Corinth

Ancient Corinth was a city of ancient Greece, near the southern end of the    Isthmus of Corinth, southwest of the modern city of Corinth. Discoveries of pre-Mycenaean pottery in Corinth indicate the existence of a settlement there in ancient times. The city flourished under the Dorians, who conquered it before 1000B. C. With harbors on both the Gulf of Corinth and Saronikós, it was well placed for trading and by about 650BC was the dominant commercial center of Greece. Among the many colonies founded by Corinth during this period were Corcyra (now Corfu) and Syracuse in the eighth century and Potidaea in the seventh century.

With the rise of Athens as a rival industrial and naval power, Corinth allied with Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404B. C.). After the fall of Athens, the Corinthians allied with that city and battled against Sparta in the Corinthian War (395-86BC).