Icarian Sea

Between the Cyclades and Anatolia, the Icarian Sea surrounds islands including Samos, Icaria and Patmos. Greek tradition placed the fall of Icarus in these waters, after he flew too near the sun while escaping Crete with his father Daedalus. The sea also had a fearsome reputation among ancient sailors: Homer compared its wind-driven waves to a gathering stirred into motion, while Horace associated them with shattered ships.