Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/701

 GORIKTHU& ite[fi«M>r, Stnb. viii. p. 380; Corinthmn ia Isthmo oondidit, Veil. Pat. u 3): in its more refttricted sense it wss applied to the narrowest part of the ]sthmns, and especially to the neighbonrhood of the Poeeideium and the locality of the Isthmian games (Hf elf Ktyxp4at Umw i^ ^l(r$fwv, Pans. ii. 2. I 3; ra nffBfUH drf^kMOfrOj Philcstr. ViL Iter, 5.) Most of the Greek writers make the breadth of the Isthmns 40 stadia. (Stmb. yiii. p. 335 ; Diod. xL 16; Seylax, pi 15.) Plinj states it as 5 miles (iv. 4. s. 5), and Mela 4 miles (iL 3). The Isst statement is the most correct, the real breadth being about 3^ English miles in direct distance. In the Byzantine time it was called rh ^c^ilAioi', the name which the Tillage on the Isthmns still beare, and which was also given to the Isthmns of Mount Athos. The only town on the Isthmus in ancient times was ScHOKinTS on the Saronic golf. (6 ^xoiyovs^ viii. p. 380 : Partus Schoenitas, Mel. ii. 3.) Situated at the nanrowest part of the Isthmus, it was the port of the Isthmian sanctuary, and the place at which goods, not intended ibr the Corinthian market, were transported across the Isthmus by means of the Diolcos. This harbour, which is now called Kutauuiki, is exposed to the east and sonth-esst : the site of the town is indicated by a few fragments of Doric columns. The Isthmian sanctuary lies rather less than a mile south-east of Schoenns. It was a level spot, of an irr^ular quadrangular furm, containing the temple of Poseidon and other sanctuaries, and was surrounded on all sides by a strong wall, which can still be clearly traced. The northern and north- eastern parts of the endoenre were protected by the wall, which extended across the Isthmus, and of which we. shall speak presently. On the other sides it was shut in by its own walls, which are in some cases more than 12 feet thick. The enclosure is about 640 feet in length; but its breadth varies, being about 600 feet broad on the north and north- east, but only 300 feet broad at its southern end. Its form, as well as the way in which it was con- nected with the Isthmio wall, is shown in the an- nexed plan copied from Curtius, which is taken with a slight improrement from Leake. The in- terior of the enclosure is a heap of mins, whidi in oonsoqumce of earthquakes and other devastating causes have been so mixed, that it is impossible without extensive excavations to discover the ground-plan of the different buildings. CORINTHUS. 68S PT^AH OF THE ISTRMIAlf SAKCTUAKr. A. The flanctuarr. B^ The Stadium. I C. The Theatre. I a a. Road to SSclioeaua. Pansanias*8 account of the Isthmian sinctuary ia unusually brief and unsatisfactory (ii. 1). He came to it from the port. Towards his left he saw the stadium and theatre, both constructed of white marble, of which there are still some vestiges. Both lay outside the sacred enclosure, the stadium towards the south, and the theatre* towards the west. Here the Isthmian games were celebrated; and these buildings were connected wiUi the sacred enclosure by a grove of pine trees. (Strab. viii. pw 380.) The main gate of the sanctuary appeare to have been in the eastern wall, through which Pauasnias entered. The road leading from this gate to the temple of Poseidon, was lined on one side by the statues of oonquerore in the Isthmian games, and on the other side by a row of pine trees. Upon the temple, which was not large, stood Tritcms, probably serving as weather-cocks, like the Triton on the Horologium of Andronicus Cyrrhestes at Athens. In the pronaus Pausanias saw two statues of Poseidon, and by their side statues of Amphitrite and Thalassa. The principal ornament of the cella was a magnificent gift of Herodes Atticus, consisting of four gilded horses with ivory hoofs, drawing the chariot of Poseidon, Amphitrite and Polaemon. The chariot rested upon a base, on which were represented in bas-relief Thalassa with her child Aphrodite in the centre, while on either side were the Nereids. The fragments of Doric columns found within the en* closure may be assigned to this temple. Leake measured the end of the fluting of one of these shafts, and found it ten inches and a half. Within the sacred enclosure, to the west, was tho' Palaemonkm, consisting of two sanctuaries, one above ground, containing statues of Poseidon, Leu- cothea, and Palaemon ; and a subterraneous adytum, where Palaemon was said to have been buried. This adytum was the most sacred spot in the Isthmus, since the festival was originally in honour of Pa- laemon. Poseidon was subsequently substituted for this local divinity as the patron god of the festival ; but Palaemon continued to receive special honour, and in his adytum the most sacred oaths were sworn. Pausanias also mentions an ancient sane* tuary, called the altar of the Cyclopes. Sisyphus and Neleus were said to have been buried here, but the site of their graves was unknown. These are all the buildings in the Isthmic sanc- tuary mentioned by Pausanias ; but we learn, from an inscription disoovered by Wheeler in 1676, and now preserved at Verona, that there were several other buildings besides. (See the inscription in Bockh, Corp. Inscr. n. 1 104.) It contains a list of the Isthmian edifices erected by Publius Licinius Prist-us Juventianus, high priest for life at Boman Corinth. " He built lodgings for the athletae, who came to the Isthmian games from the whole world. He erected, at his own expense, tJbe Palaemonium, with its decorations; — the ivorfurn^piov^ probably the subterraneous adytum, spoken of by Pausanias ; — the sacred avenue; — the altan of the native gods, with the peribolus and the pronaos (perhaps tiie sanctuary containing the altare of the Cyclopes); — the houses in which the athletae were examined ; — the temple of Helios, together with the statue and peribolus; — moreover, the peribolus of the Sacred Grove, and within it temples of Demeter, Core, Dionysus and Artemis, with their statues, decorations and pronai. He repaired the temples of Eueteria, of Core, of Pluto, and the steps and tenvce-walls, which had Cftlkn into decay by earth-