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Analyzing and Critiquing

Students learn to analyze and make judgments about a work, a position, a process, a performance, or another product or act. They reflect to consider purpose and perspectives, pinpoint evidence, use explicit or implicit criteria, make defensible judgments or assessments, and draw conclusions. Students have opportunities for analysis and critique through engagement in formal tasks, informal tasks, and ongoing activities.

Big Idea: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
Grade 6 Socials

·      media technologies and coverage of current events

·      Use Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to — ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions

Big Idea:  Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.

Grade 6 Language Arts

·      Access information and ideas for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources and evaluate their relevance, accuracy, and reliability

·      Synthesize ideas from a variety of sources to build understanding

·      Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world

·      Select and use appropriate features, forms, and genres according to audience, purpose, and message

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Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication:

Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories.

Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories.

Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images.

Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.

Oral, written, and visual elements can be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements).

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Text and texts are generic terms referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication: Oral texts include speeches, poems, plays, and oral stories. Written texts include novels, articles, and short stories. Visual texts include posters, photographs, and other images. Digital texts include electronic forms of all the above.

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What are the Olympic Games?

This is a music video for the Vancouver Olympics.  It really gets them excited about learning about the Modern Olympics and we would play the song often.  The music video actually also give a good look at all of the celebrations and the excitement the crowds.  The shots of bringing the torch around the country would also be a great excitement builder.

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What was the first Ancient Olympic games like?

This is a 5 min video was made just for kids to give them an idea of what the Olympic Games is all about.  This video goes back in time and talks about the ancient Olympic games.  In the film they learn that there was a truth in war times and that only males could compete. There was a 1500 year break between the ancient Olympic Games and out Modern Olympic games.

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All About the Olympics for Kids - The History and Symbols of The Olympics: FreeSchool

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This is a 7 Minute video about the Ancient Olympics.

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This is a 7 Minute video about the Ancient Olympics.

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What was it like to live in Greece in the years the first Olympics were held?

This is a little bit more detailed video about the Olympic game’s histories.   It talks more about the culture of Greece.  Students get a better picture of what life was like and how the Olympics first came to be.  It also talks about why the Olympics stopped for more than 1500 years.  It also talks about how the Olympics started once again.

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What is the purpose of an Olympic Theme song?

This is a music video for the Vancouver Olympics.  It really gets them excited about learning about the Modern Olympics and we would play the song often.  The music video actually also give a good look at all of the celebrations and the excitement the crowds.  The shots of bringing the torch around the country would also be a great excitement builder.

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"I Believe" by Nikki Yanofsky (Vancouver 2010 Music Video: Olympic Torch Relay)

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What is it like to live in Canada and why have we had two Olympic Games in Canada in the past 3o years?

I would use this to start a look at Canada and how that even though we are small we still have had two Olympic Games in their parents life time.  We will talk about the weather in Canada and what is needed for Winter Olympics and how Canada is a great fit for the Olympics.  We would also talk about how much money it costs to host the Olympics and how some people have been against it.  It would also lead into a look at when the Next Olympics will be.  Will it be in Japan like originally planned?  Will the Winter Olympics be the next one?

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This was an intro into the Vancouver Olympics. This will be the start of the poetry section because it is a great example of a RAP style poem. This style will be a hit with grade 6 students because it resembles a lot of their music tastes. It is about Canada as well so they will make many connections to it.

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Honoring The Games, And The Past, With Poetry

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Honoring The Games, And The Past, With Poetry

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This is to teach them the history about Poetry and the Olympics.
"All the poets of the Greek world would descend on the Olympic Games, and they would set up stalls or stand on soap boxes and just orate their new work, knowing that the finest minds in the Greek world were in one spot." They could even get Gold medals for Poetry.

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In the days of the ancient Greeks, poetry and sport went hand in hand at athletic festivals like the Olympics. Poets sang the praises of athletic champions and, at some festivals, even competed in official events, reciting or playing the lyre. Here at NPR, we're reviving that tradition with our own Poetry Games.

From the far reaches of the globe, we've invited poets to compose original works celebrating athletes and athletics. Each morning next week, we'll introduce a new poem on Morning Edition, and then you, the audience, will judge who should win the victor's laurel crown.

To learn more about this ancient tradition linking the poetic and the athletic, we talked with Tony Perrottet, author of The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games. "The ancient Greeks very much sought perfection in the body and the intellect," Perrottet tells NPR's Renee Montagne. "They saw it totally connected."

The ancient Greeks very much sought perfection in the body and the intellect - they saw it totally connected.

"At the Olympic Games," Perrottet continues, "the athletes ... would hire the greatest poets of the day to write victory odes. At the same time, all the poets of the Greek world would descend on the Olympic Games, and they would set up stalls or stand on soap boxes and just orate their new work, knowing that the finest minds in the Greek world were in one spot."

But the Olympic audience was a tough crowd - Perrottet cites one famous incident in 384 B.C. when tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse brought actors to the games to recite his poetry, and it didn't go over well: "The enraged crowd actually went and beat him up and trashed his tent," Perrottet says.

Fast-forward to the late 19th century, when Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the games in 1896. "He was a great fan of the ancient Greeks, obviously, and he ... saw that perfection in mind and body went hand in hand," Perrottet says.

At the Stockholm Games in 1912, Coubertin got music, painting architecture and poetry - both lyric and epic - included on the Olympic roster. Coubertin even anonymously entered his own poem called "Ode to Sport" which won the gold medal that year:

"O Sport, you are Beauty! ... O Sport, you are Justice! ... O Sport, you are Happiness! The body trembles in bliss upon hearing your call ... "

"It's very inspiring stuff. ... You can imagine the athletes on the edges of their seats," Perrottet laughs.

As poetry began coming in from around the globe, translation became an issue - and quality did, too. "That was the death knell for Olympic poetry," Perrottet says. "The officials started sending letters among themselves, and they speculated that perhaps, in the words of one official, 'There are not enough artists who have connection with the world of sport.' "

The poetry portion of the games was dropped after the 1948 London Games.

Poets have long grappled with the ephemeral nature of worldly glory. The Greeks' idea was to try to "win fame in this life and thus gain a level of immortality," Perrottet says. Most of the poems that were read at the Games - both in the days of the Greeks and in the 20th century - have since been lost. So Perrottet suggests NPR kick off the Poetry Games with a quote from Homer's Illiad:

"I too shall lie in the dust when I am dead,"Achilles says. "But now let me win noble renown."
Poetry Games theme music composed by Colin Wambsgans and performed by Matthew Barbier.

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Honoring The Games, And The Past, With Poetry

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In the days of the ancient Greeks, poetry and sport went hand in hand at athletic festivals like the Olympics. Morning Edition is reviving that tradition with the Poetry Games. We've invited poets to compose original works celebrating the Olympics. You will judge who should win the victor's crown.

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The History of the Olympics-Fun Poems for Kids

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The History of the Olympics-Fun Poems for Kids

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These are examples of Olympic poems to get an idea of different styles of poems. It also will get a further understanding of the Olympics. Students do not always like poetry put if it is presented in a whole unit like the Olympics project then will love it. Students love to be immersed in an exciting subject.

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This collection of poems by Paul Perro about the history of the olympics celebrates its origins in Ancient Greece, as well as the more recent heroics of modern Olympians.

Hercules, Zeus, the five rings, and competing in the nude. It's all here! We have fun poems about the ancient Olympics as well as the modern games.

These poems are fun, educational, and free. If you are a teacher or parent, please feel free to print off these poems about the Olympics to read to your child or children. You might find that doing so raises some questions from your little ones. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you will find some further information which might be of help to you.

The History of the Olympics
Olympic Poems for kids by Paul Perro

The Ancient Games
You've heard of the Olympic Games
I'm sure you've seen them on TV,
But did you know they first began
In 776 BC?

'Twas Hercules who founded them
So he could celebrate
His most recent heroic act
'Twas something really great.
He'd cleaned a filthy stable that
Was full of horse manure.
...Well, that's the legend anyway
Nobody knows for sure.

There were lots of sports and games
Running, throwing, jumping,
And something called "pankration":
Wrestling, with thumping.

Back then all athletes competed
Completely in the nude.
If somebody did that today
We'd think it very rude.

One day a Christian Emperor
Named Theodosius
Stopped the games forever,
Because they honored Zeus.

But hundreds of years later, at
The end of Queen Vic's reign
Somebody had the bright idea
To bring them back again.

Athletes from the host nation
Run round carrying flames
Getting people in the mood
For the Olympic Games.

Great Britain
From Britain, Stephen Redgrave was
The greatest ever rower,
And Tessa Sanderson was a
Champion javelin thrower.

The cyclist Chris Hoy won the gold
By being fast on those pedals.
And Daley Thompson whistled as
They handed out the medals.

And nobody in Great Britain
Could possibly forget
The exciting rivalry
Between Coe and Ovett.

So many heroes in 2012
Mo Farah, Tom Daley, Jess Ennis,
Wiggins won a cycling gold,
And Murray won the tennis.

USA
In the US they remember
Gymnast Mary Lou,
The discus thrower Oerter, and
All-rounder, Jim Thorpe too.

They won't forget the great swimmers
Like Phelps, Lochte, and Spitz,
Or the runners: Lewis, Moses, Johnson,
They love them all to bits.

A black man, Jesse Owens once
Put Hitler in his place
In '36 he proved the Nazis
Weren't the master race.

Facts about the History of the Olympics

Legend has it, that after Hercules's success at cleaning the Augean stables (one of his 12 "labors") he wanted to celebrate with an athletics competition, and so the games began.

Originally they were held at Olympia, in ancient Greece. Records indicate that they began in 776 BC.

At first the games just took one day, but more and more events were added. Before long they included the pentathlon, chariot races, running, wrestling, and a type of fighting called pankration.

Women were banned from competing in the games. They would find it very difficult to sneak in, disguised as men, because all competitors were naked.

The original games included lots of praying and sacrificing to Zeus. This was the reason they were eventually banned in 393 AD.

After a few small scale attempts to bring back the Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (a French historian) founded the International Olympic Committee. In 1896 they held the first modern games, in Athens, with 14 nations and 241 athletes competing in 43 events.

These days more than 10,000 competitors take part, from over 200 countries.

There used to be a rule that only amateurs were allowed to compete, but since the 1970s this rule has gradually been phased out.

The symbol of the Olympics is five rings, representing five continents. The colors of the rings - blue, yellow, black, green, and red - were chosen because every nation competing had at least one of those colors on its flag.

The Olympic Torch is carried from Olympia to the host country in the months leading up to the games. It is supposed to commemorate Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods. The tradition of the Olympic flame began in 1936 at the Berlin games.

Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, in front of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was said to be furious because he had intended that the games would prove the superiority of the white Germanic people.

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The History of the Olympics - fun poems for kids

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This collection of poems by Paul Perro about the history of the olympics celebrates its origins in Ancient Greece, as well as the more recent heroics of modern Olympians. Hercules, Zeus, the five rings, and competing in the nude. It's all here! We have fun poems about the ancient Olympics as well as the modern games.

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This is more Olympic poetry to teach them even more about the Olympics and Poetry.  They will select their favorite and reproduce it in an artistic way.

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The following is a selection of poems that Mark O'Connor produced, often under great time pressure, during the Sydney 2000 Games. They show that quality poetry can be written about topical events, and can capture the public's imagination. Many were read on public radio the morning after the events they describe.

For more information, see also:

Coming Home Strong
for Cathy Freeman, winner of the 400m at the Sydney Games, 25/9/2000

Running into that ocean roar of welcome
with the face of a hurt child striving,

among tense rival queens
whose castles are built of milliseconds,
you came from behind.

Our roar rose till it seemed
sheer decibels must push you clear.

You have entered Dawn Fraserdom. Beware!
Whatever befalls, you can't hide from our love!

May some day the ghost who runs
run for pure joy!

A mob's howl can be cheap,
and athletes mere entertainers,
actors with only one line.
But yours was a victory that meant.
And what it meant will grow.

But as you sang Advance Australia Fair
I think you finally knew
that Australia would be fair.
The Olympic Ideal
for Arsi Harju of Finland, men's shotput champion, 2000 Games.

wavers, bizarrely off-balance, then

Thus stout fellows once
crashed rocks on the shields of besiegers.

The next pub-bellied beefcake spins
like a pot-bellied toddler
to an arrested pas de seul - ends
with one leg at dog-pissing angle
to balance what he's just thrown
(the throw too at low-pissing angle)
teeters a second, and in sad slow-mo
with a sailor's despairing wave
tips down, disqualified.

Next our countryman throws
better than those before; crowd roars;
it all seems less silly.

But now Arsi hugs to his stubbled cheek
a dense chunk of earth's gravity;
tensed for his famous chook-hop and spin,

- from which a straight piston-thrust
sends the ball on its grass-smashing way.

Neat men in suits run up
to take possession of his valued work.

Gumblies, farewell. It's over.
Ers Burglar, we may never meet again.

And Arsi Harju strides off,
a bouquet of Aussie wildflowers
lost in his fist.
The Olive Tree
Only the patient goat, nibbling his way down the ages,
has malice to master the olive. Sometimes, they say,
a man finds a dead orchard, fired and goat-
cropped centuries back. He settles and fences;
the stumps revive. His grandchildren's family prosper
by the arduous oil-pressing trade. Then wars
and disease wash over. Goats return. The olives
go under, waiting another age.

Their shade still lies where Socrates disputed.
Gethsemane's withered groves are bearing yet.

his poem describes the un-killable olive tree from whose branches
the victors' garlands in the ancient Olympiads and the first modern Olympiads
were woven.]

The Olympic Torch as Metaphor
Some speechwriter spouted: The Olympics' spirit
has spread to the ends of the earth.
Alright, some hack may have called it a flame.
Must have, in fact.
I'm sure they just meant
it was something you pass on, don't keep for long,
but make sure someone else has got it, sort of.
Yes, like a taper, way back in the old days.
Well, a fire-stick, too. We once farmed Australia that way,
on the sly - and whoosh! those flames really spread.

Ah SOCOG, you conclave of poets,
you've made the invisible
visible. Ideals shine and burn.
No matter how often the flame goes out.
No matter Apollo refused to light it.
No matter it burns artificial hydrocarbons.
No matter a flame has no history.
doesn't care who lit it or why.
It's still an image.
A damned good image. And what poet wouldn't love
To see thousands out there, beating time to his thoughts.

Now thousands of people: the stringbean fit,
the mildly obese, and those who enquire
if the SOCOG shorts don't come in a larger size.
-they've got this one thought
in their... soles - and they won't knock it off.
Onward the Flame! Beat those feet!
across holy immensities
of Australian landscape.

Just look at the Reconciliation crowds
to see the strength of a metaphor whose time has come.

It's a new form of firestick farming
- one where the torch doesn't burn the land.
Lights only itself. And us.

Torch Running

Fanned by the flail of Pindar's tongue
from Olympia's dry creeks it leapt
past empires, swift as signal-fire from Troy.
Olympic Fireworks
(Closing Ceremony 1 October 2000)

There was never such cracking and banging,
such warding off of midnight demons!
We set war on the clouds;
making galaxies born out of nothing
roar and fade.

Sperm-squiggling spears of rocket-flame loosed
broad waterfalls of feathered light,
great sizzling sideward Catherine Wheels,
jack-in-a-box galaxies exploding into black,
sea-urchin palaces built in space,
flopping coxcombs, sheet lightnings,
sperm-and-ovum bangs, slewing fireballs,
rose blushers, horizon glows
like a fire in the next suburb.

From strobing flares that freeze the world
tinsel universes tinkled down
synchonise-swimming to extinction
through fresh sky-probings,
like wavering depth-charges reversed,
among space chrysanthemums turning
to evanescent asters that fell
like a skyful of feathers,
like virgin night-flowers that vanish unmated
- or a dance of midnight sombreros
in mocking theatre of the absurd.

At last gunpowder went rainbow.
Shells banged with sheer mirth.

Last night we have seen the world playing war
but more truly than ever, at play.
Olympic Tickets
We've ripped the sweat out of the Games.
Look it's done by computer
and the results arrive by mail. Hush! Can you hear?
- All over the suburbs, the roar
of envelopes tearing? And Yes!, at Number 10
It's Gold! Gold! for the Protheros!
They've lit a fire. They're dancing on the lawn.
- Not so good at Number 15.
The Grampolinis are a bit bronzed off.
They thrill to the shrill of the soccer ref's whistle.
Hard luck! It's the Lady's Nude Luge for them!

And Rhea Yemenis at no. 1, well she really loves
those elegant gymnasts. She's got the Clean and Jerk.
Welcome back to the world, Australia.
When was it ever all winners?
When was there ever splendiferous gold
without a pining bronze and a whole heap of losers
under the winner's chariot wheels?
But be grateful too, to have bumped the ground hard,
and be up and running.
Thorpedo
Ah Mr Thorpe, you've done it again!
Those freakish feet churning
away from the losers to a tumble-turn
like a seal's prop-and-balk;
then that smooth long reach
with a sharkish jerk at the end;
and after, your hooded face
like a leopard at prey
with only a shy inner joy.

Sure, we train more swimmers than Chad.
Sure, you'd make a good lifesaver . . .

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Mark O'Connor - Australian Poet - Olympic Poems

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The following is a selection of poems that Mark O'Connor produced, often under great time pressure, during the Sydney 2000 Games. They show that quality poetry can be written about topical events, and can capture the public's imagination. Many were read on public radio the morning after the events they describe.

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This has questions from the two videos we would watch on the olympics and a scavenger hunt i would create for them. I would do this with them to see how much they retained and a Country group challenge. It also could be an individual quiz to test their understanding of the Olympic material.

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This is a virtual field trip. It is an up-close look at Greece. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the city Ancient Corinth its mythology, and see objects that are not even available to view in the museum. They will also learn about the ongoing excavations at the site.

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This is an a look at Corinth. It was one of the most important ancient Greek city-states in the whole region of Greece. The history of the region spans of around 8000 years. It played a role not only in Greek history, but to the world history as well.

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Corinth was one of the most important ancient Greek city-states in the whole region of Greece. With a history stretching across the span of around 8000 years, it is safe to say that it played an important role not just to Greek history, but to world history as well.

The astonishing Corinth Canal
Ship passing through the Corinth Canal - credits: tetiana_u/Shutterstock.com
While approaching the city of Corinth in south-central Greece, the first sight you'll stumble upon is the Corinth Canal. The Corinth Canal consists of a narrow strip of land that connects Central Greece with the Peloponnese, while the canal brings together the Saronic Gulf with the Corinthian Gulf. The strip of land extends to approximately 6 km and it has been a significant point of reference for Greece since the ancient times.

Because of its geographical position, the Corinth Canal was in antiquity a great naval, commercial and cultural center. Today, it attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world who admire its great construction. Besides the canal, visitors have the opportunity to appreciate the two submersible bridges located on both of the Canal's ends, which get immersed into the water every time a boat travels through it.

From the Canal, you can gaze at the ruins of the ancient diol in the area of Posidonia, offering the opportunity for visitors to admire the great work of ancient Greece. Another reason that brings thousands of travelers to the Canal, especially the most adventurous ones, is the fact that it offers a great setting for extreme sports. You can chase your adrenaline fix by jumping off the Canal's bridge in a bungee jumping experience or even cross the canal with a canoe or a surfboard! From ancient culture-lovers to thrill-seeking adventurers, the Corinth Canal is a sight thoroughly worth seeing!

The ruins of Ancient Corinth - credits: Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock.com
The archaeological site of Ancient Corinth

Ancient Corinth, inhabited since the Neolithic times, was considered the richest city of the ancient world and its most important commercial hub until the rise of Athens. Its large production of agricultural goods favored the development of an intense commercial activity, mainly towards the western Mediterranean, while the city reached its economic peak in the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

The ruins of Ancient Corinth give important insight into the region's ancient civilization and architecture, with the monuments on site being many and exceptional. One of the most well-known and awe-inspiring monuments in the region is the Archaic Temple of Apollo. The original temple dating from the early 7th to the early 6th century BC was originally made of stone, bricks, wood, and clay. In the middle of the 6th century BC, a temple was erected in the place of the damaged original building in Doric order, consisting of monolithic Doric columns of which seven remain standing.

Additionally, the Ancient Corinth Market, the Propylaia, the Peirini Fountain with its six openings, the Conservatory, the Corinthian Grand Theater with a capacity of 18.000, the wall of the ancient city, the relics of the Gymnasium and the Asklepieion, are the most important sights of Ancient Corinth you can marvel at.

The Acrocorinth

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth - credits: saiko3p/Sutterstock.com
Another monument of great significance that excavations brought to light is the Acrocorinth. The Acrocorinth is a rock 579 meters above sea level, dominating the Corinthian region with Ancient Corinth built at its base. In antiquity, it was the Acropolis of Corinth and was used as a castle. Acrocorinth is one of the largest castles in the Peloponnese, with the perimeter of its walls reaching 3 km.

Although the castle as we see it today is a result of reconstructions and additions that took place during the Ottoman domination, most of its fortification took place in the 12th century during the Middle Byzantine era. Due to its close proximity to the capital of Greece, you can indulge in an Ancient Corinth private trip from Athens, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable exploration of the history of Greece.

Corinth's fascinating museums

It's already clear that Corinth, in true Greek fashion, doesn't lack in history and culture. As a result, the city offers its visitors plenty of enthralling museums, with the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, The Environment Museum of Stymphalia and the Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth being our favorites.

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth was built to house the numerous objects brought to light by the archaeological excavation. It was erected by the American School of Classical Studies in 1932 and was expanded with an addition of another wing on the west side of the building in 1951.

The collections of the Archaeological Museum include findings of prehistoric times from the wider area of Ancient Corinth, Korakos Hill, as well as Zygouries, findings of Geometric-Archaic, Classical-Hellenistic, Roman-Byzantine and Frankish era, findings from the Sanctuary of Asclepius and the adjacent Early Christian cemetery of the city, a collection of Roman sculptures, Greek and Latin inscriptions in the Museum's patio, as well as evidence of the presence of the Jewish community in the Roman city, and findings from Corinthian comrades and sanctuaries, as well as the twin Kouros of the cemetery of Ancient Tenas.

Furthermore, the Environment Museum of Stymphalia is located in mountain Korinthia with an objective to highlight the codependent relationship between humans and nature, as well as their harmonious coexistence in the Stymphalia basin, bringing environmental awareness and providing information about the traditional technology of the region.

Last but not least, the Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth was founded in 1976 to preserve and display folklore and historical material, as well as to inform the public on the region's folklore culture. The Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth is located in the heart of Corinth's city, next to Eleftherios Venizelos Square and behind the Corinthian Army Club, housed in a three-story building, which was donated to the Greek Ministry of Culture. Its collection consists of exhibits dates from the early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century and includes traditional costumes from many regions of Greece, agricultural tools and household utensils.

The natural beauty of Corinth Area

Amazing landscape view of Doxa lake - credits: imagIN.gr photography/Shutterstock.com

Pegasus, the emblem of the city of Corinth, situated in the center of the town - credits: By Lydia Vero
Apart from its rich heritage, Corinth possesses extraordinary natural beauty, with its thick vegetation and stunning lakes being a bright example of the luscious and wild nature of the area. If you find yourself in the greater region of Corinth, don't skip on visiting at least one of its marvelous lakes.

Lake Vouliagmeni is located approximately 16 km northwest of Loutraki, in close proximity to the archaeological site of Heraion and the settlement of Perachora. It has a maximum length of 2 km and a maximum width of about 1 km, while it reaches 40 m in depth. The lake connects with the Corinthian Gulf from a 6-meters canal, in the vicinity of which have been found traces of human settlements of the Early Helladic period, suggesting that the area has been inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC.

One of the most stunning lakes in the Peloponnese is Lake Doxa, an artificial lake located in Ancient Feneos of Corinthia. Its construction was completed in the late 1990s and at the center of the lake, you can find the chapel of Agios Fanourios. Lake Stymphalia is located on mountain Korinthia at an altitude of 600 m. It is best known from Greek mythology, as the place that hosted the sixth labor of Hercules, in which Hercules had to confront the Stymphalian Birds.

Lastly, Rema ton Mylon (the Stream of Mylon) is a natural stream within which you can find ponds filled with pebbles, waterfalls and wooden bridges that transport the visitors in a dimension where ultimate relaxation is an end in itself; a rural place where you get to feel the majesty of nature in your bones. It is located near the Zoholis Plateau, with its dense black forest of pine trees, and offers a peaceful path for every visitor who loves walking in nature. In fewer words: it is as close to a utopia as one can get!

The Modern City of Corinth
Ancient ruins at the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth - credits: David H.Seymour/Shutterstock.com
Just because we've waxed lyrical about the history of Ancient Corinth and the natural beauty of the region, it doesn't mean that the modern city of Corinth is in any way or form inferior to its ancient counterpart. On the contrary, not to be outdone, the city of Corinth, the capital of the prefecture, combines the charm and relaxing vibe of a provincial town with the plethora of choice in things to do and see of a bustling central city.

Founded as the continuation of Ancient Corinth, the city is located near the place where the Corinthian Gulf blends into the Saronic Gulf. The city is cleverly and beautifully mapped out, with wide roads, large sidewalks and beautiful parks adding to its allure.
Acrocorinh; the Acropolis of Ancient Corinth - credits: Pavel Kirichenko/Shutterstock.com
The sculpture of Pegasus, found in the square of Eleftheriou Venizelou has become the emblematic symbol of the city, while Apostolos Pavlos Metropolitan Church stands as an imposing monument of Christianity. A walk by the coast is an absolute must, where a wide selection of cafe and traditional taverns offer Greek delicacies for you to enjoy. In the summer months, you can also visit one of Corinth's beaches, such as Kalamia Beach, where you can bask under the blazing Greek sun and dive into the refreshing waters of the Corinthian Gulf.

We know that Athens, the capital of Greece, along with the Greek islands, have stolen the thunder from Greece's mainland. However, there is beauty to be discovered away from the chaotic vibe of the busy touristy spots. Don't neglect to enrich your stay in Greece with trips to less known parts of the country just like Cornith.

With parks, beautiful squares, a scenic port and a selection of cultural and historical stimuli to keep you on your toes, Corinth has everything you want and then some! Follow our guide, and we promise that you'll experience Greece in a way only a few visitors do.
Statue of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek god of beauty - credits: markara/shutterstock.com
Are you still wondering why Corinth is so special? Here are 5+1 facts that will make you realize that this city is more important than you thought!

Corinth is one of the most ancient cities in Greece

There is no doubt that ancient Corinth was one of the most important cities to be found around Greece and actively shaped the ancient history of the region, holding quite an important role in ancient politics. Extensive archaeological research has shown that people have resided in this area since Neolithic times. With artifacts dating back to as early as 6500 BCE, the settlement of Corinth gradually grew into a dominant trade center of Greece during the early Bronze Age. The era of Kings in Corinth resulted in a powerful state not only able to control its nearby territories but also rich enough to raise the interest of its enemies.

The 8th century for Corinth brought the invasion of the Bacchiadae, a Doric-clan that put an end to the succession of Kings and established an aristocratic regiment with them as the rulers of Corinth. A new phase of construction and prosperity begun and the population of the city-state rose up to 5000 individuals, quite a substantial number for the time. Through the centuries, Corinth had been continuously inhabited with a small pause during Roman times. Therefore, the declaration of Corinth as one of the most ancient regions of Greece is more than fair considering its long and rich history!

Corinth canal, -or 'isthmos' in Greek- the place that gave Isthmian Games their name - credits: EleniMac/Shutterstock.com
Corinth was the birth city-state of one of the Seven Sages of Greece

In Plato's work Protagoras, we discover the listing of seven names after the title, " The Seven Wise Men ". According to tradition, these men were considered to be the wisest Greeks of all, who shaped their generation through their pioneering thought process and advanced work.

One of them was Periander of Corinth, who lived during the 6th century BCE. He was the son of the first tyrant of Corinth, Cypselus, and got immortalized through a series of adventures that made him and the city of Corinth a formidable force. During his ruling, the city expanded and colonized faraway places, the first coins of the city were struck, and he even conceived and started a huge construction program to create a canal in order to connect the Saronic to the Corinthian Gulf.
The archaeological site of Ancient Corinth - credits: Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock.com
After he realized the sheer scale of the project and faced the limit of the existing technology, he changed his plan by creating the Diolkos, a strip of land with appropriate infrastructure to drag ships and other vessels from the eastern to the western coast. The unprecedented influx of money coming from tolls allowed him to invest in his city's infrastructure, decorating it with lavish public buildings and temples and spend even more as a patron of literature and philosophy.

Corinth had institutionalized sacred prostitution

At the top of the imposing hill of Acrocorinth, there used to be a temple dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. The temple was located right next to the mythical spring that according to legend, Asopus gave as a gift to Sisyphus. This temple was renowned in the ancient world and was described by Strabo when he visited Corinth in 2 BCE.

According to him, the temple had already over 1000 slaves-courtesans, both male and female, who had dedicated their lives in the service of the goddess. It was known back then, that getting the services from such a courtesan was quite costly and thus a saying, which is mentioned by Strabo, stated that: " The voyage to Corinth is not for every man ".

Stories of rich captains losing their living and ships for spending one night with a temple-courtesan were numerous and known to every corner of the Greek world. One really famous prostitute of the 4th century BCE was named Lais and charged high amounts for her services.

According to some sources, she asked from Demosthenes 10.000 drachmas just for a night with her, an unthinkable sum of money considering the fact that an average day's pay was 1 drachma. She was so beautiful that even the famous painter Apellis hired her to pose for him for some of his paintings.

Corinth hosted the Panhellenic Isthmian Games

The Isthmian Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games that existed in antiquity. Just like the Olympic Games, athletes from all over Greece were eager to participate in the Games, honoring the patron god, Poseidon. According to the legend, the founder of the Isthmian Games was Sisyphus himself and an Isthmian Truce (just like the Olympian one) was declared before the start of the festival to ensure the safe passage of the athletes to Corinth.

The prize for these games were wreaths made out of celery, and later on, made out of pine. During the 2nd century BCE, Romans were allowed to take part in the festival and eventually the games stopped after the decision of Theodosius I in the 4th century AD. The ancient stadium of Isthmia is still preserved right next to the temple of Poseidon.

Corinth was destroyed to the ground and refounded by the Romans
Ancient Corinth - credits: WitR/Shutterstock.com
After the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE, the Romans proclaimed to the rest of the world their hegemony and unquestionable rule. In Greece, the Achaean League reacted to the provocations of the Romans and later that year a decisive battle between those two parties happened outside of the city of Corinth.
Detail: Aegina and Zeus, Ferdinand Bol (1616-1680) - credits: wikipedia.org
Despite the minor victories of the Greeks, the commander Lucius Mummius vanquished the Greek army and continued by destroying to the ground the city of Corinth. Additionally, he captured all the male population of the city and executed them on site, while women and young children were sold as slaves.

The destroyed city was left in ruins for almost a century when Julius Caesar, re-founded the city under the name Colonia Laus Iulia Corinthiensis (a colony of Corinth in honor of Julius) in 44 BC, before his assassination. After several years, Corinth finally recovered, reintroducing itself as one of the most dynamic harbors of the Mediterranean with a huge population of Greeks, Romans, and Jews.

Apostle Paul lived and preached in Corinth

The Bema of Apostle Paul - Image credits: Corinth-museum.gr

Anyone that has read the New Testament knows the Epistles to Corinthians of Apostle Paul. It is believed that Apostle Paul arrived in Corinth in 49 or 50 AD and organized the first Church of Corinth, making it an Apostolic See. In Corinth, he met Priscilla and Aquila which later on came to be two of the Seventy Disciples.

He lived and worked with them in the city for more than eighteen months, where he frequently visited and preached at the local synagogue. The fact that he lived for that long in Corinth shows the presence of a well-established Jewish community of Corinth that allowed him to worship and preach in their synagogue.

Although two Epistles to Corinthians have been included in the New Testament, scholars claim that during his life he wrote probably more than four, conveying the dynamic character of this new Church and his investment on spreading Christianity.

Sisyphus, the First King of Corinth

Probably one of the most interesting and by far one of the most influential figures of Greek mythology, Sisyphus and his toil inspired authors and intellectuals of both the ancient and modern world. From Homer, Plato, and Ovid to Albert Camus, Franz Kafka and Simone de Beauvoir, his emblematic story survived through the centuries and even became part of modern pop-culture. His story even makes an appearance in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, helping Percy in the Fields of Punishment, while it is also mentioned in Lemony Snicket's: A series of Unfortunate Events! But who is Sisyphus and what is so special about him?

Sisyphus was the son of King of Thessaly Aeolus and Enarete -translating in Greek to 'the virtuous one'. He was the mythical founder and King of the city of Ephyra, which was later on renamed Corinth. As King, he succeeded in making the city an important trading center and eventually, Ephyra prospered, but at a price. Sisyphus with his brutal reign managed to remain in power by outsmarting his opponents with numerous deceitful actions.

Even though he had already raised the attention of the Gods, one particular event sealed his destiny. Once, while being on his land in Corinth, Sisyphus witnessed the sight of a huge eagle abducting a young maiden. Stunned at first, he quickly realized that the majestic beast was Zeus himself, having taken the form of his sacred bird.

The unlucky young maiden was Aegina, the daughter of the river-god Asopus. In her time of need, she desperately screamed for her father's help. When Asopus arrived in Corinth, he asked Sisyphus whether he knew anything in regard to his beloved daughter. Sisyphus agreed to confess to him everything he knew but on one condition: a new spring on top of his acropolis (Acrocorinth), for the watering of Corinth.

When Zeus realized Sisyphus betrayed him, he furiously ordered Thanatos (Death) to capture and lead him to Tartarus, the deepest part of the Underworld. Tartarus was known as the prison of Titans and as a place of divine punishment designed for the most wicked souls. There, Sisyphus cleverly exercised all of his craftiness. By the time Thanatos showed him the enchanted chains of Tartarus, Sisyphus slyly tricked him to chain himself by persistently asking him to demonstrate how the chains worked.

That way, he managed to escape to the world of the living but with terrible consequences: with Thanatos trapped, no one could die, therefore the world got full of invincible warriors and undying old men! A huge turmoil was created and Ares, the god of war, decided to intervene. With no one dead, warfare and battles had lost their purpose, so he descended to the Underworld to free Thanatos from his divine chains.

When Sisyphus grew old, terrified of facing Thanatos again, he ordered his wife Merope to throw his body on the public square of Ephyra -or Corinth- after his imminent death. As a result, Sisyphus could not continue his journey to the Underworld and found himself trapped on the shores of the river Styx.

There, he pled to Persephone, the wife of Hades, to allow him to return to the mortal world to punish his disrespectful wife and arrange a proper burial for his body. After his refusal of returning to the Underworld, the Gods sent Hermes, the messenger of the gods to find him and escort him back in front of Hades.

As punishment for having cheated the Olympian Gods not once but twice, Zeus condemned Sisyphus to carry a boulder to the top of a hill, which closely resembled the one of his own city, Corinth. The twist to his punishment was that Zeus, enchanted the boulder to roll back down the hill every single time Sisyphus was reaching the top, resulting into a never-ending, maddening process.

Sisyphus' cruel faith was deeply inscribed in the minds of the ancient Greeks, constantly reminding them of the danger of the fury of the Gods. Sisyphus became a symbol of interminability and eternal frustration. Polygnotus, the ancient Greek painter, vividly depicted his agony on the walls of Lesche at the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi.

Next time you visit Corinth, spend some time to think about Sisyphus on your way to Acrocorinth and learn from his mistakes. Find out how to create your own unique travel experience or check the rest of our Greece tours!

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Ancient Corinth Ultimate Guide: Historical Facts & Mythology - Greeking.me

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Corinth was one of the most important ancient Greek city-states in the whole region of Greece. With a history stretching across the span of around 8000 years, it is safe to say that it played an important role not just to Greek history, but to world history as well.