COELA
COELA (Eth.
τὰ Κοῖλα τῆς Εὐβοίας), “the Hollows,” a part of the coast of Euboea, which was very dangerous to vessels in stormy weather, and where a squadron of the Persian fleet was wrecked just before the battle of Artemisium. (
Hdt. 8.13.) Strabo (
x. p.445) describes it as a place between Aulis and Geraestus; but as Aulis is misplaced in a description of the Euboean coast, many critics have proposed to read Chalcis. The Epitomizer of Strabo has Caphareus instead of Aulis, a correction which appears to have been made from Ptolemy (
3.15.25), who places the Coela between Caphareus and the promontory Chersonesus. But Ptolemy is the only
[p. 1.642]writer who places the Coela on the eastern side of the island; all other ancient writers suppose them to have been on the western coast. (
Liv. 31.47;
V. Max. 1.8.10;
Lucan 5.196,
230.) The Persian fleet must therefore have sailed round the promontory of Geraestus before they were overtaken by the storm. (Groskurd and Kramer,
ad Strab. l.c.）
