Diolkos

I just saw an interesting clip on the BBC website about the Diolkos, the ancient causeway across the Isthmus of Corinth. I thought some who come here might be interested... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7479805.stm

I went to see it when I was a child and was disappointed. Not much is left of it.

There is an interesting story about it too. In the Byzantine era, a Greek admiral was hunting a Saracen fleet that raided the Aegean. However they learnt that they had tricked them and had left the Aegean passing around the Peloponnese and besieging Patra. So he remembered the Diolkos and had his men and the locals clear it and passed the fleet over it. Needless to say that the Saracens were destroyed since they didn't expect anyone to come, especially from that direction.

I believe the Diolkos-picture in the description is taken in Flight Simulator 2004.

Thanks for your posts about Diolkos. This monument, excavated in the late 1950s has suffered terrible erosion literally "under the auspices" of the Greek Ministry of Culture. In my next post I am giving some interesting URLs.....

To read more about the shameful modern history of Diolkos, or to sign a petition for its protection and restoration, please go to : http://www.euroheritage.net/diolkos.shtml
Information in Greek can be found following the links from www.korinthorama.gr (first page, bottom right)