ATHENS to CORINTH – of canals and Corinthians

Tuesday – today is the first day of my two day private tour to a selection of history packed places.  An early breakfast – (doesn’t it look scrumptious?) and after checking my luggage into the hotel storage (I will only need an overnight bag) I am waiting in the lobby for my driver.  A sleek black car pulls up out the front and an immaculately dressed gentleman walks in.  He is my driver – I don’t believe it.  He takes my bag and opens the back door for me.  In I slide and we are on our way.  I feel like a younger version of Driving Miss Daisy!

His name is Evangelis – and he is full of knowledge about the places we will go – he has also said that if there is any place i want to see close to where we will visit just let him know.  WOW – such a nice chauffeur, we are going to have a great two days.

It is a lovely day – brilliant blue skies – and our first stop this morning is the Corinth Canal.

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island.

Several rulers of antiquity dreamed of digging a cutting through the isthmus.  The canal, though executed in the late 19th century, has been a 2000-year-old dream. Before its construction, ships in the Aegean Sea that wanted to cross to the Adriatic or anchor in Corinth, a rich shipping city, had to circle the Peloponnese, which would prolong their journey an extra 185 nautical miles – or even transport their ships overland. Yoiks.

Walking across the little bridge, not the one in the photo – it is incredible to look in both directions.  There is a little shopping centre about 50 metres from the bridge so of course, I get a fridge magnet!

Back in the car and we are on our way to Ancient Corinth.

On the way we spy Acrocorinth – the great temple on its Acropolis was dedicated to Aphrodite. Throughout history, Corinth was one of the most important cult centres for the Goddess of Love. According to some sources, there were more than a thousand temple maidens serving at the Sanctuary of Aphrodite.  These maidens offered their services to all in the name of Aphrodite – the mind boggles wondering what sort of services!!!

Evangelis tells me that I can walk up the mountain to the temple – I hastily decline and tell him I will admire from a distance – thank you all the same.

The day is heating up and when we arrive at the ruins, Evangelis advises he cannot come in with me – but I can wander around and and take as long as I want.  I pay the Entry Fee of Euro 8 and I am given a little brochure – here I go.  The first thing that grabs your eye is the Temple of Apollo but that it still a walk away from the entrance – more on that later.

First point of interest is the Fountain of Glauke.

According to local narratives, Glauke, daughter of King Kreon of Corinth, was about to marry Jason (from Argonaut fame) and who was already married to the Kaukasian witch Medea.  A little before her wedding, Glauke received a poisoned garment from Medea, which burst into flames immediately it was worn, In order to be saved, the girl fell in the fountain, which was named after her.

A walk around the path leads me to the Temple of Apollo.  This is the showpiece of the ruins.  It grabbed my eye as soon as I walked in.

The Temple was built about 540 B.C and was built on the ruins of much earlier temple.  There were six columns at each end and fifteen along the side.  It is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese; constructed of local limestone on top of an imposing, rocky hill, it was an emblem for the Greek city of Corinth, reflecting its growth and prosperity.  As you can most probably gather, it dominated Ancient Corinth.

It is great to stand here and imagine what it looked like – with all the other temples and buildings, this would be one amazing site.

Unfortunately most of Ancient Corinth lies in ruins, but then again most of Ancient Greece lies in ruins.  It certainly pays to do some research before you travel – maybe even print out some maps.

Moving along, this is Temple E.

As its name suggests, the deity for whom Temple E was built has not been identified.

There are two main suggestions, both of which rely in part on the description of Pausanias, a Spartan Regent and General.

The first is that it was a temple to Octavia, the sister of Augustus; the second is that it was a Capitolium temple. Neither has been proven.  The only part of this temple still standing is the three columns shown in the photo.

Walking around the pathway it is really hard to imagine what is what – some ruins have plaques some don’t – or if they do – I did not see them.  Looks like some research to be done when I get back home –

Bottom left is the South Stoa and on the right is an arched gateway to the Agora with the Temple of Apollo in the background.

A little bit of religion for you – St Paul the Apostle visited Corinth and while there he developed a friendship with Akylas and Priscilla who, like Paul were tent-makers and already knew some things about Jesus. He stayed and worked with them and every Saturday he preached to the Jews and Greeks.

During Paul‘s stay in Corinth, he was brought for judgement before the proconsul on the accusation of conducting illegal teachings.

However, the proconsul refused to judge what he considered to be a mere religious dispute among the Jews. According to tradition, the site of Paul’s trial was the Bema, a large elevated rostrum standing prominently in the centre of the Roman Forum and from where the city’s officials addressed the public. Probably because of the monument’s connection to St Paul, the Bema was transformed into a Christian church during the Byzantine period.

The day is heating up even more and I still have a long way to go – next is the Fountain of Peirene – unfortunately there is no water.  According to myth, the monument owes its name to the nymph Peirene, while another myth links it to Pegasus – that fabulous winged horse.

The first indications alluding to its use date back to the Neolithic period.  It included six chambers with access to three pumping basins. These were fuelled by four huge cisterns. Its façade was constructed during the early Roman period, bearing Doric semi-columns framing the arched openings in front of the old chambers. A little later, a rectangular yard placed to the north of the fountain was surrounded by high walls. At the centre of the courtyard, the open-air fountain was created at a lower level and supplied with water through large ducts below the courtyard floor.

Of course there is much more to see but I think that I have had enough – so it is another long walk through the North Market and back to the entrance.  There is a little museum here but I will be glad to get back to the shade of the car and some cold water.  Next stop Mycenae – –