Ancient Isthmia

Isthmia is a small ancient settlement near Corinth. It was here that the temple of Isthmian Poseidon stood, but it was destroyed by fire and only ruins remain today. Nearby was the Isthmia Theater, where musical and ceremonial competitions were held. The theater itself has not survived, and its stone blocks were used to build a fortress. Isthmia is located on a narrow isthmus connecting central Greece with the Peloponnese. Since ancient times, this place has posed serious difficulties for sailors, as it separated the Saronic and Corinthian gulfs, and the route around the Peloponnese was long and dangerous. In the 7th century BC, under the ruler Pericles, an unusual stone road called Diolkos was built here. It ran from the eastern port of Kenchreai to the western part of the isthmus and was used to drag light ships overland. The road was 3.5 to 5 meters wide, paved with stone, and was especially valuable in wartime when it was necessary to quickly move the fleet between the gulfs. According to myth, Melicertes (Paleemon) drowned in the waters of the Saronic Gulf, and his body was washed ashore by a dolphin. King Sisyphus of Corinth, his uncle, arranged a lavish funeral and founded the Isthmian Games in his memory. The games began in 582 BC and were held every two years, second only to the Olympic Games in importance. Initially, only men participated, and the winners were awarded a wreath of pine branches, and later of wild celery. It is known that in 67 AD, even the Roman emperor Nero participated in the competitions. Over time, musical and rhetorical competitions were added to the program of the games, in which women could also participate. The ruins of baths have also been discovered in Isthmia. A Roman bath from the 2nd century AD was built on top of an earlier Greek bath built in the 4th century BC, which emphasizes the continuous importance of this place over the centuries.