Corinth
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Corinth
Κόρινθος
Location
Coordinates 37°56′N 22°56′E / 37.933°N 22.933°E / 37.933; 22.933Coordinates: 37°56′N 22°56′E / 37.933°N 22.933°E / 37.933; 22.933
Government
Country: Greece
Periphery: Peloponnese
Prefecture: Corinthia
Population statistics (as of 2001)
City
- Population: 36,556
- Area: 102.2 km2 (39 sq mi)
- Density: 358 /km2 (926 /sq mi)
Other
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 0 - 10 m (0 - 33 ft)
Postal: 201 00
Telephone: 27410
Auto: KP
Website
www.korinthos.gr
Corinth, or Korinth (Greek Κόρινθος, Kórinthos (
[ˈkorinθos] (help·info)) is a city in Greece. In antiquity it was a city-state, on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. To the west of the isthmus lies the Gulf of Corinth, to the east lies the Saronic Gulf. Corinth is about 78 kilometres (48 mi) southwest of Athens. The isthmus, which was in ancient times traversed by hauling ships over the rocky ridge on sledges, is now cut by a canal.
Corinth is now the capital of the prefecture of Corinthia. The city is surrounded by the coastal townlets of (clockwise) Lechaio, Isthmia, Kechries, and the inland townlets of Examilia and the archaeological site. Geophysically the city is likewise surrounded by the narrow coastal plain of Vocha, Corinthian Gulf, Corinth Canal, Saronic Gulf, Oneia Mountains, and the monolithic rock of Acrocorinth where the medieval acropolis was built.
History
Prehistoric era
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The city was founded in the Neolithic Age, circa 6000 BC. According to myth, the city was founded by Corinthos, a descendant of the god Helios (the Sun), while other myths suggest that it was founded by the goddess Ephyra, a daughter of the titan Oceanus, thus the ancient name of the city (also Ephyra).
Before the end of the Mycenaean period (1100 BC) the Dorians attempted to settle in Corinth. While at first they failed, their second attempt was successful when their leader Aletes followed a different path around the Corinthian Gulf from Antirio.
Some ancient names for the place, such as Korinthos, derive from a pre-Greek, "Pelasgian" language; it seems likely that Corinth was also the site of a Bronze Age Mycenaean palace-city, like Mycenae, Tiryns or Pylos. According to myth, Sisyphus was the founder of a race of ancient kings at Corinth. It was also in Corinth that Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, abandoned Medea. During the Trojan War Corinthians participated under the leadership of Agamemnon.
Archaic Age
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747 BC | Bacchiad clan abolished monarchy and established their own aristocratic oligarchy.
747-650 BC | During Bacchiad rule Corinth becomes unified state.
747-650 BC | Large scale public buildings/monuments constructed during Bacchaid rule.
733 BC | Corinth established colonies at Corcyra and Syracuse.
730 BC | Corinth emerged as a highly advanced Greek city.
658-628 BC | Cypselus removed the Bacchiad aristocracy from power and ruled for three decades.
650 BC | Temples to Apollo and Poseidon built under tyranny of Cypselus.
600 BC | The tyrant Periander brought Corcyra to order.
581 BC | Periander's nephew who succeeded him was assassinated causing Corinth's dictatorship to come to an end.
581 BC | Isthmian Games established by leading families.
570 BC | Silver coins called 'colts' or 'foals' were started to be used.
550 BC | Corinth becomes ally of Sparta.
525 BC | Corinth formed a conciliatory alliance with Sparta against Argos.
519 BC | Corinth mediated between Athens and Thebes.
491 BC | Corinth mediated between Syracuse and Gala.
481-480 BC | Conference at Isthmus of Corinth (previous conference had been at Sparta) established Hellenic League, which allied against Persia under the Spartans.
Just before the beginning of the classical period, the trireme was developed here. This ship design would become widespread in the navies of the Mediterranean area until the late Roman period. Corinth took part in the first naval battle on record, against the Hellenic city of Corcyra. (Thucydides 1:13)
Classical Greek era
458 BC | Corinth defeated by Athens at Megara.
435 BC | Corinth and Corcyra war over Epidamnus.
433 BC | Athens allies with Corcyra against Corinth.
432-430 | Siege/Battle of Potidaea.
404 BC | Sparta refuses to destroy Athens causing bad relations with Corinth. Corinth joins Argos, Boetia, and Athens against Sparta in Corinthian War.
379 BC | Corinth and nine other cities join the Spartan League lead by Agesilaus in attempt to defeat Thebes and eventually take over Athens.
366 BC | The Athenian Assembly ordered Chares to occupy the Athenian ally and install a democratic government. But failed when Corinth, Phlius and Epidaurus allied with Boeotia backing Corinth up in the war.
338 BC | First congress of Corinth.
337 BC (Spring) | Second congress of Corinth established Common Peace.
337 BC (Summer) | During the time Philip began ravishing through Greece, the "League of Corinth" or the "Greek League" brought all of Greece, except Sparta, into alliance and united the country. The purpose was to end inter-country wars and focus on keeping Philip II out.
In classical times the ancient city rivaled Athens and Thebes in wealth, based on the Isthmian traffic and trade. Until the mid-6th century Corinth was a major exporter of black-figure pottery to cities around the Greek world. Athenian potters later came to dominate the market. It was once believed that Corinth housed a great temple on its ancient acropolis dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite; yet excavations of the temples of Aphrodite in Corinth reveal them to be small in stature . Despite the mythical story from Strabo of there being more than one thousand temple prostitutes employed at the Temple of Aphrodite, this was likely not accurate as the story rests on a misunderstanding. Corinth was also the host of the Isthmian Games.
In the 7th century BC, when Corinth was ruled by the tyrants Cypselus (r. 657-627 BC) and his son Periander (r. 627-585 BC), the city sent forth colonists to found new settlements: Epidamnus (modern day Durrës, Albania), Syracuse, Ambracia (modern day town of Lefkas), Corcyra (modern day town of Corfu) and Anactorium. Periander also founded Apollonia in Illyria (modern day Fier, Albania) and Potidaea (in Chalcidice). Corinth was also one of the nine Greek sponsor-cities to found the colony of Naukratis in Ancient Egypt. Naucratis was founded to accommodate the increasing trade volume between the Greek world and the pharaohnic Egypt, during the reign of Pharaoh Psammetichus I of the 26th dynasty.
