The Aegean sea is found in the Mediterranean region between Turkey and Greece. It is an extended embayment of the Mediterranean Sea. To the north, it connects with the Marmara Sea. To the west, it connects to the Ionian sea. It is approximately 380 miles in length with an average width of 250 miles. It has a surface area of about 82,600 square miles.
The deepest point, 11,624 feet, is to the east of Crete. The sea surface temperature varies by location and time of year. It fluctuates between 16 to 25 °C (60 to 77 °F). There are about 1400 islands and islets in the Aegean Sea. Most of the islands belong to Greece. The few that remain are under Turkey’s control. Crete is the largest island found in the Aegean Sea. Found at the southern end of the sea, it lies almost an equal distance between both Greece and Turkey.
Some of the Aegean islands are volcanic and On others, workers mine iron and marble. Larger islands in the region have fertile valleys and plains. On these islands, figs, honey, vegetables, etc. are grown and harvested. FIshing is also important in the region.
The name Aegean is believed to have been derived from a Greek town, Aegae. Others speculate that it was named after Aegea, a queen of the Amazons who died in the sea.
Another tale says that it is named after Aegeus, the father of Theseus, who drowned himself in the sea when he thought his son had died on his famous expedition to Crete to defeat the Minotaur. The list of theories goes on and on.
The Aegean Sea is the sea that the ancient Greeks used to transport thousands of Greek soldiers to invade Troy and rescue Helen.
Many Greek tales mention the Aegean Sea. For example, Icarus and Daedelus, Theseus and the Minotaur, Jason and the Argonauts, The Odyssey.
Many islands in the Aegean Sea have bays or harbors. This is because it was easier to navigate through the sea than travel over the terrain of mainland Greek.
The Aegean Sea is a popular cruising and yachting destination. Heraklion, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis, and Izmir, are the main ports.
Lastly, “the Aegean dispute” is a controversial dispute between Greece and Turkey over the sovereignty and related rights in the area of the Aegean Sea.
References
- Santorini Island Aegean Sea History Santorini Island Greece – Web
- Aegean – Ancient History Encyclopedia
- The Aegean Sea — HALC
- Aegean Sea | Mediterranean Sea | Britannica
- Aegean Sea – Geography
- Aegean Sea: Definition, Location & Facts | Study.com
- Glacial-Holocene Paleoclimatic and Paleooceanographic Evolution of the Agean Sea – Micropaleontological and Stable Isotopic Evidence” (PDF). Marine Micropaleontology. 25 (1): 1–28.
- “International Disputes”. www.globalsecurity.org