Late Classical and Early Hellenistic Corinth, 338-196 B.C. challenges the perception that the Macedonians' advent and continued presence in Corinth amounted to a loss of significance and autonomy. Immediately after Chaironeia, Philip II and his son Alexander III established close relations with Corinth and certain leading citizens on the basis of goodwill (eunoia). Mutual benefits and respect characterized their discourse throughout the remainder of the early Hellenistic period; this was neither a period of domination or decline, nor one in which the Macedonians deprived Corinthians of their autonomy. Instead, Corinth flourished while the Macedonians possessed the city. It was the site of a vast building program, much of which must be construed as the direct result of Macedonian patronage, evidence suggests strongly that those Corinthians who supported the Macedonians enjoyed great prosperity under them. Corinth's strategic location made it an integral part of the Macedonians' strategy to establish and maintain hegemony over the mainland Greek peninsula after Philip II's victory at Chaironeia. The Macedonian dynasts and kings who later possessed Corinth also valued its strategic position, and they regarded it as an essential component in their efforts to claim legitimacy due to its association with the Argead kings, Philip II and Alexander III the Great, and the League of Corinth they established.
This study explicates the nature of the relationship between Corinthians and Macedonians that developed in the aftermath of Chaironeia, through the defeat at the battle of Kynoskephalai and the declaration of Greek Freedom at Isthmia in 196 B.C. Late Classical and Early Hellenistic Corinth is not simply the history of a single polis; it draws upon the extant literary, epigraphic, prosopographic, topographic, numismatic, architectural, and archaeological evidence to place Corinth within broader Hellenistic world. This volume, the full first treatment of the city in this period, contributes significantly to the growing body of scholarly literature focusing on the Hellenistic world and is a crucial resource for specialists in late Classical and early Hellenistic history.
Author(s): Michael D. Dixon
Series: Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: xxii+232
Late Classical and Early Hellenistic Corinth, 338-196 BC
Table of Contents
List of figures
List of maps
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
1 Corinth, “the gateway of Isthmian Poseidon” (Pindar Ol. 13.4–5)
Eunoia
Scholarship on the Hellenistic period and Corinth
The ancient sources
Archaeological excavation
The Corinthian economy before the Macedonians
Corinth’s location
Timoleon’s expedition to Sicily and late Classical Corinth
Notes
2 Corinth in the age of Philip II and Alexander III, 338–323 B.C.
Corinth and Philip II before Chaironeia
Corinth after Chaironeia
Alexander III and Corinth
The revolt of Thebes
Agis’ War
Corinthians in Alexander’s campaign
Alexander, the Sanctuary of Poseidon, the Isthmian Games, and Isthmionikai
Deinarchos the son of Sostratos, the Exiles’ Decree, and the Harpalos Affair
The divine Alexander
Corinth, the grain supply, and the citizen population
Notes
3 “The Corinthian troubles,” Corinth and the Diadochoi, 323–301 B.C.
The Lamian War
Deinarchos of Corinth, epimeletes
Polyperchon and Corinth
Corinth, Polyperchon, Alexandros, and the Third Diadoch War
Kratesipolis’ Corinth
Ptolemaic Corinth
Kassandros’ Corinth
Antigonid Corinth
Notes
4 Antigonos Gonatas and Corinth, “the passion of his life”
The aftermath of Ipsos
Antigonos after Demetrios
Antigonos II Gonatas, king of Macedonia, and the garrison at Corinth
Antigonos and Pyrrhos
Krateros, epistates of Corinth
The Chremonidean War (268/7–263/2) and its aftermath
Corinthians at Delphi and Athens after the Chremonidean War
Antigonos and Corinth’s shipyards
The Corinthian economy under Antigonos
Alexandros the son of Krateros
Nikaia and the recovery of Acrocorinth
Persaios of Kition and Aratos’ capture of Acrocorinth
Notes
5 Monuments and cult in early Hellenistic Corinth
The West Foundation, Isthmia
The North Stoa
The earthquake(s) of the late fourth century B.C.
Stele Shrine
The South Stoa
The racecourse and the torch race
The Theater
The king’s residence (ἠ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐλή)
The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore
Corinth’s walls
The Sanctuary of Poseidon at Isthmia
The Rachi settlement at Isthmia
Cult in early Hellenistic Corinth: continuity and change
Notes
6 The Achaian interlude, 243–224 B.C.: from liberation to rebellion
The Macedonian context of Aratos’ return of the keys of Corinth’s gates
Corinth’s adhesion to the Achaian koinon
Corinth’s border dispute with Epidauros
The diminution of Corinthian prestige
Corinth, the Achaian koinon, and Delphi
Corinth’s economy and the Achaian koinon
The effect of Corinth’s loss on the Antigonid dynasty and military operations in the Corinthia, ca. 243/2–240/39 B.C.
The Demetrian War (239–229 B.C.)
The Kleomenic War (229/8–222 B.C.)
Notes
7 The end of Macedonian Corinth
Antigonos Doson’s final years
The Hellenic Symmachy of Antigonos III Doson and Philip V
Philip V and the Social War (220–217 B.C.)
The First Macedonian War (214–205 B.C.)
Philip V’s campaign in Asia Minor (201–200 B.C.)
The Second Macedonian War (200–196 B.C.)
Destruction at the Sanctuary of Poseidon and the Rachi settlement
Corinth in the negotiations to end the Second Macedonian War
Flamininus’ declaration of freedom
Corinth, Artemis Leukophryene, and Philip V
Corinthians abroad, ca. 224–196 B.C.
Notes
8 Conclusions and reflections
Corinth after Kynoskephalai
Corinthian politics in the early Hellenistic period
Corinth’s value to the Macedonians
Eunoia
Effect of the Macedonians’ presence upon the Corinthians
New directions in the study of Hellenistic Corinth
Notes
Bibliography
Index
