The name “Diolkos” means a “movable platform”.
“Diolkos” was a stoned path, paved with limestone, which ran from the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Gulf.
Periander, the Tyrant of Corinth, was the first who imagined the Isthmus Canal. The technical capabilities in ancient times made his idea impossible to be carry out. Instead of making the Isthmus, he developed the “Diolkos”. Not all ships could use the “diolkos” due to their size. In most cases, the cargo of ships was taken off at one side, and carried to the other, where a second ship was waiting to load the cargo. Today, there are still sections of the “diolkos” that one can see.
The “diolkos” was the main reason of the city’s wealth. The Corinthians were charging money for the boat, the cargo and the passengers.