ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ coin

[antonio]

I saw an ancient Greek coin with Pyrrhus' name listed as ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ.
Why is it not Πύρρος?

Thanks,
Antonio

[Hellenika]

Originally Posted by antonio

I saw an ancient Greek coin with Pyrrhus' name listed as ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ.
Why is it not Πύρρος?

Thanks,
Antonio

ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ is King Pyrrhus. If the name was alone it would be Πύρρος.

[antonio]

Originally Posted by Hellenika

ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ is King Pyrrhus. If the name was alone it would be Πύρρος.

Thanks much, Hellenika,

A friend of mine name Leandros just sent me an e-mail telling me that "pyrrou is genitive of pyrros...it means king's pyrros coin..."

Antonio

[Ellinas]

Your friend is correct. The connection with the word "King" has not something to do with the change of the form.

Unlike English, in Greek language nouns are also inflectible. The first form is the nominal form - When you are talking about something that belongs to a person, you will use the genitive form, like in our case. It's like saying "..of Kind Pyrrhus". ΠΥΡΡΟΥ is the genitive form of ΠΥΡΡΟΣ (nominal).

King Pyrrhus (nominal): ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΠΥΡΡΟΣ
Of King Pyrrhus (genitive): ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ