Pontus Euxinus

PONTUS EUXINUS [EUXINUS PONTUS]

(Πόντος Εὔξεινος), or simply Pontus (Πόντος). Now the Black Sea. The great inland sea enclosed by Asia Minor on the south, Colchis on the east, Sarmatia on the north, and Dacia and Thracia on the west, and having no other outlet than the narrow Bospŏrus Thracius in its southwestern corner. Its length is about 700 miles, and its breadth varies from 400 to 160. The Argonautic legends show that the Greeks had some acquaintance with this sea at a very early period. It is said that they at first called it Ἄξενος (“inhospitable”), from the savage character of the peoples on its coast and from the supposed terrors of its navigation, and that afterwards, on their favourite principle of euphemism (i. e. abstaining from words of evil omen), they changed its name to Εὔξενος (Ion. Εὔξεινος), “hospitable.” The Greeks of Asia Minor, especially the people of Miletus, founded many colonies and commercial emporiums on its shores.