Modern Greek Culture Blog: Destination: Sounion, by Zach Schepers

Here is a short travel guide video on Sounion:

Published By: http://www.5min.com/Video/Travel-Guide-on-Sounion-in-Greece-244079488

Where is Sounion?

Sounion is located in Greece about 42 miles South of Athens.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOUNION

Published By: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1246248318/tpod.html

According to prehistoric tombs and artifacts Sounion was first inhabited around 3000 BC.

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*Ancient Sounion was considered a center of worship as early as the eighth century B.C. Because of the spiritual significance, the people of Sounion erected several places of spiritual importance. The first was the Temple of Posiedon which was destroyed once, then rebuilt around 490 B.C. It was destroyed again by the Persians in 480 BC.

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Published by:http://markandrewholmes.com/poseidon.html

Ancient Sounion also was the location of the sanctuary of Athena which houses the temple of Athena, erected in about 450 BC.

Remains of the Temple of Athena in Sounion
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Published By:http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/goddess-athena/

Published By:http://greecefsp.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/june-2nd-marathon-brauron-thorikos-lavrion-sounion/

*Sounion became a major slave and mining market and thus was very closely linked to its close neighbor Athens both politically and socially.

"The Slave Market" Goustave Boulanger's Rendition of an ancient Roman Slave Market.
Published By :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery

*During the Peloponnesian War which occurred between 431 to 404 BC Athens made Sounion into a military stronghold. Later during the Chremonidean War which occurred between 267-261 BC the Macedonians seized control of Sounion and used the stronghold to assault the Attica countryside. Following the two wars the two temples fell into decay and in under the rule of Agustus the temple of Athena was transported to Athens. During the 14th century, the famous Poet Lord Byron visited Sounion and carved his name into the temple of Poseidon.

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*Today, Sounion is a central tourist attraction with numerous men and women coming from around the world to see the famous Cape. Tourists visit the large archeological site which includes the Temple of Poseidon and the remains of the Temple of Athena. It is also a popular day trip for Athenians who come and spend the day on the beach in their beach villas.

Published by: http://www.dilos.com/hotel/13603/GREECE-Attika-Sounio-Grecotel-Cape-Sounio-Hotel

Published by: http://www.travelpod.com/s/cape+sounion

*Sounion appears in numerous ancient Greek myths and stories. For example, the Legend of Sounion is that King Aegeus threw himself off the cape of Sounion after seeing his son’s ship come back from war with black sails raised, leading him to believe incorrectly that his son (Theseus) had died.