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Ancient City

Acrocorinth

ak-roh-KOR-inth · Modern Ancient Corinth, Greece · 37.8906° N, 22.8725° E

Acrocorinth is the steep acropolis rising above ancient Corinth, a city where Paul lived and preached for eighteen months. The summit's ancient Temple of Aphrodite fed Corinth's reputation in antiquity for licentiousness — a cultural backdrop scholars connect to Paul's teaching on sexual immorality and idolatry in 1 Corinthians.

Archaeology

Excavation of Acrocorinth began in 1929; the fortress preserves construction phases from the Archaic through Byzantine, Frankish, and Ottoman periods. Only foundation remains of the Aphrodite temple survive, later overbuilt by a church and mosque, so the scale of any "sacred prostitution" tradition described by later ancient writers is debated among historians rather than archaeologically confirmed in Paul's own era.

The fortified rocky summit of Acrocorinth, acropolis of ancient Corinth
The fortified rocky summit of Acrocorinth, acropolis of ancient Corinth — source & licence
Remains at the site of the Temple of Aphrodite on the summit of Acrocorinth
Remains at the site of the Temple of Aphrodite on the summit of Acrocorinth — source & licence

On a modern map

Acrocorinth today

Further reading

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