The Temple of Athena at Sounion
Exploring the Sanctuary Dedicated to Athena Sounias
Less prominent than the sanctuary of Poseidon, the temple of Athena at Sounion demonstrates the interplay between architecture and landscape in Greek sacred sanctuaries.
Known as the 'holy lands end of Attica', the history of sacred activity at Sounion dates back to an archaic chthonic warrior cult situated to the north of the peninsular. The sanctuary of Athena Sounias was the natural successor of this cult. Her sanctuary demonstrates how Classical architecture and the landscape combined to make dramatic sacred statements.
Layout of the Temenos
Older than the sanctuary of Poseidon, Athena’s sacred site grew up around the area of the archaic sacred temenos during the 6th century BC. Situated on a low hill 500m north of the sanctuary of Poseidon, it is trapezoidal in plan and the temenos is marked out by a precinct wall.
The archaic temenos can still be traced. Situated to the west of the temenos of Athena, it is elliptical in shape, marked by a wall of local red stone. Nothing remains of the grove that marked the spot as sacred.
The cult of Athena was a natural development from the warrior cult associated with the site and preserved many of its relics. Along the south eastern edge of the Classical sanctuary, a 15 m deep ditch was discovered with steps leading into an artificial cave. This acted as the sanctuary’s sacred repository and was found to be full of the votive offerings from the earlier cult. In the 5th century, during the building of the new temple, the ditch was covered and the space levelled.
The Temples of Athena
Two temples to the goddess are in evidence: a small Doric temple which was destroyed by the Persians and the larger Ionic 5th century temple.
An impression of the original temple has been reconstructed from its foundations and remains on the site. It was of plain design with 12 Doric columns marking out the cella, or sacred space. The walls were painted red and its entablature decorated.
The Hellenic temple was double its size with a plain undecorated pediment. The cella was divided into three with the sacred statue of the goddess at the very back behind a grill. Besides being larger, it had several unusual features.
Firstly there was the orientation of the temple. The front faced east. Usually, it was at the front of the temple that the alter was situated. However, at the temple of Athena Sounias it was situated to the south. This southern orientation is emphasised by the final unique feature. The stylobate or ionic column base surrounding the temple was only built on the south and eastern sides. Clearly the temple was designed to be viewed and approached from the south east. This is reason why the new temple was not rebuilt over this archaic version.
The Role of the Landscape
A southern view was desired in order to make a statement. Athena was a chthonic deity. Her cult was of the earth. Both setting and architecture ensure that the temple was tied into the land. If viewed from the south, the colonnade blocked out the sea, emphasising the land. Once past this feature, the mountains acted as a backdrop to the temple, rendering the colonnade superfluous.
Nothing remains of the temple of Athena at Sounion. In the first century AD, after the site became abandoned and redundant, the temple was dismantled and rebuilt in the Athenian Agora.
Sources
‘Sounion’ by Mary Salliora-Oikonomakou. Ministry of Culture Archaeological Receipts Fund, Greece.
The Earth, The Temple And The Gods: Greek Sacred Architecture by Vincent Scully. New Haven and London, Yale University Press.
