Ancient Coin Stories

Aletes, first Bacchiad king of Corinth, takes control of the city from the Sisyphids.

Telestes, the last Bacchiad king of Corinth, is killed.

Syracuse is founded by settlers from Corinth.

Foundation of Leukas as a colony of Corinth.

The remaining Bacchiads in Corinth are expelled by the tyrant Kypselos. They flee throughout Magnia Grecia and found Syracuse and Korkyra.

A channel that separates the island from the mainland is constructed by Corinthian settlers at Leukas to aid in navigation.

Death of the tyrant Kypselos in Corinth. He is succeeded by his son Periander.

Anaktorion founded by settlers from Corinth.

Potidaia is founded by settlers from Corinth.

Death of the tyrant Periander of Corinth, who had built the city into a major trading center. After Periander supposedly defiles the corpse of his wife, his son Lykophron departs for Korkyra. When Periander offers him the rule of Corinth, the inhabitants of Korkyra kill Lykophron rather than let him depart. Periander dies of grief.

Death of Psammetichos, the last of the Kypselid tyrants of Corinth.

The Isthmian Games are established in Corinth.

Construction of the Temple of Apollo at Corinth.

Hippokrates of Gela besieges Syracuse, but withdraws when Corinth and Korkyra get involved.

The Battle of Thermopylae. Soldiers from Sparta, Mantinea, Tegea, Orchomenos (Arkadia), Corinth, Phlious, Thespiai, Phokis, Opuntian Lokris, and other cities are overrun by the Persians at a huge cost.

The Greek allies are forced to withdraw against the Persians in the Battle of Artemisium. Afterwards the Persians occup Histaia. The Greek fleet is supplied by Athens, Chalkis, Sparta, Troizen, Opuntian Lokris, Corinth, Megara, Epidauros, Aegina, Sikyon, and Kios.

The Greek alliance, consisting of Aegina, Athens, Corinth, Megara, Thespiai, Orchomenos, Epidauros, Troizen, Halieis, Elis, Hermione, and Sparta defeate the Persians and Thebes at the Battle of Plataea.

The Persians are defeated at the Battle of Mykale. An alliance of Athens, Sparta, Samos, and Corinth. As a result, Chios, Kos, and Ephesos are liberated from Persian rule. The Greek fleet sets sail from Knidos.

Megara and Corinth go to war. Athens supports Megara and obtains access to the Isthmus of Corinth.

The Battle of Sybota takes place between Corinth and Korkyra over control of the latter. Korkyra was aided by Athens, while Corinth was joined by Ambrakia. Corinth was forced to withdraw.

Corinth obtains control over Anaktorion through fraud after the city had been joinly occupied by Corinth and Korkyra.

Athens instructs Potidai to tear down its walls. Corinth persuades them to revolt.

Athens defeats Potidaia and Corinth at the Battle of Potidaia, then places Potidaia under siege. Due to the costs of maintaining it, it is eventually removed.

Argos organizes an alliance with Mantinea, Corinth, Elis, and Thebes against Athens and Sparta.

Sikyon and Corinth prevent Athens under Alkibiades from fortifying Rhion.

The Spartans under Agesilaos II attack and Persia. Artaxerxes II retaliates by bribing Corinth, Thebes, and Athens to make war on Sparta.

Sparta, Orchomenos, and Phokis defeat Argos, Athens, Lokris, Euboia, Corinth, the Ainianes, and Thebes at the Battle of Koroneia (the sequel).

Sparta and their allies, including Sikyon and Tegea, defeat Athens and their allies at the Battle of Nemea. On Athens side are Thebes, Lokris Opuntii, and Corinth. With Sparta are Halieis, Sikyon, Epidauros, Troizen, and Hermione. Phlious remains neutral. Pellene fights on the side of Sparta against Thespiai.

Pharnabazos travels to Corinth and provides them with funds to rebuild their fleet, then he provides Athens the funds to rebuild their long walls.

Sparta uses Sikyon as a base to take the long walls of Corinth. Sparta succeeds though Sikyon takes heavy losses against Argos.

Iphikrates of Athens regains the long walls of Corinth and advances against Phlious and Sikyon.

A union between Argos and Corinth is established.

Due to the Peace of Antalkidas, the union between Corinth and Argos is broken under pressure from Sparta.

Sparta, Athens, Pellene, and Sikyon attempt to stop Thebes under Epaminondas by guarding the fort of Oneion near Corinth. Epaminondas gets around them and attacks Sikyon, Pellene, Epidauros, and unsuccessfully attempts to take Corinth.

Ambrakia is besieged by Philip II of Macedon. Although Corinth and Athens come to its aid and prevent its complete destruction, Ambrakia is forced to accept a Macedonian garrison.

Alexander III and Philip II defeat Thebes at the Battle of Chaeronea. Argos and Stratos fight on the side of Philip, while Corinth, Megara, Epidauros, and Troizen participate with Thebes. Chares is one of the Athenian commanders, but escapes blame.

Sestos joins the Philip II led League of Corinth.

Kleopatra organizes a shipment of grain to Corinth via Leukas.

Polyperchon controls much of the Peloponnese, including Corinth and Sikyon.

Ptolemy I takes Sikyon from Kratesipolis and installs garrisons in Sikyon and Corinth.

Demetrios Poliorketes re-establishes the Corinthian League while at Athens.

Demetrios Poliorketes seizes Epidauros, Sikyon, Corinth, Bura, Argos, and Orchomenos.

Antigonos II regains control over Corinth.

Aratos of Sikyon takes Acrocorinth. The inhabitants of Corinth rise up against Antigonos II.

Romans are allowed to take part in the Isthmian Games of Corinth.

Aratos of Sikyon takes the Acrocorinth and frees Argos. Xenon steps down in Hermione.

The Social War begins, pitting members of the Achaian League, including Aegira, Patrai, Dyme, Bura, Sikyon, Corinth, Megalopolis, Messenia, Argos, Elis, and Macedon, against Sparta under King Kleomenes III, who were supported by the Aetolian League and Athens.

During the Second Macedonian War between Rome and Philip V of Macedon, Aegira, the Aetolian League, Corinth, Sikyon, Patrai, Athens, Pergamon, and Rhodes support Rome.

The Roman Titus Quinctius Flamininus declares the freedom of all Greek states from Macedon at the Isthmian Games in Corinth. This includes Histaia.

The Achaian League is defeated by Rome at the Battle of Skarpheia. Corinth is destroyed and Dyme, Patrai, Sikyon, Bura, Megalopolis, Thebes, Pellene, and Aegira come under the control of Rome.

Julius Caesar refounds Corinth as a Roman colony, Colonia Laus Iulia Corinthiensis. Dyme is also refounded as a colony.

Corinth becomes the capital of the Roman province of Achaia under Augustus.

The Apostle Paul visits Corinth and stays for 18 months during his second missionary journey, preaching and establishing a Christian community. He later writes at least two letters (First and Second Corinthians) to the community, which become part of the New Testament.

Emperor Nero visits Corinth and begins construction on a canal across the Isthmus of Corinth, intending to connect the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The project is abandoned after Nero’s death in 68 CE.

Emperor Domitian strengthens Corinth’s defenses and invests in infrastructure, enhancing the city’s prosperity and its standing within the Roman Empire.

Corinth suffers a major earthquake that causes extensive damage to the city.

The author of this page arrives at Corinth and photographs it.

The author of this page tours Corinth and Acrocorinth, then heads to Delphi.