Euboea or Negroponte

EUBOEA or NEGROPONTE, the largest island of the Greek archipelago, about 90 m. from north-west to south-east, and from 3o m. to 4 m. in breadth. Its mountains prolong the chains bounding Thessaly to east and south, and continue south into Andros, Tenos and Myconos islands. Three principal masses are separated by fertile lowlands. In the north the highest peaks are Mts. Gaetsades (4,436 ft.) and Xeron (3,232 ft.), the former famed for medicinal plants in antiquity, and for hot sulphurous springs near the coast at Aedipsos (mod. Lipsos), called the Baths of Heracles, used in antiquity by Sulla, and frequented now for the cure of gout, rheumatism and digestive disorders. Opposite the Maliac gulf is the promontory of Cenaeum, where the highest point, Lithada (2,221 ft.), retains the old name of the Lichades islands off the cape. Here, and on the mainland coast of Trachis, was the scene of the death of Heracles (Sophocles, Trachinian Women). Almost facing the Gulf of Pagasae, the promontory Artemisium saw the naval battle between Greeks and Persians in 48o B.C.

In the centre, north-east of Chalcis, rises Dirphys (now Mt. Delphi, 5,725 ft.), whose bare summit carries snow till May, with pines and firs below, and then chestnuts and planes, one of the most conspicuous peaks in eastern Greece. At the south end, Mt. Ocha (now St. Elias, 4,83o ft.) is visible from Chios. The south-west promontory is Geraestus, the south-east, the dreaded Caphareus, overlooking the storm- and current-swept channel towards Andros. The whole east coast is rocky and harbourless, especially the part called "the hollows" where a Persian squadron went ashore in 48o B.C. Consequently the main traffic from the north Aegean to Athens used the inshore channels.

In Greek belief, Euboea had been torn from the mainland by earthquake, and ancient writers record tremors and volcanic activity here. The northern strait is at narrowest 12 m. wide, and at Chalcis, the Euripus channel, divided by a rock with ruined castle, is bridged, on the Boeotian side by a stone arch, on the Euboean, which is navigable, by an iron swing-bridge. The first bridge here was built by Boeotians when Euboea revolted from Athens in 411 B.C., making it "an island to all but themselves," and impeding Athenian supplies of gold and corn from Thrace, timber from Macedon, and horses from Thessaly. Extraordinary changes of current occur in the "fair-swirling" Euripus: Strabo says that it varied seven times daily, Livy more discreetly that it is "irregular." Modern shipping is warned of its vagaries by signals. The name was corrupted in the middle ages to Evripo and Egripo, and extended to the whole island. The Venetians, observing the "black bridge," misheard it as Negroponte.

Euboea has few streams. In the north-east the Budorus flows into the Aegean from two headwaters which may be the Cereus and Noleus, sheep drinking of which became in one case white, in the other black. On the north coast, near Histiaea, issues the Callas, with alluvial fertility, enhanced, as in the Achmet-aga district of the Budorus, by foreign settlers after the War of Liberation; south of Chalcis, the Lelantus, whose fertile coast plain was a breeding-place of horses, and a standing cause of feud between Chalcis and Eretria. In Chalcis the aristocracy were nicknamed Hippobotae, "ranchers." The mountains have good pasture for sheep and cattle ; the latter seem to have given Euboea its name. Forests are still extensive, and are better managed than formerly, but have been widely devastated by goats, fires, and reckless felling. In the mountains were formerly mines of iron and copper, and ancient Chalcis had fame from its swords. Magnesite is largely worked for export; lignite coal on the coast at Kymi, for local steamships; and from Carystus, at the south end, comes the green and white cipollino marble, very popular with architects in imperial Rome, and now again exported abundantly. The scenery of Euboea, especially in the northern highland, is among the most beautiful in Greece.

Population.

Euboea had other early names, Macris and Doliche from its length, Ellopia and Abantis from sections of its people. Various tribes occupied its principal districts : in the north, Histiaei and Ellopes from Thessaly ; in the centre Curetes and Abantes (the latter prominent in Homer) ; in the south Dryopes from Thessaly, in Carystus, Dystus, and Styra. The mod ern population is no less various : Greeks have immigrated from the mainland and other islands; the south is occupied, like much of Andros, by Albanians; and there are Vlach (Rouman) shep herds in the hill-country. Only one family remains of the English "philhellene" settlers of a century ago.

History.

The history of Euboea is mainly that of its chief cities Chalcis and Eretria (q.v.) on either margin of the Lelantine plain, about which their quarrels involved distant allies of each. Both were of Ionian origin, and colonized early in Campania, north-east Sicily, and in the Chalcidic promontory of the Mace donian coast. The later and more important colonies were from Chalcis. "Euboic" weights and measures facilitated intercourse, and were adopted by Athens (see SoLON) and many Ionian cities, and by Corinth with modifications. Eretria, repaying later the help of Miletus in the Lelantine war, by the raid on Sardis about 50o B.C. (see IoNIA) incurred utter destruction by Persia in 480 B.c. Thenceforward, though Eretria was rebuilt, and Histiaea and Carystus were prosperous, Chalcis predominated, but Athens imposed a cleruchy (q.v.) there in 5o6 B.C. and at Histiaea after the revolt of 446. The excuse for Athenian domination in Euboea lay in its production of corn and cattle, its command of the sea routes from north and east, and its strategical value in hostile hands. In 411, Euboea recovered independence, and took sub ordinate part in fourth-century politics. After the battle of Chaeronea (338 B.C.) it fell to Philip II. of Macedon. Philip V. fortified and garrisoned Chalcis, with Demetrias on the gulf of Pagasae, and Corinth, to be the "fetters of Greece." Hence its importance also for the Romans, in their wars with Antiochus and Mithridates.

Euboea (Negroponte) becomes once more important after the Fourth Crusade. In the partition of the Eastern empire among Latin adventurers, it was divided into three fiefs, but all soon became valuable dependencies of Venice ; and the lion of St. Mark may still be seen over the sea-gate of Chalcis, and elsewhere. At length, in 147o, Chalcis was captured by Mohammed II., and the whole island fell to the Turks. In 1688, Francesco Morosini besieged Chalcis for three months, but in vain. After the Greek War of Independence, the island was included, in 183o, in the new Greek State. In 1899 it became a separate province. It produces much grain and exploits its minerals mainly with foreign capital.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-N.

Ulrichs, Reisen and Forschungen in Griechenland, Bibliography.-N. Ulrichs, Reisen and Forschungen in Griechenland, ii. (Berlin, 1863) ; C. Bursian, Geographie von Griechenland, ii. (Leip zig, 1872) ; C. Neumann and J. Partsch, Phys. Geographie von Griech enland (3rd ed., Leipzig, 1905) ; for statistics see GREECE, Topography.

(J. L. My.)