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peloponnesus
by Stafford
North
The Peloponnesus, a hand-like appendage hanging from the bottom
of Greece , is held on by an isthmus only 4 miles wide. This lower portion
of Greece is the site of such famous places as Corinth, Epidarius, Sparta,
and Mycenae.
- On the way from Athens to the Peloponnesus, lies the Bay of Salamis.
Xerxes, the Persian monarch, was seeking to conquer Greece in 480 BC. He
won a major battle on land but the Greeks were escaping by ship to the
island of Salamis. He sought to block their escape with his own ships.
He sat on the mountain above the bay, thinking he was about to witness
his long-sought victory over the Greeks. The Greek ships, however, were
more maneuverable in the limited space. They were able to sink half
the Persian vessels and won the victory, sending Xerxes home despondent. It
was soon after that Xerxes, known in the Bible as Ahasuerus, sought
a new queen and found the beautiful Jewess named Esther.
- A 75-foot wide canal, completed in 1893, crosses the narrow link between the Peloponnesus and the mainland of Greece. This channel, up to 250 feet deep, allows ships to cross rather than making the 200-mile journey to the other side.
- Extensive ruins of the ancient city of Corinth have been found. For
18 months, Paul taught
here
along with Aquilla and Priscilla. In the agora or marketplace, are seven
columns of the ancient temple of Apollo, the place of shops, and the
bema or judgment seat where, according to Acts 18:12-17, Paul was tried. The
place of the judge was on the top and a stone, where those tried were
kept secure, stands below. Nearby is a fine museum with many remains
found in the excavation of ancient Corinth. In an area to the northwest
and below the main level are the remains of an ancient theater. The
pavement in front of this theater is particularly interesting because
on it is an inscription indicating that it was donated by a city official
named Erastus. In Romans 16:25, Paul, writing from Corinth to Rome,
sends greetings from Erastus, the city's director of public works. - Within a few miles of Corinth are the remains to two ancient churches. One,
a fourth-century building near
the
shore on the eastern side, is a marble church designed to seat 2,000. To
the side of the main seating area is a small area clearly intended for
baptizing by immersion. A smaller building is located in ancient Cenchrea
on the eastern side. Paul sailed from this general location when he
left Corinth (Acts 18:18) and Phoebe was from the church in Cenchrea
(Romans 16:1). The building would date from a somewhat later time, however. -
Mycenae is the site of a settlement dating back to 2000 BC. Those living here are famous for burying their dead in "beehive" tombs, for their artistic work in gold and stone, and for being involved in Homer's Trojan War. According to tradition, Agamemnon, from Mycenae , was chosen as the Greek military leader in their expedition against the Trojans who had carried Helen away. Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), a wealthy business man, set out to prove that Homer's Illiad was based on real places. He discovered both Troy and Mycenae to make his point.
Faculty Facts
Merle Gatewood teaches English and French in the Department of Language and Literature. About her goals at OC she says, "I want to help students become truly educated, that is, to grow in wisdom and faith."
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