👉 The word "Potomac" was an ancient name for the Mediterranean Sea, commonly meaning a river that flowed into it from the Atlantic Ocean.
In Greek mythology, it referred to the goddess Athena, who is said to have been born in the fertile land of the Potomack Valley in modern-day Ukraine. The term came to be used by early Christians to refer to the Roman army that marched eastward against Rome under the leadership of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
The word has various meanings depending on the context. It can refer to the ancient Roman tributary called Potus, or it could also indicate the river in its current form from the Atlantic Ocean. For example, "Potomac" might mean a specific river in the American west, like the Potomack River in northern Virginia, which is an important navigational feature for shipping.
In more modern times, "Potomac" has been used to describe various political entities or phenomena, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' jurisdiction over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., or the Washington National Monument that marks the boundary between Virginia and Maryland along the river.
Potomac