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Korinthia
Korinth: Corinth is built on the
Isthmus, the canal connecting Central Greece with the Peloponnese; she
overlooks the Saronic Gulf, the Aegean as well as the Ionian Sea protected by
the hill of the Acrocorinth and possesses numerous springs. The city called
by Homer Ephyra ("the richest") occupies one of the most privileged
locations in continental Greece. For that reason, she was inhabited from the
fifth millennium BC and had been the mythical city of Medea, of Sisyphus and
of Vellelrephontes. She was re-established by the Dories and she was the
first among the Greek cities where hereditary kingship evolved into
aristocracy, under the rule of the Bachiadae dynasty and later into tyranny
with Cypselus and Periandrus as the first tyrants (629,585 BC). At that time
she was one of the biggest colonial powers, founder of Corfu and Syracuse, as
well as one of the pioneers in the production of copper utensils and vessels,
which were largely exported in all the markets of the Mediterranean between
650 and 550 BC. The city is built on a rocky hill above the Isthmus. Around
550 BC, on the most conspicuous position, they built one of the most ancient
Doric temples in Greece, devoted to Apollo. This was a peripteral long temple
with 6 pillars on the facades and 15 on each long side. A transversal wall
divided the main temple into two sections.
Each section had a facade with two
pillars, a porch and a cella with a double row of pillars at the back. The
biggest part of the temple was destroyed, but one can follow its plan by the
indentations on the walls used to insert plaques. Today, in their place,
there are seven pillars on the south, over the Agora and on the east, above
the road with the pillars that led to the port of Lechaeon. On the
northwestern side one can see the two large theatres on the slope of the
mountain, brought to light after excavations.
Isthmia: Just
to the east of Corinth is the ancient site of Isthmia,
which is worth a visit if you can get there. The
archaeological museum of Isthmia is quite good, but not as
frequented as the one at Corinth. Isthmia was the site
of a sanctuary of Poseidon and every two years games were
held there similar to those at Olympia and Delphi. |