Kechries

Cenchreae (Greek Κεγχρεαί ), today Kechries (Greek Κεχριές ), was one of the ancient ports of the city of Corinth, located on the Saronic Gulf to the Peloponnese (Greece).

History

Since the Corinth Canal did not exist in ancient times, the ships were unloaded in Cenchreae, dragged across the Diolkos and loaded back into Lechaion on the Gulf of Corinth, with the same in the reverse direction was going on. The harbor was always in possession of Corinth, apart from a brief occupation by Cassander 315 BC According to Apuleius († 170 AD), in his novel Metamorphoses of Isis Temple of Cenchreae plays an important role, there was here lively operation. Paul broke from here, where there was a Christian community on a mentioned in Romans deaconess Phoebe to Ephesus. Earthquakes ( 365 and 375 AD), led to considerable destruction and to a lowering of the soil. In the late Byzantine period the harbor was meaningless.

The finds

Visible on land are still some remains of a house. To one part under water are the remains of the temple to Isis, which was converted to a basilica. Here also 50 wooden containers were found with painted glass plates, which were kept here after arriving at the port and destroyed in the earthquake of 375 ( now in the Museum of Isthmia ). In a Roman cemetery in the north of the port chamber tombs with frescoes found.