Timothy E. Gregory - Böcker

Pindar's metaphor of the Isthmus as a bridge spanning two seas encapsulates the essence of the place and gives a fitting title for this volume of 17 essays on the history and archaeology of the area. The Isthmus, best known for the panhellenic Sanctuary of Poseidon, attracted travelers both before and after Pausanias's visit in the 2nd century A.D., but only toward the end of the 19th century were the ruins investigated and, a half century later, finally systematically excavated. More recently, archaeologists have surveyed the territory beyond the sanctuary, compiling evidence for a varied picture of activity on the wider Isthmus and the eastern Corinthia. The essays in this book celebrate 55 years of research on the Isthmus and provide a comprehensive overview of the state of our knowledge. Topics include an Early Mycenaean habitation site at Kyras Vrysi; the settlement at Kalamianos; the Archaic Temple of Poseidon; domestic architecture of the Rachi settlement; dining vessels from the Sanctuary of Poseidon; the Temple Deposit at Isthmia and the dating of Archaic and Early Classical Greek coins; terracotta figurines from the Sanctuary of Poseidon; the Chigi Painter; arms from the age of Philip and Alexander at Broneer's West Foundation on the road to Corinth; new sculptures from the Isthmian Palaimonion; an inscribed herm from the Gymnasium Area of Corinth; Roman baths at Isthmia and sanctuary baths in Greece; Roman buildings east of the Temple of Poseidon; patterns of settlement and land use on the Roman Isthmus; epigraphy, liturgy, and Imperial policy on the Justinianic Isthmus; and circular lamps in the Late Antique Peloponnese.

The Hexamilion, a 7,600 meter long wall across the Isthmus of Corinth, was built in the reign of Theodosius II (A.D. 408 to 450) in an attempt to preserve the Greek peninsula from barbarian invasion. The fortress, located directly east and northeast of the sanctuary of Poseidon, is the best-preserved part of the Byzantine fortifications and is the area most fully excavated. This fifth volume in the Isthmia series examines earlier attempts to fortify the Isthmus and presents the most important testimonia for historical interpretation. The archaeological remains of the Hexamilion are traced from the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf, with topographical maps and a schematic view of its elevation. Matters of military strategy and construction techniques are discussed and historical analysis provided.