The City of Corinth - Essay Example

The City of CorinthThe city of Corinth is situated south of Greece approximately fifty miles from Athens and approximately two miles from narrow isthmus to the south that creates a land bridge in between the Peloponnesus and the main land of Greece (Harrison, Everett F 102 ). Two major harbors were controlled by Corinth and therefore it the trade routes between Rome and Asia. Among the important reasons that drew Paul to Corinth was its location that is strategic.The city of Corinth flourished between 8th and the 5th centuries B.C. The city played a leading role against the Achaean League, something that made the Roman consul Lucius Mummius to burn and damage Corinth in 146 B.C., leaving her in ruins.

The remains of the city are a section of the old market place, the Temple of Apollo’s seven colums together with a fountain that was maintained into its original state by the Romans. Corinth was rebuilt as Roman colony by Julius Caeser around 46-44 B.C. and it was renamed Colonia Laus Julia Corinthiensis, “Corinth the praise of Julius” (Rothaus, Richard M. 140).The Greek were the majority of the population, but a big number of the Roman military veterans stayed there too, with a sprinkling of Phrygians and Phoenicians.

Corinth was once populated with 500,000 slaves and 200,000 free men. The city’s Roman character is evident by the large number of Latin names that are associated with the city in the New Testament: Priscilla Crispus, Aquila, Gaius, Lucius, Erustus, Tertius, Fortunatus, Quartus, and Achaicus.The Roman province of Achaia capital became Corinth (MacArthur, John 156). In Roman Corinth, temples that were old were restored and enlarged, new markets and shops built, water supplies that were new were developed, and a lot of public buildings were introduced (including 3 government buildings together with an amphitheatre with a capacity of over 14,000).

In the 1st century, the public marketplace of Corinth (agora, forum) was bigger than any that was in Rome. By 50 A.D. Corinth was visited by Paul. The city was the most modern, beautiful, and industrious city in Greece. According to Acts 18:4, the city was a Jewish synagogue. Crispus who was the ruler of synagogue was baptized by Paul himself (1 Cor. 1:14). Apparently Timothy and Silas the remaining converts at Corinth. In the city of Corinth, one could find the cults of the gods of Rome, Egypt and Rome (Bergant, et al 78).

The Temple of Aphrodite, goddess of love, was standing at the top of Acrocorinth; by Paul’s time, it had fallen into ruins. This was a city that was catering for travelling salesmen and sailors who spent their money gladly there. “Corinth” became a phrase for immorality which was often mentioned by Paul. Corinth eventually became not just a synonym for luxury and wealth, debauchery and wealth, but even for faith. Also famous in Corinth was the Posedon temple, ruler of the sea (the commercial life of Corinth depended on it) and the earthquakes maker (a common peril in the area).

In the city, as commonly found in different parts of ancient Greece, there existed a shrine devoted to Asklepios, the healing god, and Hygieia his daughter. On the hill that was overlooking the main forum of the Roman city, stood the Apollo’s temple, which was serving as a reminder of ancient splendor of Corinth. Work citedBergant, Dianne, and Robert J. Karris. The Collegeville Bible Commentary: Based on the New American Bible. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 1992. Print.Harrison, Everett F.

 Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964. Print.MacArthur, John. 1 Corinthians: Godly Solutions for Church Problems. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2006. Print.Rothaus, Richard M. Corinth, the First City of Greece: An Urban History of Late Antique Cult and Religion. Leiden: Brill, 2000. Print.