DOCSLIB.ORG

Kleonai, the Corinth-Argos Road, And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Kleonai, the Corinth-Argos Road, And HESPERIA 78 (2OO9) KLEONAI, THE CORINTH- Pages ioj-163 ARGOS ROAD, AND THE "AXIS OF HISTORY" ABSTRACT The ancient roadfrom Corinth to Argos via the Longopotamos passwas one of the most important and longest-used natural routes through the north- eastern Peloponnese. The author proposes to identity the exact route of the road as it passed through Kleonaian territoryby combining the evidence of ancient testimonia, the identification of ancient roadside features, the ac- counts of early travelers,and autopsy.The act of tracing the road serves to emphasizethe prominentposition of the city Kleonaion this interstateroute, which had significant consequences both for its own history and for that of neighboring states. INTRODUCTION Much of the historyof the polis of Kleonaiwas shapedby its location on a numberof majorroutes from the Isthmus and Corinth into the Peloponnese.1The most importantof thesewas a majorartery for north- south travel;from the city of Kleonai,the immediatedestinations of this roadwere Corinthto the north and Argos to the south.It is in connec- tion with its roadsthat Kleonaiis most often mentionedin the ancient sources,and likewise,modern topographical studies of the areahave fo- cusedon definingthe coursesof these routes,particularly that of the main 1. The initial fieldworkfor this Culturefor grantingit. In particular, anonymousreaders and the editors studywas primarilyconducted as I thank prior ephors Elisavet Spathari of Hesperia,were of invaluableassis- part of a one-person surveyof visible and AlexanderMantis for their in- tance. I owe particulargratitude to remainsin Kleonaianterritory under terest in the projectat Kleonai,and Bruce Stiver and John Luchin for their the auspicesof the American School the guardsand residentsof Archaia assistancewith the illustrations. of ClassicalStudies at Athens. I would Nemea and Kondostavlofor their ac- All of the photographsand trans- like to thankthen-director James Muhly tive help. I would also like to thank lations of ancient texts are mine unless for supportingthe project,Maria Pilali Ronald Stroud,Stephen G. Miller, otherwise indicated.Spelling and punc- for her crucialrole in obtaining the IouliaTzonou-Herbst, andJames tuation in quotationsfrom earlytrav- necessarypermit, and the Fourth Herbst for readingearlier drafts of elers'reports have been modified to Ephoreiaof Classicaland Prehistoric this article.Their comments and conform to modern English. Antiquities and the Greek Ministry of suggestions,as well as those of the © The American School of Classical Studies at Athens IO8 JEANNETTE C. MARCHAND Corinth-Argos road.2 Nevertheless, controversy over the basic route of the road remains, important portions of the road have yet to see extensive investigation, and the relationship between this road and Kleonai s history has received little emphasis. The purpose of this article is thus threefold. The first aim is to sup- port those who have argued that this important road followed, at least in part, the route of the Longopotamos River, and to argue that the road on this basic route was the main, direct interstate route between Corinth and Argos throughout antiquity. The second aim of the article is to document physical evidence for the road itself in greater detail than has previously been done, and to compare it with the ancient literary evidence. The northern portion of the route in Corinthian territory has already been well documented, but topographi- cal investigations within the Kleonai valley have been few; here I propose that it is possible to identify the course of the road within Kleonaian territory more precisely, particularlywhere the road passed near the site of the To this end I build a case based on evidence as diverse city proper. 2. 1 should clear as ancient roadside the of local old begin by making features, reports residents, monopatia the distinctionbetween a route and a of the and the of travelers to (or footpaths), autopsy region, reports early road.A routeis a "natural"way through Greece. These last are particularlyimportant, since I argue that the early the landscapedictated by topography. modern road from Corinth to Argos and the ancient road are essentially A basic route may incorporatea num- ber of differentroads. Routes be the same.This is demonstrablefor the better-documented northernportion may utilized more or less heavilyin different of the route, as a close comparison of the physical features of the ancient periods,but unless the landscape road and the itineraries of the travelers will show; the early identifying changes,they continue to exist as an early modern road in the Kleonai valley and relating it to evidence for the option for travel.One can discuss a ancient road will thus form a basis for reconstructing this crucial portion specific roadwhen there is physical of the route. evidence for its exact course,such as A discussion of the of interstate routes for our wheel ruts or terracewalls, or other significance major evidence of the modificationof the of is the of this article, but it should understanding history beyond scope landscapefor or by travel.Occasionally, not be controversialto assert that as artifacts for the reconstruction roads, even when physicalevidence is lacking, of the ancient past, are as significant as any other edifice uncoverable by it is possible to speakof a roadwhen archaeology. In an age of increased agricultural mechanization (and the there is enough literaryand circum- stantialevidence as roadside use of explosives in road construction), the Greek landscape and the ways (such in which one moves it are traces of roadside structures)to pinpoint the courseof through changing rapidly; travel a in a features and old are as inaccessible land is through landscape given paths disappearing previously period.I would like to thankYiannis exploited. It is therefore important to document the results of autopsy and Pikoulasfor helping me in the field and the memories of older residents, who remember a less-ravaged landscape, instructingme on the basics of ancient before traces of old routes and local memories are gone. For this reason, the roads;I direct the readerto his works of this is devoted to the evidence for the course (1995, 1999) and their bibliographies majority paper detailing for on all of ancient of the road in the belief that the road evidence specifics aspects itself, represents primary road constructionin Greece and their that should be recorded for its own since its accurate identification sake, detection by autopsy.I have also relied is important for any future study of the history of the area. heavilyon the works of W. K. Pritchett The final aim of this study,which requiresthat a careful exposition of (e.g., 1969, 1980; his discussionof ancient Greek roadsin 143- the road and its related features first be laid out, is to stress the significance 1980, pp. best introductionto of the between the of its and 196, remainsthe relationship polis Kleonai, territory borders, the and on YannisLolos for and the course of the road. I will show that the topic), Corinth-Argos Indeed, adviceand assistancein the field;Lolos road passes directly below Kleonai s walls, and that the city thus had the 2003 is an invaluablesource for the capabilityof functioning much like a fortresson this majorroute. Adopting ancient terminologyof roads. KLEONAI AND THE CO RI NT H~A RGO S ROAD 109 a phrase coined by Fernand Braudel, Kate Adshead called the road from Corinth to (Argos and thence to) Tegea "anaxis of history."3It seems that this axis centered on Kleonai. The close relationship between Kleonai and this interstate route (and the city's command of any easy alternative branches of it), which is reflected in the ancient sources for the road, had important ramifications for Kleonai s history. The city's topography and its potential control of this direct route ultimately had a significant impact on the city's own political alliances and, to a certain extent, on those of its more powerful neighbors. CONTROVERSY AND THE LITERARY SOURCES In antiquity, the most direct and easiest route from northern Greece via the Isthmus and Corinth into the central and southern Peloponnese passed - through the plain of Kleonai (Fig. 1). The other options a coastal route along the Corinthian Gulf as far as Sikyon, or a mountainous route to the - southeast toward Epidauros constituted a significant detour for most destinations, and were preferable only when political reasons dictated.4 From the ancient city of Corinth, the direct route led first to Kleonai;from Kleonai, the travelercould branch off to head west via Nemea and Phlious to Elis or Sparta, or continue south directly to Argos. The earliest referenceto this route for long-distance travelappears in a fragment of Stesichoros, which places Kleonai on a route between Corinth and Argos as early as the 6th century B.C.The passage in question recounts the story of the Seven againstThebes, and Polyneikes'journey from Thebes to Argos takes him through Corinth and Kleonai: a\)Ta[p ejueix'arcepav en'] aoxeot mA,a KopivGoi) piucpoc8' [ei)KTiueva<;]KAecovaq fivGov and [then Polyneikes and the Theban lords departed for] the fair cities of Corinth, and swiftly arrived at [well-built] Kleonai5 In Stesichoros's poem, Polyneikes' route takes him directly to the city of "well-built"Kleonai from Corinth, and the closeness of these two locations via the Corinth-Argos road is emphasized. Although the passage is heavily restored and, as poetry, should be used with caution, it clearly indicates that a route providing swift access from Corinth to the city of Kleonai and thence to Argos was alreadyin use in the Archaic period. By the Roman period, we have direct literary evidence in the form of reports by Strabo (8.6.19) and Pausanias (2.15.1) that confirm that the 3. Adshead 1986, p. 2, n. 3, citing not merelyfor access to the sanctuary beyond the ancient Nemea valley Braudel1949, p.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sample Odyssey Passage
    The Odyssey of Homer Translated from Greek into English prose in 1879 by S.H. Butcher and Andrew Lang. Book I In a Council of the Gods, Poseidon absent, Pallas procureth an order for the restitution of Odysseus; and appearing to his son Telemachus, in human shape, adviseth him to complain of the Wooers before the Council of the people, and then go to Pylos and Sparta to inquire about his father. Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wandered far and wide, after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy, and many were the men whose towns he saw and whose mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered in his heart upon the deep, striving to win his own life and the return of his company. Nay, but even so he saved not his company, though he desired it sore. For through the blindness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from them their day of returning. Of these things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof, declare thou even unto us. Now all the rest, as many as fled from sheer destruction, were at home, and had escaped both war and sea, but Odysseus only, craving for his wife and for his homeward path, the lady nymph Calypso held, that fair goddess, in her hollow caves, longing to have him for her lord. But when now the year had come in the courses of the seasons, wherein the gods had ordained that he should return home to Ithaca, not even there was he quit of labours, not even among his own; but all the gods had pity on him save Poseidon, who raged continually against godlike Odysseus, till he came to his own country.
    [Show full text]
  • TUBERCULOSIS in GREECE an Experiment in the Relief and Rehabilitation of a Country by J
    TUBERCULOSIS IN GREECE An Experiment in the Relief and Rehabilitation of a Country By J. B. McDOUGALL, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P. (Ed.), F.R.S.E.; Late Consultant in Tuberculosis, Greece, UNRRA INTRODUCTION In Greece, we follow the traditions of truly great men in all branches of science, and in none more than in the science of medicine. Charles Singer has rightly said - "Without Herophilus, we should have had no Harvey, and the rise of physiology might have been delayed for centuries. Had Galen's works not survived, Vesalius would have never reconstructed anatomy, and surgery too might have stayed behind with her laggard sister, Medicine. The Hippo- cratic collection was the necessary and acknowledged basis for the work of the greatest of modern clinical observers, Sydenham, and the teaching of Hippocrates and his school is still the substantial basis of instruction in the wards of a modern hospital." When we consider the paucity of the raw material with which the Father of Medicine had to work-the absence of the precise scientific method, a population no larger than that of a small town in England, the opposition of religious doctrines and dogma which concerned themselves largely with the healing art, and a natural tendency to speculate on theory rather than to face the practical problems involved-it is indeed remarkable that we have been left a heritage in clinical medicine which has never been excelled. Nearly 2,000 years elapsed before any really vital advances were made on the fundamentals as laid down by the Hippocratic School.
    [Show full text]
  • Corinth in the First Century Ad: the Search for Another Class
    Tyndale Bulletin 52.1 (2001) 139-148. CORINTH IN THE FIRST CENTURY AD: THE SEARCH FOR ANOTHER CLASS Dirk Jongkind Summary A consideration of living spaces in ancient Corinth suggests that it is not possible to characterise its society as one made up merely of a very small number of élite alongside vast numbers of non-élite who were extremely poor. The variety of housing suggests the existence of another class. Introduction The city of Corinth had a glorious Hellenic past before its destruction by the Romans in 146 BC. Yet when it was refounded in 44 BC, it was not rebuilt as a Greek city, but as a Roman colony. Due to its economically strategic position near the Isthmus, the city prospered under Roman emperors. The apostle Paul wrote letters to the church of this city. According to some scholars (Theissen, Judge, Meeks), class-distinctions and social tensions within the church played a major role in the background against which Paul wrote. Though it is admitted that the Corinthians, like others, had ‘the poor always with them’, it is also argued from primary evidence that a portion of the Corinthian church belonged to the upper class. This view has recently received heavy criticism from Justin Meggitt, who in his comprehensive and lucid study Paul, Poverty, and Survival divides Roman society into essentially two groups: the élite and non-élite. The latter led a life just above starvation level: ‘In their experience of housing, as well as in their access to food and clothing, the Greco-Roman non-élite suffered a subsistence or near subsistence life.’1 According to Meggitt, this non-élite group 1 Justin J.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Theories of Foreignness (Kennedy, RECW Ch 1 Pp
    Clas 122 2017 Mon Oct 2: Homer and Hesiod: Early Theories of Foreignness (Kennedy, RECW Ch 1 pp. 3-13) Overview of Homer's Odyssey -- a map of the world imagined by speakers of Greek The poem itself invites its audience to think about: What is a good society? What is a good leader? As readers here and now, we can also ask critical Questions: What are the poem's blind spots? How does the poem encourage its audience to think and behave? Do the poem's ideas about a good society and a good leader have meaning today? The images below come from a series of collages and paintings by Romare Bearden (1911-1988). The Smithsonian Institution organized a bautiful exhibit of the series recently, and there is a good free app (showing many of the works and adding audio commentary) available for I phone and android; search for "A Black Odyssey" where you get apps. As our story begins ..... During his journey back to his home in Ithaca after the war at Troy, Odysseus is on the island of Calypso. Athena asks Zeus if Odysseus can come home to Ithaca. Zeus says yes, and sends Hermes to tell Calypso that Odysseus needs to come home. Calypso lets Odysseus build a raft and he departs. This is only possible because .... RECW 1.1 Od. 1.22-26: Poseidon, the god of the sea, is visiting the Ethiopians, and thus is not watching Odysseus. Poseidon had been thwarting the homecoming because of the way that Odysseus treated the Cyclops Polyphemus, who was descended from Poseidon.
    [Show full text]
  • Genetics of the Peloponnesean Populations and the Theory of Extinction of the Medieval Peloponnesean Greeks
    European Journal of Human Genetics (2017) 25, 637–645 Official journal of The European Society of Human Genetics www.nature.com/ejhg ARTICLE Genetics of the peloponnesean populations and the theory of extinction of the medieval peloponnesean Greeks George Stamatoyannopoulos*,1, Aritra Bose2, Athanasios Teodosiadis3, Fotis Tsetsos2, Anna Plantinga4, Nikoletta Psatha5, Nikos Zogas6, Evangelia Yannaki6, Pierre Zalloua7, Kenneth K Kidd8, Brian L Browning4,9, John Stamatoyannopoulos3,10, Peristera Paschou11 and Petros Drineas2 Peloponnese has been one of the cradles of the Classical European civilization and an important contributor to the ancient European history. It has also been the subject of a controversy about the ancestry of its population. In a theory hotly debated by scholars for over 170 years, the German historian Jacob Philipp Fallmerayer proposed that the medieval Peloponneseans were totally extinguished by Slavic and Avar invaders and replaced by Slavic settlers during the 6th century CE. Here we use 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms to investigate the genetic structure of Peloponnesean populations in a sample of 241 individuals originating from all districts of the peninsula and to examine predictions of the theory of replacement of the medieval Peloponneseans by Slavs. We find considerable heterogeneity of Peloponnesean populations exemplified by genetically distinct subpopulations and by gene flow gradients within Peloponnese. By principal component analysis (PCA) and ADMIXTURE analysis the Peloponneseans are clearly distinguishable from the populations of the Slavic homeland and are very similar to Sicilians and Italians. Using a novel method of quantitative analysis of ADMIXTURE output we find that the Slavic ancestry of Peloponnesean subpopulations ranges from 0.2 to 14.4%.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Mycenaean Arkadia: Space and Place(S) of an Inland and Mountainous Region
    Early Mycenaean Arkadia: Space and Place(s) of an Inland and Mountainous Region Eleni Salavoura1 Abstract: The concept of space is an abstract and sometimes a conventional term, but places – where people dwell, (inter)act and gain experiences – contribute decisively to the formation of the main characteristics and the identity of its residents. Arkadia, in the heart of the Peloponnese, is a landlocked country with small valleys and basins surrounded by high mountains, which, according to the ancient literature, offered to its inhabitants a hard and laborious life. Its rough terrain made Arkadia always a less attractive area for archaeological investigation. However, due to its position in the centre of the Peloponnese, Arkadia is an inevitable passage for anyone moving along or across the peninsula. The long life of small and medium-sized agrarian communities undoubtedly owes more to their foundation at crossroads connecting the inland with the Peloponnesian coast, than to their potential for economic growth based on the resources of the land. However, sites such as Analipsis, on its east-southeastern borders, the cemetery at Palaiokastro and the ash altar on Mount Lykaion, both in the southwest part of Arkadia, indicate that the area had a Bronze Age past, and raise many new questions. In this paper, I discuss the role of Arkadia in early Mycenaean times based on settlement patterns and excavation data, and I investigate the relation of these inland communities with high-ranking central places. In other words, this is an attempt to set place(s) into space, supporting the idea that the central region of the Peloponnese was a separated, but not isolated part of it, comprising regions that are also diversified among themselves.
    [Show full text]
  • Provided by the Internet Classics Archive. See Bottom for Copyright
    Provided by The Internet Classics Archive. See bottom for copyright. Available online at http://classics.mit.edu//Homer/iliad.html The Iliad By Homer Translated by Samuel Butler ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BOOK I Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another. And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest. Now Chryses had come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant's wreath and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their chiefs. "Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to reach your homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove." On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away.
    [Show full text]
  • With Samos & Kuşadası
    GREECE with Samos & Kuşadası Tour Hosts: Prof. Douglas Henry & MAY 27 - JUNE 23, 2018 Prof. Scott Moore organized by Baylor University in GREECE with Samos & Kuşadası / MAY 27 - JUNE 23, 2018 Corinth June 1 Fri Athens - Eleusis - Corinth Canal - Corinth - Nafplion (B,D) June 2 Sat Nafplion - Mycenaean Palace and the Tomb of King Agamemnon - Epidaurus - Nafplion (B, D) June 3 Sun Nafplion -Church of Agia Fotini in Mantinea- Tripolisand Megalopolis-Mystras-Kalamata (B,D) BAYLOR IN GREECE June 4 Mon Kalamata - Drive by Methoni or Koroni to see the Venetian fortresses - Nestor’s Palace in Pylos (B,D) Program Directors: Douglas Henry and Scott Moore June 5 Tue Pylos - Tours in the surrounding area - more details will follow by Nick! (B,D) MAY 27 - JUNE 23, 2018 June 6 Wed Pylos - Gortynia - Dimitsana - Olympia (B, D) June 7 Thu Olympia - Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, Museum - Free afternoon. Overnight Olympia (B,D) Acropolis, Athens June 8 Fri Olympia - Morning drive to the modern city of Corinth. Overnight Corinth. (B,D) June 9 Sat Depart Corinth for Athens airport. Fly to Samos. Transfer to hotel. Free afternoon, overnight in Samos (B,D) June 10 Sun Tour of Samos; Eupalinos Tunnel, Samos Archaeological Museum, walk in Vathi port. (B,D) June 11 Mon Day trip by ferry to Patmos. Visit the Cave of Revelation and the Basilica of John. Return Samos. (B,D) June 12 Tue Depart Samos by ferry to Kusadasi. Visit Miletus- Prienne-Didyma, overnight in Kusadasi (B,D) Tour Itinerary: May 27 Sun Depart USA - Fly Athens May 28 Mon Arrive Athens Airport - Private transfer to Hotel.
    [Show full text]
  • The Temples of Pallantion: Archaeological Collaboration in Arcadia
    THE TEMPLES OF PALLANTION: ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLABORATION IN ARCADIA Erik Østby Hardly anybody with some knowledge of art and history would have diffi- culties in recognizing a Doric temple; hardly any other manifestation of Classical Greek culture has the same immediate and direct appeal to us as these buildings have. In today's world, where comparatively few people are equipped with the linguistic competance and cultural insight which is essential in order to fully understand the literature and much of the figu- rative art of the ancient Greeks, the strict, clear, and purely abstract character of the Doric temple strikes chords which we recognize in our own culture, and the Doric temple is perhaps the most accessible statement of some of the deepest forces of the ancient Greek civilization. For good reasons the Parthenon, generally acclaimed as the supreme masterpiece of the Doric style, is today considered the principal symbol of the finest mo- ment in Greek history. When the Parthenon was conceived and constructed in the years after 450 BC, the Doric style had already been developing for a period of about 200 years. In order to fully understand and appreciate a building such as the Parthenon, it is obviously necessary to know as much as possible about its background in the Doric tradition, a tradition which is known to us exclu- sively through the buildings from an earlier period which happen to be preserved. Unfortunately, only a limited number of Doric temples antedat- ing the Parthenon are preserved to such an extent that their visual effect can be immediately appreciated; most of these are located in Southern Italy and Sicily.
    [Show full text]
  • The Higher Aspects of Greek Religion. Lectures Delivered at Oxford and In
    BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIET OF Henirg m. Sage 1891 .A^^^ffM3. islm^lix.. 5931 CornelJ University Library BL 25.H621911 The higher aspects of Greek religion.Lec 3 1924 007 845 450 The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924007845450 THE HIBBERT LECTURES SECOND SERIES 1911 THE HIBBERT LECTURES SECOND SERIES THE HIGHER ASPECTS OF GREEK RELIGION LECTURES DELIVERED AT OXFORD AND IN LONDON IN APRIL AND MAY igii BY L. R. FARNELL, D.Litt. WILDE LECTURER IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD LONDON WILLIAMS AND NORGATE GARDEN, W.C. 14 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT 1912 CONTENTS Lecture I GENERAL FEATURES AND ORIGINS OF GREEK RELIGION Greek religion mainly a social-political system, 1. In its earliest " period a " theistic creed, that is^ a worship of personal individual deities, ethical personalities rather than mere nature forces, 2. Anthrqgomorphism its predominant bias, 2-3. Yet preserving many primitive features of " animism " or " animatism," 3-5. Its progress gradual without violent break with its distant past, 5-6. The ele- ment of magic fused with the religion but not predominant, 6-7. Hellenism and Hellenic religion a blend of two ethnic strains, one North-Aryan, the other Mediterranean, mainly Minoan-Mycenaean, 7-9. Criteria by which we can distinguish the various influences of these two, 9-1 6. The value of Homeric evidence, 18-20. Sum- mary of results, 21-24. Lecture II THE RELIGIOUS BOND AND MORALITY OF THE FAMILY The earliest type of family in Hellenic society patrilinear, 25-27.
    [Show full text]
  • Greece • Crete • Turkey May 28 - June 22, 2021
    GREECE • CRETE • TURKEY MAY 28 - JUNE 22, 2021 Tour Hosts: Dr. Scott Moore Dr. Jason Whitlark organized by GREECE - CRETE - TURKEY / May 28 - June 22, 2021 May 31 Mon ATHENS - CORINTH CANAL - CORINTH – ACROCORINTH - NAFPLION At 8:30a.m. depart from Athens and drive along the coastal highway of Saronic Gulf. Arrive at the Corinth Canal for a brief stop and then continue on to the Acropolis of Corinth. Acro-corinth is the citadel of Corinth. It is situated to the southwest of the ancient city and rises to an elevation of 1883 ft. [574 m.]. Today it is surrounded by walls that are about 1.85 mi. [3 km.] long. The foundations of the fortifications are ancient—going back to the Hellenistic Period. The current walls were built and rebuilt by the Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottoman Turks. Climb up and visit the fortress. Then proceed to the Ancient city of Corinth. It was to this megalopolis where the apostle Paul came and worked, established a thriving church, subsequently sending two of his epistles now part of the New Testament. Here, we see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallio’s Seat. The small local archaeological museum here is an absolute must! In Romans 16:23 Paul mentions his friend Erastus and • • we will see an inscription to him at the site. In the afternoon we will drive to GREECE CRETE TURKEY Nafplion for check-in at hotel followed by dinner and overnight. (B,D) MAY 28 - JUNE 22, 2021 June 1 Tue EPIDAURAUS - MYCENAE - NAFPLION Morning visit to Mycenae where we see the remains of the prehistoric citadel Parthenon, fortified with the Cyclopean Walls, the Lionesses’ Gate, the remains of the Athens Mycenaean Palace and the Tomb of King Agamemnon in which we will actually enter.
    [Show full text]
  • Parthenon 1 Parthenon
    Parthenon 1 Parthenon Parthenon Παρθενών (Greek) The Parthenon Location within Greece Athens central General information Type Greek Temple Architectural style Classical Location Athens, Greece Coordinates 37°58′12.9″N 23°43′20.89″E Current tenants Museum [1] [2] Construction started 447 BC [1] [2] Completed 432 BC Height 13.72 m (45.0 ft) Technical details Size 69.5 by 30.9 m (228 by 101 ft) Other dimensions Cella: 29.8 by 19.2 m (98 by 63 ft) Design and construction Owner Greek government Architect Iktinos, Kallikrates Other designers Phidias (sculptor) The Parthenon (Ancient Greek: Παρθενών) is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron. Its construction began in 447 BC and was completed in 438 BC, although decorations of the Parthenon continued until 432 BC. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered to be the culmination of the development of the Doric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an Parthenon 2 enduring symbol of Ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. The Greek Ministry of Culture is currently carrying out a program of selective restoration and reconstruction to ensure the stability of the partially ruined structure.[3] The Parthenon itself replaced an older temple of Athena, which historians call the Pre-Parthenon or Older Parthenon, that was destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480 BC. Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as a treasury.
    [Show full text]