Orgin of the name Spain
Just learnt that Hispania (the Latin name of Spain) comes from the Carthaginian name (300 B.C. ) Ispania meaning "Land of rabbits" (form Sphan, "rabbit"). The Greeks, that arrived earlier in 600 B.C., had given another name, Hesperia, i.e. Land of the setting sun.
Iberia was instead the name given by the original inhabitants (coming from the North Africa) and derives from the word Iber, meaning river.
References:
http://www.ctspanish.com/rabbits.htm
Iberia was instead the name given by the original inhabitants (coming from the North Africa) and derives from the word Iber, meaning river.
(image source here)
References:
http://www.ctspanish.com/rabbits.htm
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