Abstract: The Temple of Athena at Sounion Lecturer: Barbara
Barletta The Temple of Athena at Sounion, in the district of
Attica some 44 miles from Athens, is one of the more unusual
examples of Greek architecture. It was constructed with columns
on two adjacent sides, rather than at front and back or entirely
surrounding the building. Instead of the Doric order typical of
Mainland Greece, it employed the Ionic order characteristic of
the Aegean Islands, and at an earlier date than the better-known
temples on the Athenian Acropolis. It thus stands as a harbinger
of things to come. Yet because of its fragmentary state and lack
of thorough publication, it is not well known. This lecture
presents evidence for the building, including its remains, its
reconstructed appearance, and the artistic context in which it
developed. The temple is also important for its afterlife.
During the Roman period, it was dismantled and parts were
transported to Athens, to be re-used in a new temple constructed
in the Agora. Other Att