Euthymenes facts for kids
Euthymenes of Massalia was an ancient Greek explorer. He lived around the early 500s BCE. He came from a city called Massalia, which is now Marseille in France. Euthymenes was known for his amazing sea voyages. He explored the coasts of West Africa.
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Who Was Euthymenes?
Euthymenes was a brave Greek explorer. He lived a very long time ago, in the 6th century BCE. He was from Massalia, a Greek city that is now known as Marseille in France. He became famous for his journeys by sea.
His Big Journey
Euthymenes sailed along the coast of West Africa. During his trip, he found a very large river. The water from this river made the sea near its mouth taste fresh or a little salty. This mix of fresh and salty water is called brackish.
Euthymenes believed this big river was the Nile. However, many historians today think it might have been the Senegal River instead.
What He Thought About the Nile
Euthymenes wrote down his adventures. Sadly, his original writings are now lost. But other ancient writers knew about his work. For example, Plutarch, a famous Greek historian, mentioned Euthymenes. Plutarch wrote that Euthymenes thought the Nile River was filled by the great Oceanus. He also believed the sea outside Oceanus was naturally sweet.
Other Writers and Euthymenes
Another important Roman writer, Seneca the Younger, also knew about Euthymenes' account. Seneca wrote about it in his book Naturales quaestiones. However, Seneca disagreed with Euthymenes for several reasons.
Seneca's View
Seneca shared what Euthymenes reportedly said: "I have sailed the Atlantic sea." Euthymenes claimed that the Nile River flowed strongly when the Etesian Winds were blowing. These winds are strong, regular winds that blow in the Mediterranean. He thought the winds pushed the sea back. When the winds calmed down, the Nile flowed with less power. Euthymenes also said that the seawater tasted fresh and had animals similar to those found in the Nile. Seneca, however, did not agree with these ideas.
A Statue in His Honor
Today, you can find a statue of Euthymenes in Marseille. It is on the front of the bourse, which is a stock exchange building. The statue was made by Auguste Ottin. It stands next to another statue of a famous explorer from Marseille, Pytheas.
