Hellespont
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Hellespont (Greek: 'Ελλήσποντοs; i.e. "Sea of Helle", variously named in classical literature Hellesponium Pelagus, Rectum Hellesponticum, and Fretum Hellesponticum), was the ancient name of the Dardanelles. It was so-called from Helle, the daughter of Athamas, who was drowned here.
Herodotus tells us that c. 482 BC, Xerxes, king of Persia and son of Darius, had two bridges built across the width of the Hellespont at Abydos in order that his huge army, ostensibly made of 5 million men (most historians put the actual number of this army at closer to 250,000 men), could cross from Persia into Greece. These bridges were both destroyed by a storm (vii.34), but after the sea was punished by receiving 300 lashes and a pair of fetters thrown into it, engineers finished them. In addition to punishing the Hellespont, Xerxes had the heads of those responsible for building the bridges cut off. The Histories of Herodotus vii.33-37 and vii.54-58 gives details of Xerxes' building and crossing of the bridges.
The Hellespont was also the body of water which Leander would cross in order to tryst with his beloved, the priestess Hero. More recently, the Hellespont was famously swum by Lord Byron.
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
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