Histories

But Darius, when he came to that place in his march from Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa where the Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaBosporus was bridged in the territory of Calchedon, went aboard ship and sailed to the Dark Rocks [*](Rocks (the “Wandering” or “Clashing” Rocks of Greek legend) off the northern end of the Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaBosporus.) (as they are called), which the Greeks say formerly moved; there, he sat on a headland and viewed the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus, a marvellous sight.

For it is the most wonderful sea of all. Its length is eleven thousand one hundred stades, and its breadth three thousand three hundred stades at the place where it is widest.[*](Herodotus is wrong. The Black Sea is 720 miles long (about 6280 stades), and, at the point of Herodotus' measurement, about 270 miles broad; its greatest breadth is 380 miles. His estimates for the Propontis and Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont are also in excess, though not by much; the Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaBosporus is a little longer than he says, but its breadth is correctly given.)