SARO´NICUS SINUS
SARO´NICUS SINUS (
Σαρωνικὸς κόλπος, Aeschyl.
Agam. 317; Strab. viii. pp. 335, 369, 374, 380;
Σαρωνικὸς πόρος,
Strab. viii. p.335;
Σαρωνικὸν πέλαγος, Strab. viii. pp. 335, 369;
Σαρωνὶς θάλασσα, Dionys. Per. 422; also called
Σαλαμινιακὸς κόλπος,
Strab. viii. p.335:
Gulf of Egina), a gulf of the Aegaean sea, extending from the promontories of Sunium in Attica and Scyllaeum in Troezenia up to the isthmus of Corinth.
The length of the gulf, according to Scylax (p. 20, Hudson), is 740 stadia.
It washes the coasts of Attica, Megaris, Corinth, Epidaurus and Troezen, and contains the islands of Aegina and Salamis.
It was said to have derived its name from Saron, a king of Troezen, who was drowned while hunting in a lagoon upon the Troezenian coast called Phoebaea and afterwards Saronis. (
Paus. 2.30.7;
Etym. M. p. 708. 52; Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 448.) A Troezenian river Saron is also mentioned (
Eustath. ad Dionys. Per. 422), and likewise a town of the same name. (
Steph. B. sub voce Some derived the name of the gulf from
σαρωνίς, “an oak.” (
Plin. Nat. 4.5. s. 18.)
