Ancient Corinth
 
 
 

 Corinth Canal

Today, as in antiquity, Corinth, along with Patra, is one of the two major gateways to the Peloponnese. There's no reason not to stop to see the ships slipping through the impresive Corinth Canal that cuts across the isthmus and then head straight for Ancient Corinth, bypassing the modern city altogether. The modern town was moved here in 1834 after an earthquake devastated the settlement at Ancient Corinth. As a result Corinth is now a thicker of undistinguished, flat-roofed buildings.

A LOOK AT THE PAST:

The site of Corinth was already occupied in Neolitic times. In historical times it's foundation to Korinthos, son of Marathon, and to Sisyphos. about 1000 B.C. Doric settlers esthabilished themselves here beside a Phoenician trading post. Under the bacchiad dynasty (from 747 B.C.) the city enjoyed a period of prosperity, founding colony on Corfu and at Syracuse. In 657 B.C. the Bacchiads were succeeded by Kypselos, who ruled for 30 years as a tyrant and was folowed by son Periandros, an absolute ruler for 40 years.
Periandros ranked as one of the Seven Sages, and during his reign the arhaic culture of Corinth reached its apogee, the city's political and economic power being matched by its cultural achievment.
In 196 B.C. Corinth became the headquarters of the Achaean League. In 146 it was plundered and destroyed by a Roman general, Mummius, and remained in a state of ruin until Caesar rebuilt it in 44 B.C.. In 51-52 A.C. the Apostle paul lived and taught in Corinth. In the 2nd century the city was embellished by the Emperor hadrian and Herodes Atticus. In 521 Corinth was destroyed by a sever earthquake, and there after only Acrocorinth remain inhabited, until a settlement grew up the 10th century, in the area of the ancient Agora. Neither under the Franks (1210) not under Turkish rule was corinth able to recover its former importance, not indeed has it done in modern times. 

WHAT TO SEE & DO:

The Corinth Canal
Almost everyone stops here and have a look at the canal that separetes the Peloponnese from the mainland. The Roman emperors Caligula and Nero has tried, and failed, to dig a canal with slave labor. Nero was obsesed with the project but left the real work to the 6.000 Jewish slaves.In modern times the French engineers who built the Corinth Canal between 1881 and 1893 used lots of dynamite, blasting trought 285 feet of sheer rock to make this 4-mile-long, 30-yard-wide passageway.

The Archaeological Museum
Has a particulary fine collection of the famous Corinthian pottery decorated with red-and-black figure of birds and animals. There are also a number of statues of Roman worthies and several mosaics. You could see an extensive collection of finds from the shrine of Ascelpios; graphic representations of intimate body parts.

Ancient Corinth
You could see here the Temple of Apollo, which stands on a low hill overlooking the remains of the Roman Agora (marketplace). Only seven of the temple's 38 monolithic Doric columns are standing. Two spots in the agora are specially famous the Bema and the Fountain of Peirene. In the 2rd century A.D. the famous Roman Herodes Atticus rebuilt the original fontain house and Peirene was a women who wept so hard when she lost her son. The Bema was the public platform, where Saint-Paul had to plead his case up in front of the Roman governor Gallo in 52 A.D.

Acrocorinth
A superb natural acropolis, was fortified first in antiquity. Everyone who come later -the Byzantines, Franks, Vanetians and Turks- simply added on the original walls. Today, there are three courses of outer walls, massive gates with towers, and a jumble of ruined houses, churches, and barracks.

ALTERNATIVE DESTINATION:

Isthmia
Was one of the fuor place in Greece where panhellenic games were held. According to legend, the games here were founded in 582 B.C. in honor of a certain Meliertes, whose body was carried ashore by a dolphin at the very moment that the Delphic Oracle had releaved that a harsh famine would end only then the Corinthians honored someone who had died at sea. You could see here the Site and Museum of Isthmia, the principal temple (dedicated to Poseidon), the ancient stadium, and a small museum were you could see some glass-mosaic panels founded in the harbour of Kenchreai

GETTING THERE:

78 km. from Tolo, 89 km from Athena
Altitude: at sea level; Population: 22.000
By Bus
There are at least 15 busses a day to Nafplion from the Stathmos Leoforia Peloponisou in Athens.
By Train
There are several trains a day from Athens to Corinth.
By Ferry
Ferry service from Brindisi-Italy.
By Car
From Athens the National Highway.