⁣⁢Charon, who resided in the Greek underworld, was responsible for ferrying the dead, transporting newly deceased souls across the river Acheron. To ensure passage, the deceased had to pay Charon's fee, such as an obol or a Persian denarius, which guaranteed that proper funeral rites had been performed. Those unable to pay would haunt the banks of Acheron for a century as ghosts.⁤⁣

⁣⁢Although commonly linked to the River Styx, Charon's task primarily concerned the River Acheron. The association with the Styx, leading to the realm of Hades, was a later addition to the myth, as it was the most famous river in the Greek underworld.⁤⁣