Evrotas

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Evrotas
The river bed of the Evrotas near the city of Sparta (Sparti).

The river bed of the Evrotas near the city of Sparta (Sparti).

Data
location Greece , Laconia
River system Evrotas
source
Laconia / Arcadia border region
37 ° 13 ′ 0 ″  N , 22 ° 20 ′ 43 ″  E
Source height about  300  m
muzzle Laconic Golf in place Elo coordinates: 36 ° 48 '15 "  N , 22 ° 41' 46"  O 36 ° 48 '15 "  N , 22 ° 41' 46"  O
Mouth height 0  m
Height difference about 300 m
Bottom slope about 3.7 ‰
length 82 km
Left tributaries Inous, Megalo
Right tributaries Castor
Small towns Sparta , scale

The Evrotas ( Greek Ευρώτας , ancient Greek Εὐρώτας EUROTAS ) is one of the main rivers of the Greek peninsula Peloponnese . It rises on the Arcadian border in the water-rich area of ​​Beleminia and meanders through the laconic plain to the south. It flows through u. a. the cities and towns of Sparta and Skala , until it flows into the Laconian Gulf (Lakonikós Kolpós) after 82 km at Limonas. The river valley is surrounded in the east by the Párnon and in the west by the Taygetos Mountains, almost all of which exceed the thousand-meter limit. On its way to the Mediterranean , it is complemented by numerous small tributaries that make the entire Eurotas Valley a fertile cultivation area.

Surname

The ancient Greek name Eurōtas ( Εὐρώτας ) means the calmly flowing ( εὐροέω euroeō , German 'well -flowing ' ).

Others derive the name from altgr. ( εὐρώς eurōs , German 'mold, dirt' ). In the summer the river dries up almost completely, so that only the deep places remain filled with water. Algae then thrive in these pools .

In the Middle Ages , the river Vasilipotamos (Βασιλιποταμός 'King's River ') and the lower course Iris (Greek Ίρις) were called. The ancient name has only been used again since modern times.

The 2011 newly formed community Evrotas was named after the Evrotas .

history

Due to the fertile landscape and the favorable transport and trade conditions, the city of Sparta emerged on the banks of the Eurotas . Little by little, many more cities were formed, whose inhabitants still live successfully from farming , mainly in the plains of Trinasso and Elos .

mythology

In ancient times , the river god of Evrotas was Eurotas , the son of Inachos .

On the Evrotas Zeus is said to have turned into a swan in order to seduce the goddess Leda and with her fathered Helena and Polydeukes .

The water is said to have dammed up in the plain of Sparta. The mythical King Eurotas had a canal dug and drained the land. He is said to have named the remaining river Eurotas after himself.

In ancient times, the sources of the rivers Evrotas and Alfios were believed to be near the town of Asea. One imagined that they mixed, flowed about four kilometers together, disappeared into a crevice and reappeared in two different places, the actual source locations.

swell

literature