(now Egrifpo or Negropont), the largest island in the Aegean Sea, is separated from the coasts of Attica, Boeotia, Locris, and Thessaly, by the Eubean Sea, which, at its narrowest part, between Chalcis and the Boeotian shore, is called the Euripus. The length of the island, whose general outline is long and narrow, is about 90 miles; its breadth varies considerably—at the broadest part it measures about 30 miles, at the narrowest not more than four. It is traversed throughout its entire length by a mountain range, some of the peaks of which attain a great elevation. On the eastern coast Dirphys or Dirphie, now Mount Delphi, rises 7300 feet above the sea. At the southern extremity the highest mountain is Oche, now called St Elias, rising to the height of 4750 feet. On the western side, the highest peaks are Mounts Kandilli and Telethrius, the former 4200 and the latter 3100 feet above the sea. At the foot of Mount Telethrius are the celebrated hot springs, known as the Thermae. Opposite the entrance of the Maliae Gulf is the promontory of Cenenum, near which is Mount Lithadha nearly 2900 feet high. At the N.E. extremity of the island is the promontory of Artemisium, celebrated for the great naval victory gained by the Greeks Eubulides over the Persians, B.C. 480. The continuous plains in the island are few in number and comparatively small in extent.

The largest of these is that of Lelantum, between Eretria and Chalcis; next that of Histrea, at the northern extremity of the island, opposite the coast of Thessaly. The south-western portion of the island was called Gerestus, the south-eastern Caphares.

Euboea was believed to have originally formed part of the mainland, and to have been separated from it by an earthquake. Its northern extremity is separated from the Thessalian coast by a strait which at one point is not more than a mile and a half in width. From the promontory of Cercum southwards for about fifteen miles the depth of the channel is so great that half a mile from the shore no bottom has been found with 220 fathoms of line. The water, however, gradually shoals from this point to Chalcis. At this town the strait, assuming the name of Euripus, contracts to a breadth of not more than 120 feet; and a bridge has been thrown across it at this point, connecting the island with the Boeotian coast. The rivers of Euboea are so few in number, and so scanty in volume, that the scarcity of water is often severely felt. On the eastern side are the Budoros, and the Lelantus flowing through the plain of the same name. On the north coast was the Callas. Two other streams, the Cereus and the Neleus, are mentioned, about which nothing is known save that sheep dipped in the former became white and those in the latter black. The level ground of Euboea, which is of no great extent, was fertile in corn; while the mountains afforded excellent pasture for sheep and cattle. These pastures belonged to the state, and were let out to such as could afford to pay the necessary rent. In the mountains were several valuable mines of iron and copper; and the marble quarries of Carys tus at the south of the island were among the most important of Greece.

Euboea was originally known under other names, such as Macris, Hellipio, Oche, and Abantis. By Homer the inhabitants of the island are called from this latter name Abantes, though the island itself is mentioned under its name of Euboea by the same poet. In historical times Euboea was inhabited chiefly by Ionic Greeks, and of these the Athenians were the most prominent. As the island never at any time formed a separate state, it is impossible to give a general history of it as a whole. The history of the leading cities will be found under their respective heads. See Chalcis, Eretria, Histrea, &c. For the modern history of Euboea, see Negropont.