On the 4th of June we headed for the bay under Cape Sounion at the SE corner of the Attica peninsula. The bay is a popular stopover for yachts heading to or from Athens, now and in ancient times.
The bay is known for the Temple of Poseidon, the “master of the sea”. Given the importance to Athens of trade by sea and the significance of its navy in its creation and survival during the fifth century BC, Poseidon was of a particular value to the Athenians.
Cape Sounion had a significant strategic value in protecting the sea passage between Piraeus, the central port, and the Aegean Sea, as well as protecting the Attica peninsula with its rich silver mines thanks to which Athens emerged as a leading power in the 5th century BC.
The entrance of the fortress was to the NW, or to the left of the picture above. On the rocky shore on the West side under the entrance, the military port was located. Ship sheds were cut out for warships (triremes) to be hauled out. Once inside the fortress one ascended through the settlement towards the sanctuary of Poseidon at the summit. The commercial port was on the sandy shore on the East side of the Cape (top left in picture) and is now the location for a nude beach.
Homer was the first to refer to Sounion as “the sacred cape of the Athenians”.
The location of the ship sheds as seen from our boat during a sail-by. The keels of two triremes fitted inside the cut-outs in the bedrock that were sloped, for a quick launch.
The main street looking down from the sanctuary to the military port. The settlement housed the garrison and caretakers. Sounion was one of five forts in Attica to which the people of the country could withdraw during war. The considerable extent of the settlement clearly exceeded the needs of the garrison.
Thank you for reading our stories. Our next stop will be Athens, the cradle of Western civilisation.
Warm regards, Liza and Frits.