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Eupalinos (Ancient Greek: Εὐπαλῖνος) or Eupalinus of Megara was an ancient Greek engineer who built the Tunnel of Eupalinos on Samos Island[1]: 27 [2] in the late 6th century BC[1]: 27 . Though the construction of the tunnel has been attributed to the tyrant Polycrates of Samos[1]: 27 , it is now considered to be a later construction and having been built between 550 and 530 BC[3]: 149 . In any case, the tunnel was, and is, regarded as a major feat of engineering[3]: 149 .
The tunnel 1,036 m (3,399 ft) long[citation needed] conveyed water from a spring near Mount Kastro through the mountain into the ancient city of Samos (modern Pythagoreio)[3]: 149 [1]: 27 . It was the longest one of its time[citation needed] and it still exists. The tunnel was excavated from both ends[1]: 27 [4]: 173 , but it is not the first one known to be built in this manner -- a tunnel channeling water to Jerusalem was built from both ends at the same time earlier, in the 8th century BC[4]: 173 .
The route of the tunnel does not follow a direct line -- for several hundred meters on both ends it does follow a straight line, but in the middle third there are several turns[1]: 29 [3]: 150 . Additionally, the tunnel has two parts: A main tunnel and a trench running along the left side of the main tunnel[1]: 27 . The main tunnel is 1.8 m × 1.8 m (5.9 ft × 5.9 ft) square in cross-section[1]: 27 . And, while the main tunnel is horizontal, the trench gets progressively deeper with an average gradient of 0.4% and gets from 3.5 to 8.5 m (11 to 28 ft) deep[1]: 28 [3]: 150 . On the bottom of the trench ran terracotta pipeline carrying the water[1]: 27 [3]: 149 .
Eupalinos is considered the first hydraulic engineer in history whose name has been passed down. Apart from that, though, nothing more is known about him.[5]
Efpalinos Tunnel, a road tunnel built under the Geraneia mountains in Corinthia and completed in 2017, is named after Eupalinos.
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