File:Temple of Poseidon - Ancient marble steps.jpg

English: The sacred promontory of Sounio, as Homer called it in his Odyssey, is situated on the SE edge of the peninsula of Attica, 67 km from Athens. On the highest point of this isolated cape, at the height of 70m from sea level, are the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon; the "Cavo Kolones", as sailors call them.

The temple of Poseidon was constructed in c.440 B.C., over the ruins of a temple dating from the Archaic Period. It is perched above the sea at a height of almost 60m. The design of the temple is a typical hexastyle i.e it had a front portico with 6 columns. Only some columns of the Sounion temple stand today, but intact it would have closely resembled the contemporary Temple of Hephaestus on the Acropolis, which may have been designed by the same architect.

Poseidon was similar to his brother Zeus in exerting his power on women and in objectifying masculinity. He had many love affairs and fathered numerous children. Poseidon once married a Nereid, Amphitrite, and produced Triton who was half-human and half-fish. He also impregnated the Gorgon Medusa to conceive Chrysaor and Pegasus, the flying horse. The rape of Aethra by Poseidon resulted in the birth of Theseus; and he turned Caeneus into a man, at her request, after raping her. Another rape involved Amymone when she tried to escape from a satyr and Poseidon saved her. Other offspring of Poseidon include: Eumolpus, the Giant Sinis, Polyphemus, Orion, King Amycus, Proteus, Agenor and Belus from Europa, Pelias, and the King of Egypt, Busiris.