Elissa facts for kids

Elissa is a name that has been used for many different people and things throughout history! It's a name with ancient roots, especially known from old myths and stories. When you see "Elissa," it could be talking about a legendary queen, a famous singer, or even a historic sailing ship.

Dido, the Legendary Queen Elissa

One of the most famous figures known as Elissa is Dido, the legendary founder and first queen of the ancient city of Carthage. Her story is mostly told in myths and epic poems, like the Roman poet Virgil's Aeneid.

Elissa's Journey to Carthage

According to the legends, Elissa was a princess from the city of Tyre, which is in modern-day Lebanon. Her brother, Pygmalion, was the king of Tyre. He was a very greedy ruler. Pygmalion secretly killed Elissa's husband, Sychaeus, to get his wealth.

Elissa was very clever and brave. She found out about her husband's death and Pygmalion's plan. She decided to escape Tyre with many loyal followers. They gathered their treasures and sailed across the Mediterranean Sea.

Founding the City of Carthage

After a long journey, Elissa and her people landed on the coast of North Africa. This area is near modern-day Tunis, Tunisia. She asked the local ruler for a small piece of land to settle. The ruler said she could have as much land as an oxhide could cover.

Elissa, being very smart, cut the oxhide into extremely thin strips. She then laid these strips end-to-end to enclose a large area of land. This clever trick allowed her to claim a much bigger space than the ruler intended! On this land, she founded the great city of Carthage.

Carthage grew into a powerful and wealthy city. It became a major trading center in the ancient world. Queen Dido, or Elissa, ruled Carthage wisely for many years. Her story is a tale of courage, intelligence, and leadership.

The Tall Ship Elissa

Another famous "Elissa" is a beautiful, historic sailing ship. This ship is a real-life example of the grand sailing vessels from the past.

History of the Ship

The Elissa is a three-masted barque, which means it has three tall masts with square sails on the front two and fore-and-aft sails on the last one. It was built in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland. For many years, the Elissa carried cargo like cotton and oil across the oceans.

By the mid-20th century, the ship was old and in poor condition. It was almost scrapped! However, a group of people in the United States decided to save it. They wanted to restore it to its original glory.

Elissa Today

After a huge restoration effort, the Elissa was brought back to life. Today, it is anchored in Galveston Bay, Texas, in the United States. It serves as a floating museum and a symbol of maritime history.

Visitors can go aboard the Elissa to learn about life at sea in the late 1800s. It's a wonderful way to see what these magnificent sailing ships were like. The ship is also still seaworthy and occasionally sails out into the bay.

Other Uses of Elissa

• Elissa (singer): There is also a very popular Lebanese singer named Elissa (born in 1972). She is known for her beautiful voice and has released many successful albums.
• Elissa (book): Elissa is also the title of a novel written in 1900 by the famous adventure writer H. Rider Haggard.