Insight Pocket Guide Athens by Insight Guides
Author:Insight Guides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Travel, Greece
Publisher: Apa Publications
Published: 2017-06-23T04:00:00+00:00
Ancient Corinth
In ancient times Corinth rivalled Athens for power and influence. It mimicked the layout of the larger city – a town radiating out from the base of a rocky promontory which supported a temple of Aphrodite – though Acrocorinth is far higher and larger than the Acropolis.
Corinth was an active and prosperous city from the 8th to the 5th centuries BC, founding many colonies and competing fiercely with Athens; it sided with Sparta against Athens during the Peloponnesian Wars. During the Hellenistic period the city was economically prosperous despite political instability. After 224 BC when the Achaean League was formed, Corinth became a centre of independent Greek political life. This brought it into direct conflict with Rome, which razed Corinth to the ground in 146 BC.
The site was unoccupied for just over 100 years, until Julius Caesar began to rebuild the city in 44 BC; revitalised, Corinth soon became the capital of the Roman province of Achaea. The city developed its two ports (Kenchreai to the east and Lechaion to the west of the isthmus) and was flourishing when St Paul arrived on his first visit to Corinth in AD 50/51, when he successfully established a community of believers.
During the 3rd and 4th centuries Corinth suffered attacks by the Goths and a major earthquake in 375. The 6th century saw another earthquake and Slavic raids, after which the city was abandoned.
The modern, uninteresting city of Corinth lies several kilometres northeast of ancient Corinth (May–Sept 8am–8pm, Oct until 6 or 7pm, Nov–Apr until 3pm). Most prominent as you approach the site is the Doric Temple of Apollo, built in the 6th century BC and one of the oldest buildings in Corinth. Many other remains date from the Roman era, including ornate facades of the Fountain of Peirene, where you can still hear the waters flowing through cavities at the rear, and the Lechaion Way, with worn cart tracks clearly visible in the marble slabs.
The Bema (platform), traditionally believed to be where St Paul stood before the Roman consul, is situated to the south side of the agora. The site museum contains some interesting finds and features a number of dioramas depicting Corinth as it would once have looked.
After visiting the ancient city, head uphill to take in the magnificent site of Acrocorinth (daily 8am–3pm). Fortified since the 7th century BC, the summit is still encircled by high masonry walls continually reinforced during the Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman eras. At the summit, within three layers of protective walls, are the remains of a Temple of Aphrodite, an early Christian basilica, Byzantine cisterns, a Frankish tower, the upper Peirene spring plus Ottoman mosques and hamams.
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