Background of the city of Corinth

Geographical Background

Corinth was a city of Greece (Achaia) situated on the isthmus, a narrow neck of the land between the Corinthian Gulf and the Saronic Gulf. It had two main harbors: I. Cenchrea, 14 kms east on the Saronic Gulf, and 2. Lechaeum, 2.5 kms West on the Corinthian Gulf.

Its Political Background

Because of its commercial, cultural and religious importance, Corinth became an important center for political powers. The earliest settlers were the Phoenicians. But they were driven away and it was occupied by Greeks. Later, the whole of Greece was conquered by the Greeks during the time of Alexander the Great. But in 196 B.C. the Romans declared it free. The City of Corinth was eventually destroyed by them in 146 B.C. For a century this once great and famous city lay desolate levelled to the ground. It was rebuilt by Roman dictator Julius Caesar in the middle of the first century B.C. and designated the city a Roman colony. It was made a capital city, the metropolis of the Roman province of Achaia.

It had been estimated that in Paul's day Corinth had a population of about six to seven lakhs of which 250,000 were free persons and about 400,000 were slaves. Corinth also attracted many athletes as isthmian games were conducted here.

Its Commerce Background

Because of its strategic location Corinth became a flourishing centre of trade, as well as of industry. It was a crossroads for travellers and traders. A main road connected it with important towns to the north and the sea routes connected it with other ports to the east, west and south Corinth was a rich and populous city with one of the greatest commercial trades in the ancient world (Greek Roman world;

Its Cultural Background

Although Corinth was dominated by Greek culture it had been influenced by many other cultures. Because of its commercial prosperity Corinth attracted cosmopolitan crowds of visitors, settlers, merchants, military men etc, from different parts of the world. The people brought along with them different kinds of fashions, styles, Practices and customs. Thus, it had variety of cultures.

Its Religion Background

Because of its cosmopolitan nature, Corinth remained pluralistic in religion. The wealth and affluence of the city attracted many paddlers of new ideas. Corinth contained at least 12 temples. One of them was the temple of Aphrodite (god of love) whose worshippers practiced religious prostitution. The other two famous temples were the temple of Asclepius and the temple of Apollos. In addition, the Jews had established synagogues.

Its immorality

Like any large commercial city, Corinth was a centre for open and unbridled immorality. It was one of the most wicked cities of the Roman world. The worship of Aphrodite fostered prostitution in the name of religion. Homosexuality was also widely practiced. Because of the immorality of the Corinth, the people commonly referred to a person of loose morals as one who behaved like a Corinthian/one who practiced sexual immorality.