Corinth and back to Athens

We left Athens this morning, via our trusty coach, driver George and guide Evie, and headed for Corinth. Impressions as we left the city: smog, lots and lots of cars ( reportedly 3500 in the city) producing clogging traffic on terrible roads; fascinating graffiti ("it's Greek to me"). Four million out of the total Greek population of 11 million, live in Athens, which has its share of illegal immigrants ( Albanians ). The Turks occupied Athens from 15 - 19 C a.d.and in 1830 it was liberated. In 1834, Athens was deemed the capital of the new Greek state. In less than two centuries, it became an independent state. Otto was the first king - but there has been no Greek king or queen - all descended from royal famlies of Europe.

Presently, Greece is a parliamentary republic. The position of President is largely symbolic/ceremonial - he serves a 5-year term and is elected by Parliament. The prime minister has the real power and is elected by the people.

A couple more Greek facts: There are two national highways: one, from Athens to Corinth; the second, from Athens to Thessaloniki. There is a rainy season which starts in November. there are 158 million olive trees; Greece is the 3rd largest producer of olive oil, worldwide, after Spain and Italy.  And, Greece is the 6th coun try in the world for seismic activity with the last major earthquake in 1999 measuring a 5.7 on the Richter scale.

Soon after we left Athens, we pulled off the road to look at the Canal of Corinth, built in 1893. This was cut through the Pellaponesia peninsula to enable ships to avoid having to sail around the peninsula, or portaging the ships along the diolkos (pathway for ships before the canal was dug). The canal is four miles long and twenty-five meters wide. The cliffs on either side are eighteen meters tall. The water kepth is 7-8 meters. 11 million cubic meters of dirt was moved!

And, on to Corinth - one of the oldest cities in Greece at 3,000 years old.  It has had the same name all that time.  The "bloom" of the city was in the 7th and 6th C AD.   The American School of Classical Studies began excavating in the 1890's.  What treasures they discovered!

This guy looks remarkably like Abram!

12 Twelve temples to pagan gods were found in Corinth. The population in Paul's day consisted of 250,000 free men and 400,000 slaves.

Beautiful pottery in black and red tones. 

Paul wrote Romans while he was in Corinth, which is located 78 km southwest of Athens.; he visited the city in 51 AD.   When Paul came, a common language and a Greek Old Testament ws already in place.  Same alphabet is used today; has been in palce for 3000 years.  It was derived from Phoeniian alphabet - Syria/Palestine.  Alexander the Great spread the Greek language throughout the Mediterrean basin.

       

                                                                    The "bema" where Paul preached in Corinth -amazing!

We left Corinth with a sense of wonder at what had been documented and saved, authenticating Paul's presence and teaching there - almost 2,000 years ago.