The Phoenix River (Ancient Greek: Φοῖνιξ; also Phoinix) is a river in Greece.
Geographical context The Phoenix River is located in south-eastern Thessaly, and within the Malis region specifically south of TrachisHerodotus (Rawlinson - ibid.) [7.198] a range of lofty hills, impossible to climb, enclosing all Malis within them, and called the Trachinian cliffs - [7.200] the Phoenix, which has no great body of water, flows from the same hills which is at the base of Mount Oeta. The Phoenix originates in the Trachinian cliffs and flows into the Asopus near to Thermopylae. From the Phoenix to Thermopylae was determined by Herodotus to be fifteen furlongs distance. In this land there was a village named Anthela.Herodotus (Rawlinson - ibid.) [7.200] From the river Phoenix to Thermopylae is a distance of fifteen furlongs; and in this space is situate the village called Anthela
Historical significance
The Phoenix River is described by Herodotus in reference to Xerxes (βασιλεὺς Ξέρξης: King Xerxes) who had invaded mainland Greece during 480 BC. Xerxes fought the Battle of Thermopylae commencing in August of 480.
In the account of the landing of Xerxes in Greece Herodotus states before arriving in Malis Xerxes and his army were in Thessaly Herodotus (Rawlinson - ibid.) [7.198] Such were the doing of Xerxes in Thessaly and in Achaea, From hence he passed on into Malis, along the shores of a bay, in which there is an ebb and flow of the tide daily. which is where C. Plinius Secundus locates a river named Phoenix in The Historie of the World.
Cultural significance Phoenix was son of Amyntor, basileus of Hellas, which before Thucydides was the name for the geographical region south of Thessaly. Strabo (in Geographica) states the river is named after Amyntor's son and that his tomb is near to it.
See also Φοίνικας ποταμός in Achaia (Αχαΐα) Phoenix
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