaosul ἀπὸ [Μ]έλσα καὶ βρία devenise un fel de "etichetă" poetică a (numelui) acestui oraş, aşa cum ne conving şi alte surse antice, din fericire păstrate. Astfel Strabon 7,6,1 ne spune: πρότερον δὲ †Μενεβρία[=Μελσεμβρία][16], οἷον †Μένα [Μέλσα] πόλις, τοῦ κτίσαντος †Μένα [Μέλσα] καλουμένου, τῆς δὲ πόλεως βρίας καλουμένης θρᾳκιστί. " numit mai întâi Melsembria, cum ar veni 'oraşul lui Melsas', ctitorul numindu-se Melsas, iar 'oraş' spunându-se în tracă 'bria'". La Plinius NH 4,45 găsim: Mesembria...ubi Messa fuerat " Mesembria...unde era Messa". Stephanus Byzantius, 446,15, este şi mai detaliat: " Μεσημβρία...ἐκλήθη ἀπὸ Μέλσου. βρία γὰρ τὴν πόλιν ϕασὶ Θρᾷκες. ὡς οὖν Σηλυμβρία ἡ τοῦ Σήλυος πόλις, Πολτυμβρία ἡ Πόλτυος, οὕτω Μελσημβρία ἡ Μέλσου πόλις" " Mesembria...s-a numit de la Melsas. căci Tracii spun 'bria' la 'oraş'. Aşadar, precum Selumbria (este) 'oraşul lui Selys', iar Poltymbria '[oraşul] lui Poltys', tot astfel Melsembria (este) 'oraşul lui Melsas'". Stephanus Byzantius states in clear text that Mesembria was named after Melsou, the bria (town) of Melsa. Alex (talk) 13:11, 19 June 2009 (UTC)