ÆGEAN SEA, (anc. geogr.) now the Archipelago, a part of the Mediterranean, separating Europe from Asia and Africa; washing, on the one hand, Greece and Macedonia; on the other, Caria and Ionia. The origin of the name is greatly disputed. Festus advances three opinions: one, that it is so called from the many islands therein, at a distance appearing like so many goats; another, because Ægæa queen of the Amazons perished in it: a third opinion is, because Ægeus, the father of Theseus threw himself headlong into it.