Konstantinos John Saitanis

Onomastics…

The first name “Konstantinos”  -also appears as Kostas or “Costas” (…my nickname)- comes from the Latin name Constantinus, the name of Constantine the Great [who transferred the Capital of the Roman state from Rome (4th century AD) to Constantinople  (the city (polis), of Constantine the Great)]. It comes from the participle “constans” which means “stable, steady, confident”, and possibly “patient” or “determined”.

The patronym “Yiannis” or “Ioannis ” or “John”  is a Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Jonathan which means the “Gift of God” or “the grace of God”. But a more descriptive and accurate translation is “God was generous”. In Greek Yiannis appears also as Giannis that probably comes from the Italian version: Gianni. The name was spread because of the great honor that the church pays to John the Baptist. Through the Latin version Johannes spread widely in European languages: English: John; French: Jean; German: Johan, Johannes, Spanish: Juan; Russian: Ivan.

The surname “Saitanis” actually seems to be quite older, originating in the ancient Greek civilization; and there are the following two acceptations: 

First of all, it is compounded from the root “Saita-“ and the productive suffix “‑anis”.

The root “Saita” [Lat. sagitta]: means:
(a) arrow or spear and
(b) shuttle = a kind of arrow (a part of the loom, with which it passes the weft through the threads of the warp).

Related words: Saitevo (σαϊτέυω) (in medieval Greek it appears with two “t” saittevo  (σαϊττέυω)): I mark with a bow, I throw an arrow (mtf.- In literature: I inspire love in someone / I hit with the arrows of love | Saitia (σαϊτιά) (medieval Greek): the launch of a shuttle |Σαϊτοθήκη – Saitotheca = Saito-theca =  shuttle + theca (case) = Shuttle case = quiver. Saiteftis (σαϊτευτής): the one who throws an arrow, the archer.

The suffix “-anis”, is common in nationally derived surnames, and indicates:

a) the “origin” of someone from an area with a place name indicated by the first compound of the word (before the suffix) (e.g. Gouramanis = the one who comes from the area of Goura), etc.].

b) the “profession” of someone [e.g. Sinanis = the maker of swords (sinan = spear, sword) etc.]

Based on the above, the surname “Sait-anis” declares: 

either (the less probable)

1) the one who makes arrows or spears (or maybe the archer) or the one who makes shuttles / loom stands or the one who shoots arrows of love and seduces (charming)…

or (the most probable)

2) the one who originates from the Mountain “Saitas”, which is located in Peloponnese, shared among the prefectures of Arcadia, Argolis, Achaia and Corinth.…

It should be noted that the name of the mountain “Saitas” is very likely to come from an ancient toponym (place-name) associated with the worship of the goddess Athena (goddess of wisdom, knowledge and science – hence the emblem of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens) [Αθηνά: Α(=Η)-Θεο-Νόα = “Η νόηση του θεού”;  Athens: A (=the) – Theo (=god) – Noah (=intellect) = “The intellect of God”]. The Goddess Athena was worshiped in different areas with different surnames (see here and here). In ancient Athens the goddess Athena was worshiped as Athena “Parthenos” [Athena the “Virgin” (recall the word “parthenogenesis” in biology], in the temple of the “Parthenon”, while in some areas of the Peloponnese (e.g. at Kiveri, Argolis area) she was worshiped as Athena “Saitis” – which probably meant the Goddess with the spear, as she was the only goddess holding a spear.

 

The Goddess Athena holding her spear. She was worshiped with many adjectives, such as Athena Parthenos (with a Sanctuary at the Parthenon) in Athens, or as Athena “Saitis”, in Argolis, or as “Saida” in Egypt…

The name “Saida” or “Sais” was also given to an Egyptian city at the mouth of the Nile, which, according to Diodorus, was built by the goddess Athena, who was worshiped there as “Saida” or “Sais” (see here and here, page 410) and there was there a majestic sanctuary dedicated to her. “Saida” was the metropolis of the “Saitic” prefecture of Lower Egypt [founded in the around the Delta of Nile, and an administrative base during the 26^th “Saite Dynasty” (664–525 BC). Diodorus also narrates that Athena built “Saida” before the Flood which was said to have destroyed Athens and Atlantis. While all Greek cities were destroyed during the Flood, Egyptian cities, including “Saida”, survived.

Sonchis of Saïs or Sonchis Saïtis (Greek: Σῶγχις ὁ Σαΐτης); fl. 594 BC) was an Egyptian priest who is mentioned in Greek writings as relating the account of Atlantis. Plutarch (in his work Ethics – About Isis and Osiris) in his detailed report on the Greek philosophers who visited Egypt and were consulted by the Egyptian priests, among others, mentions that Solon traveled to Egypt and was taught by Sonchis Saïtis. (see here)

As toponym, it occurs in Samos island, Greece, where there are two beaches called “mikro saitani” and “megalo saitani”, but it is not known how this toponyms came out. It should be mentioned that a mountain and a village named “Saitas” or “Saittas”  exist also in Cyprus, where there is also the monastery of Mesa Potamos which also has a church dedicated to Panagia Saittiotissa. In addition, in Cyprus, there is a sports called “Saitta” as well as the “Pancyprian Association of Saitta” (or Pancyprian Association of Shuttle).  

Thus, the names Saitas – Saitis – Saittas – Saida reveal the ancient connection between the Peloponnese-Cyprus-Egypt…