EUROTAS THE ANCIENT RIVER

Text and research by Nikos Aivalis, translation by Eva Trombetas

Eurotas, a sacred river from ancient times to today, one of the most famous rivers of Greece. It comes from the Arcadian village of Scortsinos (in the area of Logaras), south of Mantineia. The river makes a long route (90 km) in the plain between Taygetos and Parnonas and eventually flows into the Laconic gulf. Settlements use the waters of Eurotas and irrigate a large part of the arable land in Laconia, as the river is a source of life for the inhabitants. From the two mountain ranges surrounding Evrotas descend several tributaries, the most important of which are Gerakaris and Ardelolagado from mount Taygetos and Oenous, the big stream and Mariorema from mount Parnonas.

Eurotas, whose most ancient name was Iris, is inextricably linked with the history of ancient Sparta, which was built on a hill near its right bank. According to mythology, Eurotas was a mythical king of Laconia. He had a daughter, Sparta from which the city took its name, which was married to Lacedaemon who was the son of the god Zeus and Taygetes. Wanting to give vent to the stagnant waters around Sparta, he opened a canal and channeled the waters to the sea. This is how the river was created, which took its name, Evrotas. The historian Polybius says: "Sparta, as a whole, has a circumferential shape and is located on a flat area where heights and hills are formed in places. The river Evrotas flows to the east and for the most part of the year is inconvenient because of its size". In the surrounding areas, large numbers of important monuments have been found dating from prehistoric times, as in the area Psychiko, until the Byzantine times. Researchers say that in ancient times the river was navigable, while in Karavas there was a small port of the Spartans.

οld monastery of Vrontamas

Many important monuments, other known and other unknown, are near the river, such as ancient Sparta and one of the most important Spartan shrines, that of Artemis Orthia, but also the altar of Lycurgus and the altar of Astravakos, in the area under the river bridge. Another monument is the bridge of Evrotas, parts of the ancient bridge that are preserved in the riverbed and a short distance west of the modern concrete bridge. In this area there are two successive bridges. One was constructed in the 1st century BC by Gaius Julius Eurycli and repaired by Julius Paulinus (3rd century AD), and was succeeded by the bridge of the monk Nicodemus (11th century AD). According to researchers and archaeologists, the bridge of the 4th century BC is located in the same place mentioned by Xenophon. Near this point was also the north-eastern gate of the Hellenistic wall of the city, as well as an ancient road, which passing through the bridge headed to the north. Another very important bridge, is that of Kopanos, of which today, few parts are preserved. Located on the banks of the river, near the villages of Karavas and Kladas, it was built in 1749 by Ioannis Kopanos, from which the bridge took its name. It was a very important bridge, because it connected the only carriageway leading from Mystras to Tegea. The bridge was stone with a large arch. Also important monument is in a ravine above the river Evrotas, the cavernous Temple of Palaeomonastro (12th century AD), near Vrondamas. It is irregularly built, while its fortified position protected it from external attacks. Many important frescoes adorn the temple, painted in different periods. It was a refuge for martyred Brontamites, who hid there for many days, when on September 15, 1825, in this church, the Egyptian troops of Ibrahim Pasha burned them alive.

bridge of Kopanos

Eurotas, a mythical river, was also a source of life and inspiration for Greek and foreign artists from antiquity to modern times, such as the painting "Girls of Sparta" by the French painter Jean Baptiste Camille Koro (great landscape painter), depicting young girls dancing near the river Eurotas, as well as a walled Roman mosaic in the gymnasium Baths of Salamis Cyprus (3rd century AD) where Eurotas appears as an anthropomorphic sitting leaning on a hydra. One of the sons of the king of France Louis Philippe, in 1845, Duke Antony of Orleans, anchored at Astros, and thence the Duke with his retinue headed for Sparta. In the escort of the French prince was Antoine De Latour, a scholar who had undertaken the Duke's education and who wrote as they found themselves in the river Eurotas: "after an hour of laborious marching, the path, shaded towards the end by fragrant myrtles, turns suddenly right, and brings you to a bridge with two arches that rises boldly over a small river, whose banks are hidden under blooming rhododendrons, this river is the Eurotas. Its waters are transparent and gurgling, and the rhododendrons on its banks cast a mysterious and sweet shade. Surely it is here that Lycurgus meditated his laws, Agis and Agesilaus their campaigns, Leonidas passed him to go to die at Thermopylae, and that stern youth of Sparta came hither to find, after fighting and hunting, the spices for the black broth. This poetical river, and the rich valley which it fertilizes, creates a strong contrast to the ponderous recollection of Sparta, a recollection which the character of its ruins does not belie".

river Evrotas, Baths of Salamis, Cyprus. 3rd century AD

Eurotas remains today, a living organism. In modern-day Laconia, the Municipality of Evrotas river includes areas such as Elos, the Krokees, Skala and the Geronthres, which is in the fertile plain of Laconia, where the famous orange trees and the almost legendary name of olive, making it far too valuable not just for the Laconic economy, but also for the economy of the Peloponnese, and by extension, the Greek, flagship extra virgin olive oil Krokees which has a Protected Designation of Origin and is produced only from the olive varieties "Myrtolia" and "Athinolia", which are found only in this region.

Eurotas, Sparta

Eurotas, despite neglect and very poor management (as is done in almost all rivers of Greece), has very beautiful landscapes and rich flora, with several tributary forests where one will find willows, plane trees, vitex agnus castus, oleanders, rushes and reeds. Near the river there are many beautiful and rare plants such as iris, centauri, wild garlic, campanulas and orchids.

the mouth of river Eurotas

Finally, a very important point of the river is the delta of Eurotas in the Laconic gulf. One of the most important wetlands in southern Greece, which is included in the European NATURA 2000 Network. In this region, at least 244 species of birds have been recorded, with 60 or more species being endangered. Migratory and endemic species such as ducks, herons, kingfishers, common coots, common teals, black storks and a large number of birds of prey such as peregrine falcons, buzzards, snake eagles, spotted eagles and οwls. The mammals we find near the river are usually rodents, foxes, hares, ferrets, hedgehogs, otters, weasels and badgers. Reptiles and amphibians have two very important species, the caretta caretta turtle and the sea green turtle, which reproduce and deposit their eggs in areas near the mouth of the river. Other species are moraitosaurs, gousteras, river turtles, frogs and toads, vipers, ratsnakes, whip snakes, montpellier snakes and water snakes. However, another very important element is the ichthyofauna of the Eurotas, as there are three endemic species: the laconic pelasgus, the kaiadic menida and the golden menida, while other species we find are river mullets, mosquitofish, river bullheads as well as eels.

route of river Eurotas