Ionian Sea

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The Ionian Sea.

The Ionian Sea, as seen from Corfu Island, Greece, and with Saranda, Albania in the background

The Ionian Sea, view from the island Kefalonia

The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, and by southwestern Albania, including Saranda and Himara, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and Lefkas to the east. The islands are collectively referred to as the Ionian Islands, and other islands include the Strophades, Sphagia, Schiza, Sapientza and Kythira. The sea is one of the most seismic areas in the world.

There are ferry routes between Patras, Greece and Brindisi and Ancona, Italy, that cross the east and north of the Ionian Sea, and from Piraeus westward.

Origin and myth of the eponym of the Ionian Sea

The name Ionian comes from Greek Ἰόνιον (πέλαγος). Its etymology is unknown.^[1] Ancient Greek writers, especially Aeschylus, linked it to the myth of Io, who was believed to have swum through the sea. There were also narratives about other eponymic legendary figures; according to one version, Ionius was a son of Adrias (eponymic for the Adriatic Sea), thought to have been an Illyrian king^{[citation needed]}; according to another, Ionius was a son of Dyrrhachus, eponymic for the ancient Greek city of Dyrrhachium (modern Durrës in Albania). When Dyrrhachus was attacked by his own brothers, Heracles, who was passing through the country, came to his aid, but in the fight the hero killed his ally's son by mistake. The corpse was cast into the sea, which thereafter was called the Ionian Sea.

Places

From south to north in the west, then north to south in the east:

• Taranto, port N
• Syracuse, port, W
• Catania, port, W
• Saranda, port and a beach, NE
• Parga, small port
• Preveza,port, E
• Ancient Paleros
• Astakos
• Fiskardo, small port
• Keri, no port
• Methoni, small port and a beach
• Ionian Islands

Gulfs and straits

• Strait of Messina, W
• Gulf of Catania, W
• Gulf of Taranto, NW
• Ambracian Gulf, E
• Gulf of Patras, connecting the Gulf of Corinth, ESE
• Cyparissian Gulf, SE
• Messenian Gulf, SE
• Laconian Gulf, ESE

Tributaries

From north to south:

• Pinios River (Peloponnese)
• Ambracian Gulf
  • Acherontas River
• Gulf of Patras/Strait of Rio-Antirrio Watershed
  • Acheloos River
  • Glaucos/Glavkos River - Panachaicus mountains to south of Patras
  • Louros River, north
• Cyparissian Gulf
  • Alfeios River
    • Kladeos or Cladeus River
    • Erymanthus River
      • Ladon River
      • Ladon Lake
  • Loussios River
  • Larissos River - Nea Manolada
  • Neda River — Elia-Messenia boundary/border

References

Coordinates: 38°06′04″N 18°17′41″E / 38.10111°N 18.29472°E / 38.10111; 18.29472