Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Corinth

Matthew James Elliott

Ruins of Corinth

One of the most surprising aspects of writing for Heroes, Heroines, and History has been the opportunities it has given me to dive deep into research mode and discover fascinating stories that have been woven together throughout history. Has something you discovered when you were in research mode ever surprised you?

A great example of this is the city of Corinth. Being a Biblical Studies major, I already knew a lot about the city, but the focus of my knowledge was, “What does scripture say about the city?” In preparing to write The Hope of Inheritance, I needed a central location to host the council gathering that led Paul and his companions to Rome. Since I also needed to send characters to other locations, Corinth seemed like the logical place. 

In scripture, Corinth was a place where multiple cultures found safety from the tyranny of Rome. It became a melting pot of faith, political tension, and opportunity. The city was a crossroads for so many things, and the ideal place for believers to gather in secret to figure out what their priorities in mission were. As a bonus, it had two harbors that experienced constant movement. It meant that I could plausibly use it to move the story to Rome. 

Here is where things became interesting for me. As my research continued, I discovered this ancient ship road called the Diolkos. I am sure you’re wondering what that actually is, so I’ll tell you. The Diolkos is a stone road that enabled ships to be moved from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea on land. It was built on the Isthmus of Corinth and was even used during times of war to speed up naval campaigns.  

Rendering of Priscilla and Aquilla for my Stories

While this made for an interesting opportunity to use as an arc point in the Hope of Inheritance, I ended up using it in another story entirely. I am building an entire world for my historical fiction stories, after all. The Diolkos became a connective link between stories. This alone gave me reason to use Corinth, but the research continued. The city was a place where a fountain of ideas, religions, and yes, even temptations collided. 

Knowing all this only confirmed what I already knew: Corinth had value, and it was worth it to research more. These ideas had already shaped a good portion of Paul’s purpose in writing 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and there is relative proof that he wrote to them more than twice throughout his ministry. When you add in the stories of figures like Priscilla and Aquilla, Apollos, and others, the connective ideas for The World of Kedoshim become something more. 

Some historical records and scriptures already clearly document stories about these figures and others, but these stories also reveal that Corinth became a city of refugees. Those coming from Rome after Emperor Claudius banished them found a renowned purpose and opportunity to live their desired lives again. But you are probably asking yourself, "When is he going to get to the historical aspects?”

How about Nero’s attempt to build a canal in 67 AD? It was meant to be built along the Isthmus of Corinth. Yep, that historical marvel I was talking about earlier could have been destroyed completely. I’ll save you the wait; his project failed less than a year after Nero struck the first rock with his personal pickaxe. Why? 

Well, Nero killed himself shortly after the project began, and when his successor took the throne, the project never got picked back up. It was a good thing, too, because Nero had already shipped around 6,000 Judean prisoners of war to the city to build the canal.  

Map of the Isthmus of Corinth

Access to the Isthmus of Corinth positioned the city as a towering connection to the rest of the world. It was a beacon of power and wealth in a world overshadowed by fear of Rome. The city was renowned for its luxury and prestige. Nero knew this and wanted the power to build his canal there. When Nero abandoned the project, its failure significantly contributed to the rebellion that followed during the Great Jewish Revolt, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Now, I don’t capture all of this in my stories, but the history is there, and it matters. Corinth’s history teaches us that empires rise, but they also crumble and fall. It teaches us that even during global tribulation, victories don’t always happen in big and flashy ways. Sometimes, they come in failed attempts to build a canal or a stone path that carries ships from one sea to another. 

In a fractured world, Corinth stood as a safe harbor for those Rome tried to destroy. It was a city saturated in darkness, but hope still rises in places with broken histories. I do my best to illustrate that in my stories, not because it’s a great plot point, but because history matters, and so does what it struggles to teach us all. 

Other cities teach us similar lessons, and next month we are heading to Colossae, a city that holds a special place in my heart. It’s where my stories began. But what about you? Is there a place in history that has that honor for you? Where does your story begin?

See you in the pages, 

M.J.E.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

My Newest Biblical Fiction Novel, The Hope of Inheritance, came out on Father's Day and has received a ChristLit Book Award for excellence in Christian Literature. Grab it via Amazon. If you enjoy it, please let me know by posting a review.

One Story Still Untold. Four Unlikely Authors.

Together, their Message will speak to Many.

The city of Rome was a vast and beautiful place-- on the surface. That is, until a great fire burned and destroyed most of it. Deep in a world hidden from those who would strike against them, four unlikely men work together to share a message of truth. This truth was spoken by those who were cut down because of the calling to go forth and preach. 

The message has always been clear: The hope of our inheritance is Christ living within each of us. In the echoes of persecution, sorrow, and even death, this message still reigns supreme, but will the people listen? Only time will tell, but before anything, these four men must come together and unite a church separated by fear and suffering.