Malian Gulf

Map of Greece with the Phthiotis Prefecture highlighted

Map of the Malian Gulf shoreline at various times from Antiquity until the present day

The Malian or Maliac Gulf (Greek: Μαλιακός Κόλπος) is a gulf of the Aegean Sea in the region of Phthiotis in eastern Central Greece. The gulf is named after the ancient Malians who lived on its shores.

It stretches east to west to a distance of 15 to 22 km, depending on the definition. Due to the constant accretion of silt from the river the Spercheios and smaller streams, the gulf has been shrinking over the centuries and is very shallow, with a maximum depth of 27 m. Thus the ancient strait of Thermopylae, which at the time the famous battle was fought, was delineated by Mount Kallidromo and the Malian Gulf, has now become a broad coastal plain. The only harbour is that of Stylida, which serves the city of Lamia. To its east is the northwesternmost point of the island of Euboea, Cape Lichada.

Under the London Protocol of 1830, the line connecting the Malian Gulf and the Aspropotamos River was established as the northern border of the newly independent Greek state.

Coordinates: 38°52′N 22°38′E / 38.867°N 22.633°E / 38.867; 22.633