Legend Sounion

theseus slays minotaur. detail attic red-figure pelike. ca. 470 bc. cerveteri, italy. museo gregoriano etrusco



the artemision bronze, bronze statue of deity, either poseidon or zeus, hurl missing projectile (either thunderbolt, if zeus, or trident if poseidon). height: 2.1 m. ca. 460 bc. found in shipwreck off cape artemisium. athens national archaeological museum

modern touristic literature states according greek mythology, cape sounion spot aegeus, king of athens, leapt death off cliff, giving name aegean sea. however, greek geographer pausanias mentioned acropolis place event took place.

the earliest literary reference sounion in homer s poem odyssey, composed in 8th century bc. recounts mythical tribulations suffered greek hero odysseus in grueling 10-year sea-voyage return native island, ithaca, in ionian sea, sack of troy. ordeal supposedly inflicted upon him poseidon, whom temple @ sounion dedicated. story recounts various greek commanders sailed troy, helmsman of ship of king menelaus of sparta died @ post while rounding holy sounion, cape of athens. menelaus landed @ sounion give companion full funeral honours (i.e., cremation on funeral pyre on beach). greek ships caught storm off cape malea , scattered in directions.