Axius river
| Vardar (Вардар), Axios (Αξιός) | |
|---|---|
Vardar in Veles
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| Country | Republic of Macedonia, Greece |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | Vrutok, near Gostivar |
| River mouth |
Aegean Sea, near Thessaloniki 40°30′27″N 22°43′3″E / 40.50750°N 22.71750°ECoordinates: 40°30′27″N 22°43′3″E / 40.50750°N 22.71750°E |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 388 km (241 mi) |
The Vardar or Axios (Macedonian: 
Вардар ; Greek: Αξιός Axiós or Βαρδάρης Vardárīs) is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is 388 km (241 mi) long, and drains an area of around 25,000 km2 (9,653 sq mi). The maximum depth of the river is 4 m (13 ft).
The etymology of the word is unclear. However most probably, the origin of the name Vardar derives Bardários from Thracian, from Proto-Indo-European (PIE) *(s)wordo-wori- 'black water'. It can be considered a translation or similar meaning of Axios, which itself is Thracian for 'not-shining' from PIE *n.-sk(e)i (cf. Avestan axšaēna 'dark-coloured'), and found in another name at the mouth of the Danube, Axíopa "dark water", renamed in Slavic Cernavodă 'black water'. The name Bardários (Βαρδάριος) was sometimes used by the Ancient Greeks in the 3rd Century BCE. The same name was widely used in the Byzantine era. The word may ultimately be derived from the PIE root *werǵ-, which is also the source of the English word "to work."
Its Greek name, Axios (Αξιός), is mentioned by Homer (Il. 21.141, Il. 2.849) as the home of the Paeonians allies of Troy.
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