Maliacus Sinus

Maliacus Sinus (ἡ Μαλιακὸς κόλπος; Μηλιακός Thuc. 3.96; Strab. ix. p.403; ἡ Μηλιεὺς κόλπος, Hdt. 4.33; Plb. 9.41: Gulf of Zitúni), Adj. Maliacus, a long gulf of the sea, lying between the southern coast of Thessaly and the northern coast of the Locri Epicnemidii, and which derived its name from the country of the Malians, situated at its head. At the entrance of the gulf is the northwestern promontory of Euboea, and the islands Lichades, and into its furthest extremity the river Spercheius flows. The gulf is called LAMIACUS SINUS (δ Δαμιακὸς κόλπος) by Pausanias (1.4.3, 7.15.2, 10.1.2), from the important town of Lamia; and in the same way the gulf is now called Zitúni, which is the modern name of Lamia. Livy, who usually terms it Maliacus Sinus, gives it in one place the name of Aenianum Sinus (28.5), which is borrowed from Polybius (10.42). (Comp. Leake, Northern Greece, vol. ii. p. 4.)