Hellespont (
Greek ; i.e. "Sea of Helle", variously named in classical literature Hellesponium Pelagus, Rectum Hellesponticum, and Fretum Hellesponticum), was the ancient name of a narrow
strait also known by the contemporary European term '
the Dardanelles'. It was so called from
Helle, the daughter of
Athamas, who was drowned here in the
mythology of the
Golden Fleece.
Herodotus tells us that c.
482 BC the king
Xerxes I of Persia and son of
Darius had two bridges built across the width of the Hellespont at
Abydos in order that his huge army, ostensibly made of 5 million men (most historians put the actual number of this army at closer to 250,000 men, though a second school of thought lends the accounts of Herodotus more credence, bringing the number closer to 400,000), could cross from Persia into
Greece. These bridges were both destroyed by a storm (vii.34) and Xerxes had the heads of those responsible for building the bridges cut off and the river itself whipped.
The Histories of Herodotus vii.33-37 and vii.54-58 gives details of Xerxes' building and crossing of the bridges.
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