Tinjis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tinjis (also called Tinga, and also spelled as Tingis) was in Berber and Greek Mythology the wife of Antaeus, son of Poseidon and Gaia.
The historian and archaeologist Mustapha Ouachi noticed that the city Tangier is geographically related to its myth. Because Tangier lies off the coast which means the sea and the earth, and that is associated with the mother and father of her first husband (Antaios). Because the mother of Antaios Gaia was the goddess of the earth whereas the father of Antaios was Poseidon who was the god of the sea, according to the Berber legend. In addition, Herodotus considered Poseidon as a Libyan (Berber) god that has been adopted by the Greeks.
The Berbers believed, according to Plutarch, that Heracles consorted with Tinga after the death of Antaios (Her husband) and gave birth to Sophox. According to their myth, Sophox has built the city "Tangier" (which was known as Tingis in the ancient sources) and named it after his mother.
In fact, Tangier is believed to have been built by the Phoenicians before this story. But Tangier seemed to have been an important city in an early short lived kingdom which is known as Mauretania that has been founded by the king Syphax who has a similar name to the mythical king and founder of Tangier: Sophox.
Tingis is also the name of a Moroccan American magazine.
