Euxine

Euxine is the ancient Greek name for the body of water known today as the Black Sea. In Greek, Pontus Euxinus translates to the Hospitable Sea, from eu- meaning good and xenos meaning host or guest; the phrase appears in classical writers and cartography. In modern usage, the sea is commonly called the Black Sea, with “Euxine Sea” reserved for historical or scholarly contexts.

Geographically, the Euxine lies at the boundary between Europe and Western Asia, bordered by Turkey to the south and east, and by Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia along its shores. It connects to the Aegean and the Mediterranean through the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, and to the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait. The northern coast adjoins the Pontic Mountains and the Crimean region; the sea contains several major ports on its western and eastern shores. The deepest points reach about 2,200 meters.

Historically, the Pontus Euxinus played a central role as a corridor for Greek colonization and trade along the northern coast, linking Greek city-states with peoples of the Eurasian interior. The name Pontus Euxinus is attested in Herodotus and other ancient geographers. Over subsequent centuries the region fell under Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman influence. Today, while the term Euxine Sea is encountered in historical contexts, the body of water is ordinarily referred to as the Black Sea.

Hydrology and ecology are notable features: the Black Sea exhibits strong vertical stratification with an anoxic bottom layer, a condition that preserves submerged artifacts but limits deep-water marine life.