Navigation on the Danube before the Days of Steam

Abstract

Herodotus (484–424 BC.), the father of history, is the first authentic writer who makes mention of the Danube. In part IV. (“Melpomene”) of his history under the heading “Dareios and Skythika” he writes as follows:

“The country of the Scythians is a flat plain, covered with grass, and well watered. It is crossed by rivers, as numerous as the graves in Egypt. I shall enumerate the most important of them, those which are directly accessible from the Pontus Euxinus. First comes the Istros (Danube) with its five mouths. As far as I know, the Istros is the largest of all rivers, and is equally high both in Summer and in Winter. It is the greatest river in the country of the Scythians; it has numerous tributaries: Pyretos (Pruth), Tiarantos (Aluta), Araros (Sereth), Naparis (Jalomitza) and Ordessos (Ardjis) in Scythia; Maris (Maros) in the country of the Agathyrsiens; Atlas, Auras and Tibisis (Theiss) in the mountains of Hämos (Balkan); Athyris, Noes and Artanes in Thrace; Kios in the mountain of Rhodope; in Illyria Brongos, and Karpis in the country of the Ombrikens. The Istros flows through the whole of Europe, from the country of the Celts, the most distant people in Europe .. ”