In the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, between the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor, lies the semi-enclosed Aegean Sea, which washes the shores of Turkey and Greece. This place was considered the cradle of ancient civilization, and its name is named for a reason. As it should be, there is a very beautiful and sad legend about why the Aegean Sea is so called.
Legends and myths about the origin of the name
The sea can hardly be called classic. It is not impressive in area, depth, or an abundance of unique views. Nevertheless, many people come here to see the inimitable beauty of the phenomenon called “the kiss of the seas. For this you need to get to Prasonisi beach in the southern part of Rhodes Island. Here you can see how the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea meet. In this case, the Mediterranean side of the beach is quieter, and the Aegean beckons steep waves, sometimes reaching 2 meters in a steady wind.
The second reason for tourist popularity lies in the myth that tells about the affairs of bygone days that happened in ancient Hellas. Every island, locality, bay and even an imposing rock in Greece has its own legend.
For those who seek to learn from what originated the name of the Aegean Sea, guides and locals tell the same story.
In the days when the gods were still coming down to earth and heroes lived beside men, there was a terrible monster on the island of Minos, a huge man with a bull’s head. So that he could not escape to the surface, he was placed in a confusing, eternally dark labyrinth. But the king of the island demanded tribute from the conquered territories in the form of young men and women who were thrown to be eaten by the monster.
The hero Theseus, whose official father was King Aegeus of Athens and whose actual father was Poseidon, god of the sea, replaced one of the doomed men, went through the labyrinth and killed the Minotaur, getting back out with the help of Ariadne’s thread, the beautiful daughter of King Minos. Before he set out on his exploit, he had promised Aegeus that if he won he would replace the mournful black sails with triumphant white ones, but in the euphoria of victory he forgot this. Seeing the black sail, the inconsolable father threw himself from the tower into the sea. It has been called the Aegean ever since.
Secrets of the Aegean Sea
Residents of the city of Bodrum in Turkey assure that the sea water near the coast has a unique rich color. Farther out, at depth, it shimmers in all shades of blue and turquoise. Environmentalists assure that compared to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, the Aegean is the cleanest. This is confirmed by the inhabitants of the depths. Among them is a large variety of sponges that do not live in a polluted environment.
Fish are few, as well as plankton, but the octopus feel at ease. In the Aegean Sea, scientists have counted 35 species of sharks, but do not be alarmed. Only 5 of them pose a hypothetical danger to humans, but they try with all their might not to meet them, not approaching the shores.
The Aegean Sea on the map
The sea has an area of about 179,000 km² and a maximum depth of 2,529 m. It is believed that the sea flooded a large area of land, from which many islands remain.
The biggest of them all:
- Rhodes;
- Samos;
- Crete;
- Euboea;
- Lesbos.
There are also very small areas of land that can hardly be called islands.
In summer the water heats up to a comfortable + 23-25 ° C, in winter the temperature drops to +11 ° C. The Aegean Sea connects to the Black Sea through the Bosporus Strait, and the Dardanelles leads to the Marmara Sea. The origin of the name of the Aegean Sea only adds to the intrigue for travelers who set out for the first time to its hospitable shores. There are many activities for tourists, most often fans of active recreation prefer surfing, diving and yachting. And lovers of leisurely pastime in a lounge chair at the water’s edge sometimes remember the legend that tells why the sea is called the Aegean Sea and admire its unique shades of blue.
