Cape Sounio by Mythical Routes

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

1 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

MYTHICAL ROUTES HISTORICAL SERIES

CAPE SOUNIO ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE

2 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Historical Series

Cradle of Western civilization

Cape Sounio

About the Author

Books by G. Baltoyannis

Historical Series collection

Photography Series

Adventure Travel Greece

3 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Historical Series Mythical Routes Historical Series is a location-based series of architectonical / historical guides based on the best seller books by architect and author G. Baltoyannis. For more information visit Mythical Routes | Books.

4 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE CHTHONIC AND CELESTIAL ❖

Editor in chief: Angelo Baltoyannis

❖

Author: George Baltoyannis

❖

Translation: Chris Loutroutzis

❖

Text editing: Lorraine Adams

❖

Graphic design: Angelo Baltoyannis

❖

Design Layout & Pagination: Mythical Routes IKE

❖

ISBN: 978-618-84479-0-5

“Mythical Routes inaugural mission is to help spread the ideas and facts of Ancient Hellenic World with the broader geographical meaning throughout the international adventure community”

5 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Copyright Notice All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, send us an email or write at the address:

Mythical Routes  Nymfon Sqr. 1, Glyfada  16674, Greece Disclaimer : All materials are protected under the United States and international copyright laws and treaties which provide substantial penalties for infringement. The use of any images or other materials, in whole or part, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, reproduction, storage, manipulation, digital or otherwise, is expressly prohibited without the written permission of Mythical Routes. Governing Law : Any claim relating to Mythical Routes's web site shall be governed by the laws of the State of Greece without regard to its conflict of law provisions. General Terms and Conditions applicable to Use of a Web Site.

6 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Cradle of Western civilization Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, Western drama and the Olympic Games.

From the eighth century B.C., the Greeks were organized into various independent city-states (polis), which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea. Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century B.C., with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean to India. Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century B.C., becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire, which adopted the Greek language and culture.

The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  7 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Cape Sounio Southernmost Cape of Attica Sounio is the southernmost headland of Attica, 38 km from Athens, where on the formed hill of 60 meters which was formed by the leveling of the area the Temple of Poseidon was placed with (6) six columns on its short sides and (13) on its long sides from which (15) Doric Columns remain that is why in later times it took the name "Cape of Columns" (Κάβο κολώνες ή Καβοκολώνες).

Of course this was a geostrategic area from where the Athenians supervised the movement of ships entering the Saronic Gulf and guarded the precious minerals of Lavrion and finally controlled the sea routes to Euboea which the Athenians of the 5th Century had conquered and had placed there 4,000 colonists from Attica and from which - because of the fertility of the island took the plant and animal products of the earth, but also supervised the movement to the Cyclades which participated in the Athenian Alliance seated in

8 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

HISTORICAL SERIES ÂŠ2020 MYTHICAL ROUTES

Delos, where the alliance protected around 400 CITY- STATES against the Persian state.

Temple of Poseidon Based on this logic Sounion became a powerful fortress of Attica at the time of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.) wherein 413 B.C. a strong 3.00 meters thick wall was built with (11) towers, a permanent garrison was stationed and civilian housing was built within the walls, while in the northwest corner of the cape a space was formed for the accommodation of ships in readiness.

! Temple of Poseidon, Sounio ÂŠ 2017 A. Baltoyannis

Logically, therefore, in the area, the temple of the sea god Poseidon was built in 449 B.C. by Pericles on the site of an earlier one. That too was Doric and built two years before the Parthenon without relief decoration on the pediments but on the outer frieze were sculpted scenes from the Gigantomachy, the Centauromachy and the feats of Theseus.

9 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

The building was abandoned in the 1st AD century and gradually ruined. Roman sightseers since Roman times carved countless inscriptions on the north side of the temple, on can even read to this time the signature of the philhellene poet Lord Byron.

10 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

About the Author George Baltoyannis was born in Athens, Greece in 1941. His father was from Epirus and his mother from Andros. He studied architecture in Rome and took part in art exhibitions (Margutta – San Luca – Artecom – Palazzo Delle Esposizioni etc.). He returned to Athens in 1970 and worked as a freelance architect and at the same time was an employee, successively at the Greek Ministry of National Defence (Pentagon), the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and the Autonomous Building Organization for Officers (AOOA). Today, alongside the above activities he also researches and lectures on history of art.

His books and theories have been embraced by the Università degli Studi dell'Aquila in Italy, where he was invited several times to give lectures, and the theories of his book “Sacred Architecture” have been integrated into the curriculum of lesson "Elements of Geometry" of the University of Ioannina in Greece.

11 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Books by G. Baltoyannis With more than 30 years of Historical research on the relation between ancient Greek architecture and ancient religion, George Baltoyannis is the author of five best seller Greek books. Most books are available in English language and eBook reflow format. For more information, visit our Shop.

Sacred Architecture

Sacred Journey to Mystical Greece

12 of 17

Sacred Astronomy

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

Historical Series collection To view the full Historical Series collection eBooks and get all available Mythical Guides, in mobile-friendly layout, visit our Shop.

13 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

HISTORICAL SERIES ÂŠ2020 MYTHICAL ROUTES

Photography Series Mythical Routes Photography Series is dedicated to understanding photography, learning about the history of travel photography and adventure photography specific techniques, mastering equipment and much more.

Angelo Baltoyannis | architect

Angelo Baltoyannis is an Architect and Urban Planner with postgraduate studies in Art and Photography. He was a project partner with Nikon Greece in 2017, contributor in many photographic magazines like iFocus, Overland Times and editor in chief in Mythical Routes Publishing. Angelo has been involved in Travel Photography for over twenty years and focused mainly on Adventure Photography. He has closely worked with the American motorcycle clothing company KLiM, the Swiss motorcycle luggage company Enduristan and the Greek motorcycle gear company Aurora Rally Equipment. His has been marketing and art director for the Greek adventure gear shop Most Wanted Warehouse since 2014 and his work has been featured in the

14 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

German overland magazine Overland Journal, the social accounts of Nikon Greece, and the Austrian Brand Management company Seven MMD GmbH, manager of companies like KTM, Motorex, FMF and more.

Memories from the East

Adventure Travel Photography

“ Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets ” ~ Oscar Wilde

15 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

HISTORICAL SERIES ÂŠ2020 MYTHICAL ROUTES

Adventure Travel Greece Our travels and expeditions showcase the beauty and the hidden historical facts of the Ancient Hellenic World with the broader geographical meaning of the term while riding through the breathtaking scenery of long mountain ridges, forest national reserves, remote dragon lakes and isolated hi-planes.

We organize Off-road Adventure Motorcycle Tours and On-road Cultural and Gastronomy Tours with a Historical approach, that can be ridden with your own motorcycle or with one provided from us. You ride at your own pace, always 16 of 17

ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE | FIELD GUIDE

accompanied by a tour leader who will take care of everything for you. Our routes are ideal for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles and are based on the tracks that unfold along with the plot of the best-selling history books of architect and researcher George Baltoyannis (self-guided, SUV, VAN services available). Follow our travels with the #mythicalroutes hashtag, or visit the Mythical Routes social media accounts

Instagram

Facebook

Our Expertise. Your Adventure.

! WWW.MYTHICALROUTES.COM

***

17 of 17

YouTube

Cape Sounio

Articles inside

Cape Sounio