Acheron | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Greece |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Ioannina regional unit, Epirus |
Mouth | |
• location | Ionian Sea |
• coordinates | 39°14′10″N 20°28′34″E / 39.23611°N 20.47611°E |
Length | 52 km (32 mi) |
Basin size | 705 km2 (272 sq mi) |
The Acheron (/ˈækərən/ or /ˈækərɒn/; Ancient Greek: Ἀχέρων Acheron or Ἀχερούσιος Acherousios; Greek: Αχέροντας Acherontas) is a river in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. It is 52 km (32 mi) long, and its drainage area is 705 km2 (272 sq mi).[1] Its source is near the village Zotiko, in the southwestern part of the Ioannina regional unit. The Acheron flows into the Ionian Sea in Ammoudia, near Parga.
The Acheron also features prominently in Greek mythology, where it is often depicted as the entrance to the Greek Underworld where souls must be ferried across by Charon (although some later sources, such as Roman poets, assign this role to the river Styx).