Argoúszók

Argoúszók is a name that appears in a limited corpus of Hungarian historical and ethnographic writings to denote a coastal, seafaring population mentioned in late antique to medieval sources. The identity of Argoúszók is uncertain; the term may refer to a legendary or folkloric group, rather than a clearly defined historical ethnicity.

The word is probably formed from Argo-, alluding to the mythical ship Argo, combined with -szók, a suffix sometimes used in Hungarian to form ethnonyms or names of groups. Etymology remains debated, and some scholars consider the term exonymic rather than an autonym.

Evidence consists of fragmentary references in chronicles and travel accounts; there is no consensus on the precise location. Suggested regions include coastal areas of the southern Aegean, the Propontine coast, and the northern Black Sea littoral. The reliability of such references is variable.

Described as seafaring traders or fishermen, with knowledge of navigation, shipbuilding or coastal craft; however, details are sparse and speculative. No material culture or inscriptions definitively attributed to Argoúszók survive, complicating reconstruction of social structure or language.

Modern scholarship treats Argoúszók as a contested and poorly defined label. Some historians caution against conflating it with better-attested groups in the broader Mediterranean world, while others view it as a folkloric or symbolic designation rather than a historical community. The term remains obscure outside specialized Hungarian scholarship.