Ancient Corinth holds a unique place in Greek history, characterized by its dynamic blend of economic power, cultural vibrance, and strategic significance. Located at the crossroads of the Peloponnese and mainland Greece, Corinth flourished as a central hub for trade, commerce, and art from the early archaic period through the Roman era. The city’s ports provided critical access for trade routes that spanned the Mediterranean, making it one of Greece's wealthiest and most influential city-states. Corinth’s culture was as notable as its wealth, marked by its renowned festivals, athletic competitions, and advances in art and architecture. Its reputation for innovation and prosperity positioned it among the ancient world’s most notable city-states, rivaling even Athens and Sparta in influence.

The Romans destroyed the city of Corinth in 146 BCE, built a new city in its place in 44 BCE, and later made it the provincial capital of ancient Greece.

"Korinthos" (Κόρινθος) was the Greek name for the ancient city of Corinth, a major city-state located on the Isthmus of Corinth in ancient Greece. The city’s name, "Korinthos", has roots in Greek mythology, with its origins often linked to the myth of Sisyphus, the city's legendary founder. In addition to its political and economic influence, Korinthos was renowned for its cultural and architectural advancements, producing beautiful pottery, sculptures, and monumental buildings, such as the Temple of Apollo. The term also evokes the ancient Greek culture, athleticism, and cosmopolitan nature of the city, which hosted the Isthmian Games, a major Panhellenic festival second only to the Olympics.

circa 700 BCE - 400 CE

Peirene Fountain
Peirene is one of the most important topoi in the urban landscape of both Greek and later Roman Korinthos. Human activity is attested in the area from the Neolithic period, and the first efforts in water management date to the geometric period. The facility was gradually embellished from the Archaic period forward, so that by the second century BCE, it consisted of six chambers providing access to three deep draw basins supplied with water by conduits excavated hundereds of meters back under the forum. The water was stored in four huge reservoirs.

Peirene was one of the first structures rebuilt after the establishment of the Roman colony. The fountain was now housed within a large rectangular court. The facade of this pase had Doric order half-columns between arches framing the earlier antechambers. The second storey was a solid wall with engaged Ionic order half-columns. The Doric and Ionic blind colonnade alse adorned the eastern and westerns walls of the court. The central sunken rectangule is a draw basin accessed by a short broad stair and not a pool. Waterspouts in the sides of the basin were served by large conduits running under the courtyard floor.

Following the partial destruction of the earlier phase, perhaps by earthquake, the east and west apses were added in late antiquite and the reused marble columns and their decorative outlookers in front of the facade are Byzantine additions. In later centuries, the ground level rose and the court was occupied by a small chapel and cemetery. Even after the fountain and courtyard were completely buried; the fountain continued to provide water for the village fountains and numerous wells.

Myth records two origins for the spring, one in which Poseidon's lover Peirene literally dissolved into tears when Artemis accidentaly killed her son Kenchrias. The other attributes its creation to the hoof print of the winged horse Pegasus when he stamped in irritation on being bridled by Bellerophon.

circa 700 BCE - 400 CE

Port of Lechaeum
The Greek port of Lechaeum, located on the northern coast of the Isthmus of Corinth, was a vital maritime hub for ancient Corinth. Established around 650 BCE, it was strategically positioned to facilitate trade and commerce between the Greek mainland and other regions, including Italy, Sicily, and the western Mediterranean.

Lechaeum’s construction marked a significant advancement in Corinthian maritime infrastructure. The port featured a series of docks, warehouses, and other facilities that supported a bustling trade network. It was connected with the city of Corinth by means of the Long Walls, 12 stadia in length. Its deep waters allowed for the mooring of larger vessels, making it an essential point for the import and export of goods, such as pottery, metals, and agricultural products. As a result, Lechaeum contributed significantly to Corinth's wealth and status as a major trading power in the ancient world.

The port's development was closely tied to the political and economic growth of Corinth. Lechaeum was the chief station of the Corinthian ships of war; and during the occupation of Corinth by the Macedonians, it was one of the stations of the royal fleet. It was also the emporium of the traffic with the western parts of Greece, and with Italy and Sicily. Throughout the Archaic and Classical periods, Lechaeum saw extensive construction and expansion, including the building of fortified walls and other defensive structures but the proximity of Lechaeum to Corinth prevented it from becoming an important town like Piraeus. The port was also linked to the famous Diolkos, which allowed ships to be transported overland, further enhancing Corinth’s strategic importance in maritime trade.

Lechaeum continued to thrive throughout the Hellenistic period and into Roman times. However, by the late Roman period, the port began to decline, partially due to natural disasters and changing trade routes. Despite this decline, Lechaeum's historical significance as one of the major ports of ancient Greece endures, and archaeological excavations have revealed much about its layout, function, and the daily life of those who used it.

circa 600 BCE - 1000 CE

Road Network
The route of the ancient traveler Pausanias through the ancient city of Corinth, Forum of Korinthos during the second century CE, together with the results of modern excavations and archaeological studies conducted on the site by the American Archaeological School of Athens, provide a detailed plan about the main roadways of the ancient city from the classical to the Roman period. At the same time, the modern visitor has the opportunityto see the remains of two main roads of the Roman city, the Lechaion and Kenchraie road.

The characteristic of the Roman urban planning are the large roads (avenues). They cross the city, intersect in its center and end at the city gates. The so-called "cardo maximus", from north to south and the "decumanus maximus", from east to west. At the intersection of the main roads was situated the Agora, the forum, i.e. the Roman social and religious center, an open space, bordered by colonnades and monumental buildings.

circa 600 BCE

The Heroon at the Cossroads
On the hillside where the bema of the Roman Forum was later built in the middle of the first century CE and alongside a road leading southward to Acrocorinth, a cemetery had been developed during the geometric peiod (circa 1050-720 BCE).

Later on, during the early Corinthian period (circa 620-590 BCE) one of the cemetery's graves was looted; it was the grave of an arthritic male, about 40-45 years old and 1.72 meters tall. As a direct result of this action, a cult activity started on the site, presumably because the Corinthians feared pollution from the looting of the grave. A few years after, in the middle Corinthian period (590-570 BCE), a small rectangular open-air enclosure was built over the grave.

The height of its poros wall can be restored to just above the eye-level. The various and valuable votive offerings found inside the temenos suggest that the dead man was most likely venerated as a hero. The temenos remained in use until the destruction of Korinthos in 146 BCE and was damaged by the laying of the bedding for the paving of the Roman Forum of Corinth.

circa 560 BCE

Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo of Korinthos (modern day archaeological site of Corinth) is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Greek world, dating to around 560 BCE. Built during the Archaic period, the temple originally featured 15 monolithic limestone columns (each made from a single block of stone) of which seven are still standing today. These remaining columns are among the most iconic ruins of ancient Corinth. The temple was dedicated to Apollo, the Greek god of music, prophecy, and healing, and served as a major religious center for the Corinthians. Its architecture is notable for its robust and simple Doric design, reflecting the early Greek style that emphasized symmetry and proportion. Although modified during the Roman period, the structure retained its Greek identity, unlike many other buildings in Corinth that were Romanized. The American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) has extensively studied the Temple of Apollo, and their findings reveal aspects of its original layout, function, and later modifications. The temple’s ruins offer insights into both the religious practices of ancient Greeks and the architectural evolution of the Doric style.

circa 450 BCE

Lechaion Road
The Lechaion road was the main north-south artery of ancient Corinth. During the Roman period it ultimately linked the Agora of Corinth with the harbour of Lechaion on the Corinthian gulf some 3 kilometers to the south. During the time emperor Augustus, it was unpaved and was open to wheeled traffic. The road was paved with limestone slabs under emperor Vespasian, when traffic was confined to pedestrians. At this period there were narrow pavements either side of the road with gutters to carry runaway rainwater. A row of shps was created on the eastern and western sides of the road, and colonnades and bases for dedications were set between the shops and the pavements. The road began to lose its importance from the tenth century CE onwards and was finally abandoned after the earthquake of 1858 CE.

circa 400 BCE

South Stoa
The south stoa, one of the largest porticoed buildings in ancient Greece, was built in the late fourth century BCE, to the south of the race track of Korinthos. The excavation of the south stoa by the American School of Classical Studies was started in 1933 and completed in 1948 CE.

The stoa covers an area of about 0.4 hectares and measures 164.38 x 25.15 meters. Its facade has 71 Doric order columns, and it had a second internal colonnade of 34 Ionic order columns. The back part of the stoa consisted of 33 similar two-chambered apartments. The ground-floor chambers were equipped with wells to keep water and wine cool and served as shops and restaurants. Only three of these apartments, in the Hellenistic period stoa, on the west are in relatively good state of preservation.

During the Roman period (first until third century CE), the majority of the rooms in the stoa were converted into separate areas of differing sizes and uses. Of these, we may single out; the Agonotheteion, which was connected with the Isthmian games, a propylon, which lead to the south basilica, a fountain house, the bouleuterion, which dates from the second half of the first century CE, a late Roman period bath and public latrine dating from the late antiquity.

About the middle of the first century CE, a paved road leading to Kenchreai ran through the middle of the stoa. Although the back part of the stoa gradually lost its fine appearance and unified function, the front part, with the two colonnades, retained it form and unity. The stoa was finally abandoned in the sixth century CE and left to ruins.

circa 40 CE

Rostra (Bema)
The rostra (bema) was a marble structure, dating back to the middle of the first century CE, dominating the face of the terrace of the upper forum at Corinth. It took the form of an open propylon with a U-shaped ground plan, which stood on a rectangular pedestal measuring some 15.6 x 7.2 meters. THe pedestal had a crepis with two steps and on the north projected 3 meters above the level of the lower forum. Its superstructure consisted of eight pillars, the three central intervals between which were open while the two pairs at each end were blocked with walls and benches. The pedestal was flanked by two unroofed rooms (exedrae) that had benches on two of their three sides. In addition to these rooms, there were marble staircases communicating between the lower and upper forum.

The rostra or the bema was the venue for pubic ceremonies, from which the assembled citizens were addressed by the proconsul of Corinth. It is thought to have corresponded to the bema mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. The apostle Paul was brought to the Bema by the elders of Korinthos' synagogue, who accused him of subversive teaching against the Mosaic law. The proconsul Gallio, however, judged that the teaching did not constitute an offence against Roman law.

Durin the Byzantine period a Christian church with at least two phases was built on the site and ruins of the rostra. The second phase was a three-aisled basilica (circa 11-12 century CE). Either side of the bema were the main shops of the forum, the remains of which can still be seen by modern visitors.

circa 50 CE

Temple E
Temple E of ancient Korinthos, also known as the Temple of Octavia, was a Roman temple built in the early first century CE. It was dedicated to the imperial cult, specifically honoring Octavia, the sister of Emperor Augustus, and symbolized the Roman influence in Corinth after the city was reestablished as a Roman colony in 44 BCE. The temple was located prominently in the Roman Forum of Korinthos, modern day archaeological site of Corinth. The structure likely included Corinthian columns, combining Greek and Roman architectural elements as a statement of Roman power and cultural integration. Its construction was part of the Roman effort to reinforce loyalty and reverence for the emperor and his family, and it served as a focal point for civic and religious activities in Corinth.