Growing up through the Catholic education system, frequenting mass, a frequent phrase I would hear was “for our epistle today we have St Pauls letter to the Corinthians”. As a kid it tickled my imagination. Did he sit down with pen and paper? How did he post it? Where was Corinth? Well Corinth is here and it is a pretty archeological site including the very spot that Paul was put to trial by the local Jewry for teachings that were contrary to the Jewish faith.
But first it is up to the top of a mountain to visit Mycaenae. This is an older complex dating back to 1300 BC and was built by the Mycaenians whose empire collapsed just as the “mainstream” ancient Greek civilisation emerged. Consequently these ruins are less well formed and reconstructed apart from the beautiful Lion’s gate which was erected in 1250 BBC
Corinth complex has both Greek ruins and later Roman.The beautiful Temple of Apollo dated back to the 5th century BC. The Romans destroyed it in 146 BC and Julies Caesar rebuilt it in 44 BC. St Paul lived here for 18 months in 49 AD and was put on trial in 51 AD. It is remarkable to be at the same spot as a man who was an often quoted,almost mythical figure in one’s childhood.
