Ancient Greece Rivers

Rivers in Greece are an important natural feature. In antiquity they were worshiped as individual deities.

The sea is the most consistent influence on the physical environment of Greece. The elaborately irregular Greek coastline, one of the longest in the world, includes about 15,000 kilometers of shore. No point on the mainland is farther than 100 kilometers from the water, and Greece includes more than 2,000 islands--of which about 170 are inhabited. Crete (Kriti), the largest of the islands, is the southernmost point of the nation with a significant population.

The ancient Greeks believed that river landscapes were beautiful beyond human standards and belonged to the world of the gods.

The largest river in Greece is the Aliakmonas (297 kilometers in length), followed by the Acheloos river, the Pineios river, the river of Evros and the Mesta (Nestos ) river.

Other smaller rivers in Greece are:

1. Mylopotamos river: Mylopotamos is a small stream in Rethymno Prefecture, in northern Crete

2. Spercheios River: a tributary of the Spercheios, which rises in Mountain Oeta. Famous for its railway bridge which was blown up by the Greek Resistance during the German Occupation

3. Nedas River: Nedas is a small river of the western Peloponnese, forming the boundary between Ilia and Messenia Prefectures. It springs from the mountains framing the western basin of Megalopolis, runs west between Mountain Tetrazio and Kondovounia and flows into the Cyparissian Gulf between Cyparissia and Zacharo (Ilia)

4. Eurotas river: Euratos river is the chief river of Laconia Prefecture, named after the legendary king of Laconia, the grandson of Lelex and father of Sparta. It rises in the mountains between Laconia and Arcadia but also receives many rushing tributaries from Mountain Parnon and Taygetus. It drains the valley between the two and runs into the Gulf of Laconia, after irrigating the Elos plain.

Adriatic Sea

Aoos/Vjos (near Novosel, Albania),Drino (in Tepelen, Albania),Ionian Sea

Rivers in this section are sorted north (Albanian border) to south (Cape Malea).

Thyamis (near Igoumenitsa),Acheron (near Parga),Arachthos (in Kommeno),Acheloos (near Astakos).Megdovas (near Fragkista),Agrafiotis (near Fragkista), Granitsiotis (near Granitsa), Evinos (near Messolonghi), Mornos (near Nafpaktos), Charadros (in Patras),Glafkos (in Patras), Peiros (in Dymi), Pineios (near Gastouni), Alfeios (near Pyr), Erymanthos (near Kallithea),Ladon (near Kallithea), Aroanios (near Filia), Lousios (near Gortyna), Neda (near Kyparissia), Pamisos (near Messene), Eurotas (in Elos).

Aegean Sea

Rivers in this section are sorted south (Cape Malea) to northeast (Turkish border).

Inachos (in Nea Kios),Spercheios (near Lamia),Gorgopotamos (near Lamia),Pineios (in Stomio),

Titarisios (in Ampelonas),Enipefs (in Farkadona),Haliacmon (in Methoni),Axios/Vardar (near Thessaloniki)

Gallikos (near Thessaloniki),Strymonas/Struma (in Amphipolis),Nestos/Mesta (near Keramoti)

Despatis/Dospat (near Sidironero),Evros/Maritsa (near Alexandroupoli),Erythropotamos/Luda reka (near Didymoteicho)

Ardas/Arda (near Edirne, Turkey)

Ancient rivers and streams

Ammites (stream; emptied into Lake Bolbe)

Bisaltes (raicus]]

Elpeus

Erasinos (emptied into the modern Petalies Gulf)

Erechios (stream; emptied into the Strymonic Gulf)

Olynthiakos (stream; emptied into Lake Bolbe)

Rhoedias (emptied into the Thermaic Gulf)

Ancient Greek Life History / Ancient Greece Facts for Kids

We owe a lot to Ancient Greek Civilization. History of ancient Greece is a fascinating. On this site, we have given information on various ancient Greek life aspects - Arts, Boys and Girls, Architecture, Dancing, Gods, Myths, Medicine, Inventions, Houses, Government, Religions, Wars, Politics, Weapons and ancient Greece Cities.