Ancient Corinth Essay -- Greece Ancient History Historical Papers

Ancient Corinth ?Unlike most other cities in the ancient world, Corinth was a city destined for prosperity and longevity no matter who occupied it or how it was governed.? It is as old, or older, than any other ancient Greek city, with origins that lie only in myths and legends that are more than two thousand years old.? Little is known of who established the city or when it was actually founded.? What we do know is Corinth was a very important city and it became a major player in ancient Greek and Roman history.? ?The main reason for the existence of Corinth is the same reason for its greatness.? The ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean world produced this city out of geographical and commercial necessity.? The southern most part of Greece is very nearly an island, attached to the main landmass by only a four mile wide isthmus, with the Corinthian Gulf to the west, and the Saronic Gulf to the east.? Corinth sits along this narrow isthmus, making itself one of the most important trading and commercial centers of the ancient world.? Corinth was positioned perfectly between the two greatest political city-states in ancient Greece, Athens to the north and Sparta to the south; because, any traffic from these two cities, as well as anywhere else to the north and south, had no choice but to pass through Corinth.? The east and west traffic, on the other hand, had a choice to pass or not pass through Corinth, though limited as that choice was (Barclay 1).? The only way to sail east to west in th e Mediterranean was all the way around the southern tip of Greece, known as Cape Malea.? Cape Malea was considered the most dangerous Cape in all the Mediterranean due to its high seas, contrary winds, and difficult navigation (Engel... ...hey knew they could not keep such a gold mine lying in ruins.? So Corinth did not die, instead it was a cultural hubbub for over a thousand years. Bibliography Barclay, William. The Letter to the Corinthians, Revised Edition. The Westminster Press,? Philadelphia.? 1975 Engels, David. Roman Corinth, An Alternative Model for the Classical City. University? of Chicago,? Chicago, 1990. Papahatzis, Nicos. Ancient Corinth, The Museums of Corinth, Isthmia and Sicyon.? Ekdotike Athenon S.A.? Athens, 1981. Papakyriakou/Anagnostou, Ellen. ?History of Corinth?.?www.sikyon.com/Korinth/history_eg.html Parada, Carlos. ?The Seven Sages of Greece, Between Legend and History.? http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/SevenSages.html#Periander Strabo. ?Geography, 8.6.20-23? (Late 1st Century BCE-Early 1st Century)?www.abu.nb.ca/courses/Pauline/images/StraboCor.htm