Throughout its long history, this inland sea has been called by different names. The ancient Georgians called it Spersky, the ancient Greek name was Pont Aksinsky, and even its Scythian name has survived to this day, but when and why the sea became “Black” is not certain. There are different versions that propose the name “Black” as the designation of the northern side of the world, others say that the name was given because of the anchors that turned black after serving in these waters. We will leave it to the historians to figure it out one day.

The Black Sea is an unusual sea. Nearly one third of the land area of continental Europe drains into this sea into which seven large rivers flow, including the major rivers of the Danube, Dnieper and Don. However, its only outlet is the narrow channel of the Bosphorus, which is only about 70 metres deep and 700 metres wide. The depth of the Black Sea itself is more than 2,000 metres in places.

The Euxine

The Black Sea, also called the Euxine Sea, was originally known by the Greeks as Axeinos, meaning Unkind to Strangers i.e. Inhospitable. By apotropaic euphemism, i.e. in order to prevent evil, the substituting of an inoffensive word for one considered offensive or hurtful, this epithet of Axeinos was later changed to its opposite, Euxeinos, Kind to Strangers i.e. Hospitable. Hence, in Roman times the Black Sea was known as Pontus Euxinus.