Corinth
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- For other uses, see Corinth (disambiguation).Missing image
Corinth_Temple_of_Apollon.jpgTemple of Apollo at Corinth
Corinth, or Korinth (Κόρινθος) is a Greek city, on the Isthmus of Corinth, the original isthmus, 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.
Corinth is about 48 miles (78 km) west 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. It is also the capital of the prefecture of Corinthia. The city is surrounded by Lechaio, Kalamaki, Loutraki, Geraneia mountains, and the southern mountains.
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History
Some very ancient names for places, such as Korinthos derive from a pre-Greek, "Pelasgian" language; it seems likely that Corinth was also the site of a Bronze Age Mycenean palace-city, like Mycenae, Tiryns or Pylos. Myth made Sisyphus the founder of a race of ancient kings at Corinth. In Corinth, Jason abandoned Medea.
Later, in classical times the ancient city rivalled 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. Corinth's great temple on its acropolis was dedicated to Aphrodite. According to most sources, there were more than one thousand temple prostitutes employed at the Temple of Aphrodite. Corinth was also the host of the Isthmian Games.
In the 7th century BC, when Corinth was ruled by the tyrants Cypselus and Periander, the city sent forth colonists to found new settlements: Syracuse, Ambracia, and with Corcyra, itself perhaps the site of an early Corinthian settlement, Apollonia and Anactorium. The city was a major participant in the Persian Wars, but afterwards was frequently an enemy of Athens and an ally of Sparta in the Peloponnesian League. In 431 BC, one of the factors leading to the Peloponnesian War was the dispute between Corinth and Athens over the Corinthian colony of Corcyra.
In the 4th century BC, Corinth was home to Diogenes of Sinope, one of the world's best known cynics.
The Romans under Lucius Mummius destroyed Corinth following a siege in 146 BC; when he entered the city Mummius put all the men to the sword and sold the women and children into slavery before he torched the city, for which he was given the cognomen Achaicus as the conqueror of the Achaean League. While there is archeological evidence of some minimal habitation in the years afterwards, Julius Caesar refounded the city as Colonia laus Iulia Corinthiensis in 44 BC shortly before his assassination. According to Appian, the new settlers were drawn from freedmen of Rome. Under the Romans it became the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia (Acts 18:12-16). It was noted for its wealth, and for the luxurious, immoral and vicious habits of the people. It had a large mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and Jews.
When Paul first visited the city (AD 51 or 52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. Paul resided here for eighteen months (18:1-18). Here he first became acquainted with Aquila and Priscilla, and soon after his departure Apollos came from Ephesus. Although he intended to pass through Corinth the second time before he visited Macedonia, circumstances were such, in the absence of Titus, that he went from Troas to Macedonia, and then likely passed into Corinth for a "second benefit" (2 Corinthians 1:15), and remained for three months, according to Acts 20:3.
During this second visit in the spring of 58 it is likely the Epistle to the Romans was written. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians reflects the difficulties of maintaining a Christian community in such a cosmopolitan city.
During Alaric's invasion of Greece, in 395–396, Corinth was one of the cities he despoiled, selling many of its citizens into slavery.
| North: Gulf of Corinth, Loutraki-Perachoras (NE) |
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| West: Velo | Corinth | East: Loutraki-Perachoras, Saronic Gulf (SE) |
| South:Saronikos |
Corinth today
| Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Capital: | Corinth | |
| Area: | 2,290 km² | |
| Inhabitants: | 141,823 (1991) | |
| Pop. density: | ? inh./km² | |
| ISO 3166-2: | GR-15 | |
| Car designation | KP | |
| Code for the municipalities: | 30xx | |
| Number of municipalities | 15 | |
| Area codes in Greece: | 11+30-274x0 | |
| Name of inhabitants | Corinthian sing. Corinthians pl. | |
| Postal code: | 20x xx | |
| Website: | Homepage of Corinthia (http://www.hellas.teipir.gr/prefectures/english/Korinthias/Genika.htm) | |
| Map | ||
Missing image GreeceCorinth.png Map showing Corinth within Greece | ||
Also Corinthia (Greek: Κορινθία), today, it is the second-most populated prefecture on the Peninsula. It is the second largest city in the Peloponnese.
The Corinth Canal, carrying ship traffic between the northern Mediterranean and the Aegean, is about 4 km east of the city, cutting through the Isthmus of Corinth. Slightly east a toll booth named Isthmia stood there but had moved about 2 km east near Kalamaki because the space was small, and 1.5 km of lights renovated. The only thing lying is the East Corinth-Loutraki westbound interchange today when construction was completed.
A city square is located next to its port. A port is founded north of the square. Boats are lined up in the harbor, and ships is also used there. In late-2003, people were against aluminium production in this port which will result of water contamination to Corinth and Loutraki, and cancer. This has been stopped.
A refinery that produces oil is founded slightly east of the city, and some think is the line marking the Athens metro area. The size is very large. It was surrounded by national road and freeway. Restaurants are served especially Goody's. It is also serve as a rest area for GR-8.
The city and Kalamaki has train stations. A river is south of city centre, and lined up with a main street.
In Loutraki, a beach, a town of around 6,000 and 7,000 has its statewide (nationwide)-famous spring water named Loutraki. It is bottled from the waters of Loutraki and possibly on Mount Geraneia and a mountain north of the town. It is the most famous beach along with Loutra Elenis 5 km NE of Corinth and 4 km north of GR-8A, E94.
Agioi Theodoroi is the easternmost Corinthian community and is considered a suburb of Athens.
The area around Corinth and the western Saronic including the southeastern part are made up of fault lines including the Corinth Fault and the Poseidon Fault and includes one running from Perahcora to Agioi Theodoroi. More faulta are near Kiras Vrysi and Sofiko.
Agriculture
The area is made up of many farmlands to the north and the west where it has olives, tomatoes, vegetables, pasture lands while the small mountains dominate the west, and some in the east and mountains dominate the south and northeast.
Its tallest mountain is Kyllini to its west.
History
From 1833 to 1899, it included Argolis and was known as Argolidocorinthia and included Hydra, Spetses and Kythira. Argolis joined Corinthia to re-form Argolidocorinthia again in 1909. Forty years later, in 1949, the prefecture was finally separated from Argolis, then Argolidocorinthia.
Climate
The climate of Corinthia has hot summers and mild winters. Most of the snow are founded in the mountains. In 2003, a torrential downpour devastated tens of cars on a local street and flooded properties.
Transportation
The area is connected by highways:
- E65, and with GR-8 to the boundary west of Derveni
- Greece Interstate 7
- Greece Interstate 8
- Greece Interstate 8A/E94 from Corinth to the boundary.
- Greece Interstate 66
Municipalities
| Municipality | Municipal code | Seat | Postal code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agioi Theodoroi | 3001 | Agioi Theodoroi | 200 03 |
| Assos-Lechaio | 3002 | Perigialo | 200 11 |
| Corinth | 3006 | Corinth | 201 00 |
| Evrostini | 3005 | Derveni | 200 09 |
| Feneos | 3015 | Goura | 200 14 |
| Loutraki-Perachoras | 3007 | Loutraki | 203 00 |
| Nemea | 3008 | Nemea | 205 00 |
| Saronikos | 3010 | Athikia | 200 05 |
| Sikyonies | 3011 | Kiato | 202 00 |
| Solygia | 3012 | Sofiko | 200 04 |
| Stymfalia | 3013 | Kaliani | 200 16 |
| Tenea | 3014 | Chiliomodi | 200 08 |
| Velo | 3003 | Velo | 200 02 |
| Vocha | 3004 | Zefgolatio | 200 01 |
| Xylokastro | 3009 | Xylokastro | 204 00 |
Places
Communities
For communities, see Communities of Corinthia
External links
- http://www.korinthia.net
- Media in Corinth (http://www.media.net.gr/korinthos.htm)
- http://www.culture.gr/maps/pelop/korinth/korinth.html
- GTP - Corinthia (http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=9233)
- Korinthorama (http://www.korinthorama.gr/korinthia/index.php)
- Geomorphological Survey of Eastern Korinthia (http://eleftheria.stcloudstate.edu/eks/1998season/98geomorph.pdf)
- KRRC Geomorphology (http://eleftheria.stcloudstate.edu/eks/1997season/97gmorph.pdf)
- Xenios Magazine articles on Corinthia (http://www.xeniosmagazine.gr/prefectures/corinthia/index1.html)
Partial text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Template:Corinthda:Korinth de:Korinth fr:Corinthe he:קורינתוס (עיר) la:Corinthus nl:Korinthe no:Korint ja:コリントス pl:Korynt pt:Corinto (Grécia) ro:Corint, Grecia sv:Korinth fi:Korintti zh:科林斯