ECHINADES (island in Acarnania)
Island group
- Kind of place
- Island
- Region
- Acarnania
- Where
- 38.30° N, 21.11° E
The Echinades are a group of sharp-pointed islands that were formerly a continuous landmass before being divided. Ovid Met. 8.547-610 (2) The islands are described as numerous, barren, and rocky in nature. Strabo 10.2.19 Sailors are unable to land on the islands of the Echinades. Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis 277-287
Described in the sources
The Echinades are located in the sea opposite the mouth of the Achelous river and the Gulf of Corinth, beneath the view of the river god. Ovid Met. 8.547-610 (2) +4 Dulichium, also known as Dolicha, is one of the islands in the Echinades group. Strabo 10.2.10 +3 The Echinades are a group of narrow islands situated off the coast of Acarnania, between the promontory of Crithote and the city of Astacus. Argonautica 4 ¶70 +2 The Achelous river has converted half of the Echinades Islands into mainland territory, though the islands have not yet fully become part of the mainland. Herodotus 2.10.3 +2 During the Trojan War, the Echinades islands were subject to Meges, son of Phyleus, who departed from there. Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis 277-287 +1 The Echinades are a group of nine islands, including Ægialia and Cotonis, described as being created by river deposits. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 2.87 ¶1 +1 The Echinades are situated beyond the islands of Cephallenia, Ithaca, and Zacynth, and near the islands of the Taphii and Teleboae. Strabo 10.2.20 +1 The Echinades are located in front of Ætolia. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.19 ¶1 They are situated between Leucadia and Achaia. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.19 ¶1 Artemita was formerly one of the Echinades islands. Strabo 1.3.18
Stories and history
Sediment from the Achelous river has joined some islands to the mainland and will join others. Strabo 1.3.18 +1 The river hurled the Nymphs into the sea along with the land. Ovid Met. 8.547-610 (2) The land was separated into multiple parts by the river's waves. Ovid Met. 8.547-610 (2) The name Strophades was given to the islands because of the harpy Ocypete. The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae fr. 41 The Achelous deposits less mud on the islands because Aetolia remains untilled. Pausanias 8.24.11 The Curetes and Aetolians fought against forces from Dulichium and the Echinades. Strabo 8.3.8 The Aetolian people prevented the islands from becoming mainland by leaving their land untilled. Pausanias 8.24.11 The islands were formerly situated farther out at sea before sediment accumulation changed their position. Strabo 10.2.19
Myths set at Echinades
- The Formation of the Echinades. Achelous swells with rage after Naiads ignore him during a sacrifice. He hurls the Nymphs and their land into the sea, separating a continuous landmass into five islands called Echinades. Herodotus 2.10.3 +4 Achelous