| Temple of Poseidon | |
|---|---|
Ναός του Ποσειδώνα | |
 View of the temple | |
  Location within Greece | |
| General information | |
| Type | Greek temple |
| Architectural style | Ancient Greek architecture |
| Location | Cape Sounion, Greece |
| Coordinates | 37.6592°N 24.0148°E |
| Completed | c. 444–440 BC |
The Temple of Poseidon is an ancient Greek temple on Cape Sounion, Greece, dedicated to the god Poseidon. There is evidence of the establishment of sanctuaries on the cape from as early as the 11th century BC. Sounion's most prominent temples, the Temple of Athena and the Temple of Poseidon, are however not believed to have been built until about 700 BC, and their kouroi (freestanding Greek statues of young men) date from about one hundred years later.[1] The material and size of the offerings at the Temple of Poseidon indicate that it was likely frequented by members of the elite and the aristocratic class.[2]
The Greeks considered Poseidon to be the "master of the sea".[3] Given the importance to Athens of trade by sea and the significance of its navy in its creation and survival during the fifth century, Poseidon was of a particular relevance and value to the Athenians.[3]37°39′01″N 24°01′28″E / 37.6502°N 24.02455°E
- ^ Theodoropoulou Polychroniadis, Zetta (2014). "Terracotta Offerings from the Sanctuaries of Poseidon and of Athena at Sounion". Les Carnets de l'Acost (11). doi:10.4000/acost.426.
- ^ Autopsy in Athens : Recent Archaeological Research on Athens and Attica, edited by Margaret M. Miles, Oxbow Books, Limited, 2015. ProQuest 2148251256.
- ^ a b Chatzifoti, Litsa, et al. “An Overview: Greek Sanctuaries and Worshop.” Ancient Greece: Temples and Sanctuaries, Toubis Editions, 2014, pp. 1–31.