Lesson plan

Diolkos

with the Canal of Corinth close to where the diolkos ran. The Diolkos ( , from the Greek , "across", and , "portage machine" ) was a paved trackway near Corinth in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth. The shortcut allowed ancient vessels to avoid the long and dangerous circumnavigation of the Peloponnese peninsula. The phrase "as fast as a Corinthian", penned by the comic playwright Aristophanes, indicates that the trackway was common knowledge and had acquired a reputation for swiftness. The main function of the Diolkos was the transfer of goods, although in times of war it also became a preferred means of speeding up naval campaigns. The roadway was a rudimentary form of railway, and operated from until the middle of the first century AD. The Diolkos combined the two principles of the railway and the overland transport of ships, on a scale that remained unique in antiquity.

Back to article

Article summary

with the Canal of Corinth close to where the diolkos ran. The Diolkos ( , from the Greek , "across", and , "portage machine" ) was a paved trackway near Corinth in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth. The shortcut allowed ancient vessels to avoid the long and dangerous circumnavigation of the Peloponnese peninsula. The phrase "as fast as a Corinthian", penned by the comic playwright Aristophanes, indicates that the trackway was common knowledge and had acquired a reputation for swiftness. The main function of the Diolkos was the transfer of goods, although in times of war it also became a preferred means of speeding up naval campaigns. The roadway was a rudimentary form of railway, and operated from until the middle of the first century AD. The Diolkos combined the two principles of the railway and the overland transport of ships, on a scale that remained unique in antiquity.

Key claims

No claims recorded.

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

No sources recorded.

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.