Founding myth of Marseille
A princess chooses a Greek sailor as her husband at a wedding feast.
The legendary foundation of Marseille (then called Massalia) traces back to Greek settlers from the Ionian city of Phocaea, on the coast of western Anatolia. Though the surviving accounts vary in minor details, they all center on a wedding feast. The princess Gyptis (also called Petta), daughter of Nannus—chief of the local Segobrigii tribe—was to choose her husband by offering a bowl of wine or water to one of the suitors. She gave it to the Phocaean sailor Protis (or Euxenus), and the two were married.
Only two full versions of the myth have come down to us. One comes from Aristotle’s *Constitution of the Massaliotes*, preserved in Athenaeus’ *Deipnosophistae*; the other was written by the Gallo-Roman historian Pompeius Trogus in his *Philippic Histories*, now lost but summarized by Justin. The Roman historian Livy does not recount the founding myth of Marseille in his surviving works.
The motif of a princess choosing her husband at a feast appears in other Indo-European myths, including ancient Indian *svayamvara* tales and Chares of Mytilene’s *Stories about Alexander*. The Phocaean version likely drew on the actual founding of Massalia around 600 BC by Greek colonists from Phocaea, though earlier prototypes may have existed in Phocaea itself. Today, the people of Marseille are still colloquially called the “Phocaeans” (French: *Phocéens*).
**Aristotle’s version** is brief and elliptical. The Phocaeans, traders from Ionia, founded Massalia. Euxenus of Phocaea was a guest-friend of King Nanos. While visiting during the king’s daughter’s wedding, Euxenus was invited to the feast. After the meal, the girl—named Petta—entered and offered a bowl of mixed wine to the suitor she wished to marry. She gave it to Euxenus, either by accident or for some other reason. Her father accepted this as the god’s will, so Euxenus married her and changed her name to Aristoxene. Their son was Protis, and a family descended from them, the Protiadae, still lived in Massalia.
**Pompeius Trogus’ version**, as summarized by Justin, is more detailed. In the time of King Tarquin, young Phocaean warriors sailed to the Tiber’s mouth and allied with the Romans. They then sailed to the bays of Gaul and founded Massilia among the Ligurians and Gauls. The Phocaeans, forced by poor soil to rely on the sea, fished, traded, and practiced piracy—then considered honorable. Their commander
- Subject
- Founding myth of Marseille
- Culture
- Greek (Phocaean) and Gallic (Segobrigii)
- First attested
- 4th century BC (Aristotle)
- Key figures
- Gyptis/Petta, Protis/Euxenus, Nannus
- Surviving sources
- Aristotle (via Athenaeus), Pompeius Trogus (via Justin)
- Historical basis
- Colony founded ca. 600 BC by Phocaean Greeks
Lore & Background
Only two extensive sources have survived: the story recounted by Aristotle in 'The Constitution of the Massaliotes', which is reproduced in Athenaeus' Deipnosophistae, and the version told by Gallo-Roman historian Pompeius Trogus in his Philippic Histories, now lost but later summarized by the Roman historian Justin. In Aristotle's version, the Phocaean Euxenus is a guest-friend of King Nanos; the princess Petta gives him a bowl of wine and water, and they marry. In Trogus' version, the commander Protis leads the Phocaeans, and the princess Gyptis gives water to Protis at her wedding banquet.
Reader's Guide
The founding myth of Marseille serves as a foundational narrative for the city of Massalia (modern Marseille), blending Greek and native Gallic elements. The motif of the princess choosing her future husband in a group of suitors during her wedding is found in other Indo-European myths, notably in the ancient Indian svayamvara tales and in Chares of Mytilene's 'Stories about Alexander'. The background of the Phocaean version was probably influenced by the actual founding of the colony of Massalia around 600 BC by Greek settlers from the Ionian city of Phocaea, although earlier prototypes may have existed already in Phocaea. The modern inhabitants of Marseille are still colloquially called the 'Phocaeans' (French: Phocéens). The myth's variations—such as the princess's name (Gyptis or Petta) and the founder's name (Protis or Euxenus)—reflect different traditions and textual transmission issues, with Aristotle's version being a brief and elliptic summary.
Did You Know?
- The name of the princess in Aristotle's version, Pétta, has been compared to the Welsh 'peth' (thing) and the Old Irish 'cuit' (share, portion).
- The local king's name, Nannus or Nános, means 'dwarf' in Greek, which surprised Aristotle, who insists that this was 'actually his name'.
- The name Prō̃tis is close to the Greek 'protos' (the first), symbolizing concepts of 'origin' and 'primacy'.
- After their wedding, Eúxenos changed Pétta's name to Aristoxénē, literally 'Best Guest/Host', matching his own name meaning 'Hospitable'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Founding myth of Marseille about?
It tells how a Gallic princess named Gyptis (or Petta) picks a Phocaean Greek sailor called Protis (or Euxenus) as her husband by handing him a bowl of wine or water during a wedding feast. Their union is said to have given rise to the Greek colony of Massalia, the ancient name for Marseille.
Who are the key figures in the myth?
The central characters are Gyptis/Petta, daughter of Nannus, the chief of the local Segobrigii tribe, and Protis/Euxenus, a Phocaean sailor. Nannus sets the terms of the feast, requiring his daughter to choose a suitor by offering the bowl.
Where do the surviving versions of the myth come from?
Only two full tellings have reached us: one traced back to Aristotle's writing (preserved through Athenaeus) and another from Pompeius Trogus (transmitted via Justin). The earliest attestation dates to the 4th century BC.
Is the founding myth based on real history?
The specific scene of a princess selecting a sailor at a feast is legendary, but it likely encodes a real event: Phocaean Greek colonists did establish a settlement on the southern French coast around 600 BC. The myth functions as an aetiological story explaining the mixed Greek-Gallic origins of the city.
Why is the Founding myth of Marseille important?
It stands as one of the earliest literary records of contact between Greek colonists and indigenous Celtic peoples in western Europe. The tale has long shaped Marseille's self-image as a city born from the meeting of two cultures, and it continues to anchor the region's cultural identity.
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