Codanus Sinus

Codanus sinus is the Latin name for the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat, possibly the Skagerrak.

Ancient sources

The ancient waters name is first mentioned by Pomponius Mela and Pliny as a lying beyond the Elbe huge bay on the north coast of Germania with numerous islands:

The largest of these is Inselns Scandinavia ( at Mela Codannovia called ) mentioned:

In contrast to Pomponius Mela, Pliny obviously means that (today ) with the Baltic Sea, " as the Codinus sine of a high mountain ( Saevo ) is included in the promontory of the Cimbri ( the Skaw ) expires and, inter alia, the Island ' Scandinavia lapped ".

Interpretation

The interpretation of the passages in Mela terms of the scope of the situation envisaged by Codanus sinusoidal water is sufficient from the western part of the Baltic Sea, which is to describe today approximately with the Bay of Lübeck, on the Skagerrak and Kattegat, to the entire Baltic Sea including Kattegat and Skagerrak.

It is unclear whether both authors have served the same source or whether Pliny had resorted mainly to the undoubtedly older records of the Mela. In any case, the ideas of Pliny and Mela on the situation and the extent of the Codanus sinus were apparently not entirely congruent. This is indicated by including the reference at Mela on a tidal influence in these waters. Consequently, the eastern North Sea would be meant. Various authors assume that the later description by Pliny, are not to be found in the evidence of a tidal sea, associated with misinterpretations of him unequivocally known writings of the Mela. Among other things, this is due to actual or perceived contradictions in Melas writings between the geographical localization of the area and the description of these stretches of coast tribes inhabiting. The differences are also related to the blurred in ancient ideas about the extent of the land masses in the eastern North Sea and the western Baltic Sea, so that the ideas about the marine areas were even blurred. Thus, although the original geographical meaning of Codanus sinus, so that would be, rather than equate Mela with the eastern North Sea through the Skagerrak and Kattegat, the science of history has subsequently oriented primarily to the text of Pliny and the derived therefrom importance as Western Baltic has prevailed.

Etymological

About the origin of the name is controversial to this day. One of several explanations assumes that Codanus is derived from OHG quoden what as much as stomach or womb means and this term refers to the rounded coastline of the southern Baltic Sea.