El antiguo Díolkos de Corinto. Análisis de las propuestas sobre su trazado y cálculo de trayectoria óptima

In this paper, we propose a reinterpretation of the itinerary of the ancient Diolkos of Corinth based on a scientific and rigorous perspective. Using the computer tools currently available and the cartography of the Isthmus region prior to the opening of the canal, we have developed a set of programs that allow us, first of all, to evaluate the trajectories proposed by the scholars and, in addition, to elaborate a hypothesis of an optimal trajectory. In our research, we believe that approaching the study of this trajectory from the point of view of physics and engineering can provide a complementary and enriching vision of the various existing papers about the subject, based exclusively on historical sources. We hope that our contribution could be useful to understand the technical requirements Recibido: 3 de agosto de 2020; aceptado: 18 de febrero de 2021; publicado: 31 de marzo de 2021. Revista Historia Autónoma, 18 (2021), pp. 13-41 e-ISSN: 2254-8726; https://doi.org/10.15366/rha2021.18.001 14 Revista Historia Autónoma, 18 (2021), e-ISSN: 2254-8726 and the difficulties of the transport of ships between the gulfs of the Isthmus of Corinth, and to evaluate the economic and strategic interests of this famous route.