At This Period,
The Corinthians Imposed A Transit Duty On All Commodities, Which Entered Or
Left The Peloponnessus By The Isthmus.
But the extended knowledge and
enterprise of the Greeks, and, above all, the destruction of the pirates
which infested the narrow seas, led them to prefer sea carriage part of the
way.
The reason why they did not transport their goods the whole passage by
sea, may be found in their ignorance and fears: their inexperienced
mariners and frail ships could not succeed in doubling Cape Malea in
Laconia; off which, and between it and Crete, the sea was frequently very
boisterous. Hence, the merchants were under the necessity of transporting,
by land carriage, their goods to the seas which formed the Isthmus. Such as
came from Italy, Sicily, and the countries to the west, were landed at
Lechaeum; while the merchandize from Asia Minor, Phoenicia, and the islands
in the Egean Sea, were landed at the port of Cinchraea. The breadth of the
Isthmus was so small that the goods were easily and quickly conveyed from
one harbour to the other; and afterwards the Corinthians succeeded in
transporting the ships themselves.
At first it would appear that the Corinthians contented themselves with the
wealth derived from their city being the great mart of commerce, and from
the duties which they imposed: but they soon began to engage very
extensively and with great spirit in trade themselves. Several kinds of
manufactures were encouraged, which were highly valued by foreign nations,
especially coverlets for beds, and brass and earthen-ware vessels.
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