GREECE PLACES
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Sounio
 What
a sight it must have been when the ancient Greek seafarers laid their
eyes on the majestic Temple of Poseidon at the very tip of cape Sounio.
There must have been no better reward for sailors who braved the waves
of the Aegean Archipelago than the view of the orderly marble columns
atop the rugged rocks that form the cape of Sounio.
 A
sign of approaching safe harbor for sailors who navigated towards Athens
and a sign of farewell for departing ones, the temple of Poseidon has
stood silently for thousands of years as a reminder of respect for mighty
Poseidon and his capricious ocean. The temple's proportions are humble
and serene, and yet the structure is elevated in a showmanship manner
through the massive foundation that raises it so it can be easily spotted
by sailors from afar. While most of the ornaments have been removed, the
Doric columns impose a statement of strength, durability and serenity
on the entire landscape. The aesthetics of the temple communicate a message
most appropriate and welcome for those who braved the ocean in small vessels
at the mercy of Poseidon's desires.
 Cape
Sounio has been recognized since prehistoric times as a special place
of worship, and was an important sanctuary during the Greek Archaic, Classical,
and Hellenistic periods. There are two sanctuaries present on the cape:
the sanctuary of Poseidon and the sanctuary of Athena; two gods that were
held in high esteem by the ancient Athenians. The ruins as we see them
today are the result of the renovations that took place during the 5th
century B.C., and replaced a succession of buildings that date back to
the archaic period.
 The
location of cape Sounio at the tip of Attica rendered it as a location
of strategic military importance, and thus it was fortified with a mighty
wall and guarded constantly by a garrison which ensured that the shipping
lanes to Athens remained open. It is also most likely the place that Aegeus
plunged to his death after he glimpsed the dark sails of Theseus' ship
approaching, thus naming the Aegean Sea after his legend.
 Standing
atop the cape the horizon is full of sea three quarters of the way and
as the rock breaks the stepping plane abruptly towards the smashing waves
below, I could not help but feel as if the whole rock was just a floating
platform; A massive raft which detached itself from land and history and
floated softly along the waves towards the expanse of the Aegean Sea and
the depths of History.
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