Eupalinos

Eupalinos of Megara was an ancient Greek engineer who built the Tunnel of Samos in the 6th century BC. The tunnel, presumably completed between 550 and 530 BC,^[1] is the second known tunnel in history which was excavated from both ends and the first with a methodical approach in doing so.^[2] Being also the longest tunnel of its time, the Tunnel of Eupalinos is regarded as a major feat of ancient engineering.

The Greek historian Herodot describes the tunnel briefly in his Histories (3.60) and calls Eupalinos of Megara its architect. Eupalinos is supposed to be the first hydraulic engineer in history whose name has been passed down.^[3] Apart from that, though, nothing more is known about him.

A large road tunnel, named after Eupalinos has been recently built under the Geraneia mountains in Corinthia, to facilitate the new expressway connection between Athens and Corinth. Eupalinos tunnel is the longest of three subsequent tunnels of the same width at this expressway.