This article is about the river in Georgia. For the Italian municipal subdivisions, see rione.
The Rioni (Georgian: რიონი, Rioni; Ancient Greek: Φᾶσις, Phᾶsis) is the main river of western Georgia. It originates in the Caucasus Mountains, in the region of Racha and flows west to the Black Sea, entering it north of the city of Poti (near ancient Phasis). The city of Kutaisi, once the ancient city of Colchis, lies on its banks. It drains the western Transcaucasus into the Black Sea while the river Kura, drains the eastern Transcaucasus into the Caspian Sea.
Herodotus considered the Rioni river as a boundary between Europe and Asia.[1]
Ancient authorsedit
Known to the ancient Greeks as the river Phasis, the Rioni was first mentioned by Hesiod in his Theogony (l.340); Plato has Socrates remark: "I believe that the earth is very large and that we who dwell between the pillars of Hercules and the river Phasis live in a small part of it about the sea, like ants or frogs about a pond" (Phaedo, 109a). Later writers like Apollonius Rhodius (Argonautica 2.12.61), Virgil (Georgics 4.367) and Aelius Aristides (Ad Romam 82) considered it the easternmost limit of the navigable seas. Herodotus and Anaximander considered Rioni a boundary between Europe and Asia.[1] The famed voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, though semi-mythological, was said to have occurred by the Argonauts sailing up the river Phasis from its outlet to the Black Sea at Poti, to Colchis (modern Kutaisi in Georgia).[citation needed]
Pheasantedit
The term "pheasant" and the scientific name Phasianus colchicus are derived from "Phasis" and "Colchis",[2] as this was said to be the region from which the common pheasant was introduced to Europe[3] (the ring-necked pheasants were introduced later from East Asia).
Drainingedit
It is said that "the failure of Colchis to emerge as a strong kingdom or to be maintained as a province of Rome has been blamed on the pestilential climate of the Phasis Valley, a situation remarked upon by travelers down to modern times, when the swamps were finally drained."[4] Wetlands around Rioni River has been drained through a large reclamation-drainage project commissioned by government in 1960. After that, the area was cleared and converted to agricultural land.[5]
Descriptionedit
The Rioni is the longest river wholly within the borders of Georgia. The river is 327 kilometres (203 mi) long, and its drainage basin covers about 13,400 square kilometres (5,200 sq mi).[6] It starts on the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains at 2,960 metres (9,710 ft) above sea level, north of the town Oni. Its largest tributaries are, from source to mouth: Jejora (left), Qvirila (left), Khanistsqali (left), Tskhenistsqali (right) and Tekhuri (right).
^ abHeinz Heinen, Andrea Binsfeld, Stefan Pfeiffer. Vom hellenistischen Osten zum römischen Westen. Wiesbaden, Germany: Franz Steiner Verlag, 2006, pg. 324 ISBN3515087400
^Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 113, 302. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
rioni, this, article, about, river, georgia, italian, municipal, subdivisions, rione, georgian, რიონი, ancient, greek, Φᾶσις, phᾶsis, main, river, western, georgia, originates, caucasus, mountains, region, racha, flows, west, black, entering, north, city, poti. This article is about the river in Georgia For the Italian municipal subdivisions see rione The Rioni Georgian რიონი Rioni Ancient Greek Fᾶsis Phᾶsis is the main river of western Georgia It originates in the Caucasus Mountains in the region of Racha and flows west to the Black Sea entering it north of the city of Poti near ancient Phasis The city of Kutaisi once the ancient city of Colchis lies on its banks It drains the western Transcaucasus into the Black Sea while the river Kura drains the eastern Transcaucasus into the Caspian Sea RioniRioni River in Racha RegionNative nameრიონი Georgian LocationCountryGeorgiaCitiesKutaisiVaniSamtrediaPotiPhysical characteristicsSourceMain Caucasian RangeCaucasus MountainsMouthBlack Sea locationPoti coordinates42 11 3 N 41 38 10 E 42 18417 N 41 63611 E 42 18417 41 63611Length327 km 203 mi Basin featuresTributaries leftTekhuri Qvirila rightTskhenistsqali Contents 1 History 1 1 Ancient authors 1 2 Pheasant 1 3 Draining 2 Description 3 Phasis river at Taprobana 4 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Herodotus considered the Rioni river as a boundary between Europe and Asia 1 Ancient authors edit Known to the ancient Greeks as the river Phasis the Rioni was first mentioned by Hesiod in his Theogony l 340 Plato has Socrates remark I believe that the earth is very large and that we who dwell between the pillars of Hercules and the river Phasis live in a small part of it about the sea like ants or frogs about a pond Phaedo 109a Later writers like Apollonius Rhodius Argonautica 2 12 61 Virgil Georgics 4 367 and Aelius Aristides Ad Romam 82 considered it the easternmost limit of the navigable seas Herodotus and Anaximander considered Rioni a boundary between Europe and Asia 1 The famed voyage of Jason and the Argonauts though semi mythological was said to have occurred by the Argonauts sailing up the river Phasis from its outlet to the Black Sea at Poti to Colchis modern Kutaisi in Georgia citation needed Pheasant edit The term pheasant and the scientific name Phasianus colchicus are derived from Phasis and Colchis 2 as this was said to be the region from which the common pheasant was introduced to Europe 3 the ring necked pheasants were introduced later from East Asia Draining edit It is said that the failure of Colchis to emerge as a strong kingdom or to be maintained as a province of Rome has been blamed on the pestilential climate of the Phasis Valley a situation remarked upon by travelers down to modern times when the swamps were finally drained 4 Wetlands around Rioni River has been drained through a large reclamation drainage project commissioned by government in 1960 After that the area was cleared and converted to agricultural land 5 Description editThe Rioni is the longest river wholly within the borders of Georgia The river is 327 kilometres 203 mi long and its drainage basin covers about 13 400 square kilometres 5 200 sq mi 6 It starts on the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains at 2 960 metres 9 710 ft above sea level north of the town Oni Its largest tributaries are from source to mouth Jejora left Qvirila left Khanistsqali left Tskhenistsqali right and Tekhuri right Phasis river at Taprobana editStephanus of Byzantium wrote that there was also another river which was named Phasis in Taprobana Ancient Greek Fᾶsis ἐn tῇ Taprobanῃ Ceylon or Sri Lanka 7 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rioni a b Heinz Heinen Andrea Binsfeld Stefan Pfeiffer Vom hellenistischen Osten zum romischen Westen Wiesbaden Germany Franz Steiner Verlag 2006 pg 324 ISBN 3515087400 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm pp 113 302 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Oxford English Dictionary Draft Revision September 2009 Robert H Hewsen Armenia A Historical Atlas 2001 page 38 Tiefenbacher John ed 2012 Perspectives on Nature Conservation Patterns Pressures and Prospects Rijeka Croatia IntechOpen p 66 ISBN 9789535100331 Statistical Yearbook of Georgia 2020 National Statistics Office of Georgia Tbilisi 2020 p 12 Stephanus of Byzantium Ethnica Ph660 2 This article related to a river in Georgia is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rioni amp oldid 1176792901, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
