Cercinitis Lake

Cercinitis or Kerkinitis (Greek: Κερκινίτιδα) was a lake in ancient Edonis, in the lower valley of the river Strymon.[1] It was located within today's Serres regional unit and is identified with the currently dried Achinos Lake.[2]

Cercinitis Lake
Kerkinitis
Cercinitis Lake
LocationSerres regional unit
Coordinates40°57′22″N 23°39′18″E
Typeformer lake
Native nameΚερκινίτιδα  (Greek)

According to Arrian, in this lake was anchored Alexander the Great’s fleet before sailing to Asia Minor beach. Archaeological findings (stone anchors etc.) and inscriptions show the existence of both sailing on the lake and ancient lakeside settlements near the current villages of Paralimni, Pethelinos, Psychiko and Mesokomi.[3]

Since the river Strymon was floating from its estuary to lake Cercinitis, formed thus a waterway that allowed commercial penetration from the Strymonian Gulf to the hinterland reaching almost to the ancient city of Serres.[4]

References
  1. Arrian. "Arrian, Anabasis, book 1, chapter 11, section 3". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  2. Archived 2017-04-24 at the Wayback Machine D. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Eastern Macedonia during the Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 1976 (Society for Macedonian Studies), p. 21-22. ISBN 960-7265-16-5
  3. D. C. Samsaris, A History of Serres (in the Ancient and Roman Times) (in Greek), Thessaloniki 1999, p. 65-69 (Website of Municipality of Serres)
  4. D. C. Samsaris, La navigation dans l’ ancien lac de Cercinitis d’ après une inscription inédite trouvée dans le village actuel de Paralimnion de Serrès, «Makedonika» 19(1979) 421 & D. C. Samsaris, Recherches sur l’ histoire de la navigation des habitants du cours inférieur du Strymon dans l’ Antiquité, "Thracia Pontica I" : Premier Symposium International (Sozopol, 9-12 Octobre 1979), Sofia 1982, p. 259-266


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