See the full size image below!
At the time of Paul’s visits to Corinth it was a thriving commercial city of over 200,000 people.
Corinth was situated in the northeastern corner of the Peloponnese — very near the narrow land bridge (isthmus) that connected the Peloponnese to the mainland of Greece. Its strategic location was enhanced due to its proximity to the diolkos — the stone-paved roadway that connected the Saronic Gulf with the Gulf of Corinth. By using this overland passageway, passengers and cargo avoided the difficult and time-consuming trip around the southern end of the Peloponnese.
The Isthmus of Corinth from the air. For comments on this image, see above. To Enlarge and/or Download Click on Image.
The Greek city of Corinth had been (partly) destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C., but the rebuilding process, as a Roman city, had begun by 44 B.C. For a long time it had been famous for its immorality (think prostitutes associated with the Temple of Aphrodite) and its commercial character. Its two harbors were Lechaion (Gulf of Corinth) and Cenchreae (Saronic Gulf). Every two years important games were held at nearby Isthmia.
Paul spent 18 months here on his second journey and maybe three months on his third. The letters of first and second Corinthians were written to the church here, and Paul probably wrote first and second Thessalonians and Romans while in Corinth.
To view important artifacts from Corinth, including the Erastus inscription, a menorah, and others, Click Here.
Excavations have been conducted at Corinth for over 100 years. Major finds have helped us understand the history and culture of the city that Paul spent so long ministering in. See the images included in this section and John McRay’s Archaeology and the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1991. To view for purchase Click Here.
Suggestion: You may also be interested in the images of the Corinth Canal, the diolkos, the port of Cenchreae, and the Acrocorinth.
HolyLandPhotos' Blog 
Thank you so very much for the informative article on Corinth, Carl. You are so kind and continue to be helpful to your former students. I absolutely feel the first anchor of hermeneutics is the context of the historical and cultural background of the verses studied. I have attached notes I shared with my class on Corinth. It is far from being as academically pure as your work, but hopefully the group got the gist of what was happening in the Corinthian church that caused Paul to write to them. Continue to be blessed! Richard
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To: angelgabriel1946@wi.rr.com Cc: Sent: Friday May 21 2021 5:11:56PM Subject: [New post] Why Corinth?
holylandphotos posted: ” At the time of Paul’s visits to Corinth it was a thriving commercial city of over 200,000 people. Corinth was situated in the northeastern corner of the Peloponnese â very near the narrow land bridge (isthmus) that connected the Peloponnese to the “