Xerxes Canal

Xerxes Canal
Map of the base of the Athos peninsula, with the course of the canal marked.
Mount Athos peninsula from the stratosphere (at an altitude of 23 km), and simulation of the Xerxes Canal (seen from north).

The Xerxes Canal (Greek: Διώρυγα του Ξέρξη) was a navigable canal through the base of the Mount Athos peninsula in Chalkidiki, northern Greece. It was commanded to be built by king Xerxes I of Persia in the 5th century BC, and was overseen by his engineer Artachaees. It was part of Xerxes' preparations for his second invasion of Greece, a part of the Greco-Persian Wars. It is one of the few monuments left by the Persian Empire in Europe.[1]

  1. ^ B. S. J. Isserlin, R. E. Jones, V. Karastathis, S. P. Papamarinopoulos, G. E. Syrides and J. Uren "The Canal of Xerxes: Summary of Investigations 1991-2001" The Annual of the British School at Athens Vol. 98 (2003), pp. 369-385 JSTOR 30073214.