Haliacmon

The Haliacmon (Greek: Αλιάκμονας, Aliákmonas; formerly: Ἁλιάκμων, Aliákmon or Haliákmōn) is the longest river of Greece, flowing entirely on Greek soil in the region of Macedonia, with a total length of 297 km (185 mi). In Greece there are three rivers longer than Haliacmon: Evros (Greek: Έβρος), Strymonas (Greek: Στρυμόνας), both coming from Bulgaria, and Axios (Greek: Αξιός) coming from North Macedonia, but the length of each one of them in Greek territory is less than that of Haliacmon, which flows entirely in Greece. Haliacmon is the traditional English name for the river, but many sources cite the formerly official Katharevousa version of the name, Aliákmon. Today, the only official variant is the demotic Aliákmonas. It flows through the Greek regions of Western Macedonia (Kastoria, Grevena and Kozani regional units) and Central Macedonia (Imathia and Pieria regional units). Its drainage basin is 8,813 km2 (3,403 sq mi).

Name

The Latin name Haliacmon is derived from Ancient Greek Αλιάκμονας, a composite derived from άλας (salt, sea) and άκμων (anvil). In Greek mythology, Haliacmon was one of the river gods, who were sons of Oceanus and Tethys, according to the allegorical obsessive-anthropomorphic concept familiar to the Ancient Greeks, on geological upheaval after Deucalion's deluge.

An ancient tradition says that sheep that drank water from Haliacmon would turn their colour to white. This tradition is confirmed by the following record of the Roman author Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) : Similarly in Macedonia, those who want their sheep to be white go to Haliacmon, while those (who want them to be) black (go) to Axios (Vardar).