Spiders in Greece: Cape Sounion

Through a partnership with the Office of the Chaplaincy, Spider student-athletes are exploring religious traditions, history, and culture in both the ancient world and the present during a Global Leadership Immersion to Greece this week. Follow the Spiders on their journey with daily recaps from the student-athletes.

Hi Spider Fans,

Today is the seventh, and unfortunately, last blog describing our travels around Greece. We have had such an amazing time sharing with you all the details surrounding our Greece Immersion Program. Today, we before we left the hotel, we had a group breakfast. It was great to be able to eat together and talk about all we've experienced together. After we ate, we went downstairs to meet our guide, and then traveled around 60 miles from Athens to Cape Sounion, which is the location that houses the remains of the Temple of Poseidon. It is located on the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula in Greece, overlooking the Aegean Sea. As we drove from Athens, we followed a picturesque coastline, enjoying views of the sea, and the beaches along the way. We passed Vouliagmeni, a coastal town, that our guide pointed out as being home to the Vouliagmeni Lake, a natural spa with thermal waters that has become a popular spot for relaxation and swimming. We've done quite a bit of walking this week, and we all laughed and joked about having some time in the hot tub. As we continued along the coast, we quickly saw what we heard from our tour guide, and that was the fact of this area offers breathtaking views of the surrounding sea and islands.

Before reaching the Temple of Poseidon, we encountered the archaeological site at Cape Sounion. As our guide mentioned this week, there are so many archaeological sites throughout Greece that contain remains which could likely be reconstructed fairly easily utilizing modern technological practices. However, the goal is to use the same methods which were originally utilized to rebuild and preserve these historical figures. The primary purpose of this temple was to honor and worship Poseidon, the God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, according to Greek mythology. In the background, as we walked around, you could see the many islands Greece has to offer from Santorini all the way to Mykonos. Courtesy of our fantastic tour guide, we learned about the mythology and interesting hypotheticals that have often accompanied the small town and its historic site. The Temple of Poseidon was built in the 5th century BCE during the Golden Age of Athens. It is often attributed to the ancient Greek architect Iktinos. The temple follows the Doric architectural style, characterized by simple, sturdy columns with no base and a plain, fluted shaft. It has six columns on the narrow sides and thirteen columns on the long sides. The temple was constructed using local marble, which has enabled it to be preserved over thousands of years. The columns are monolithic, meaning each one was carved from a single piece of stone, and it is hard not to envision what it looked like when it was first constructed, full of color, lining the beautiful sea. The Temple of Poseidon has a long history and has undergone various phases of construction and renovation over the centuries. It once served as a place of worship, a fortress, and a navigational landmark for sailors. While it is surrounded by a former military base and also the Temple of Athena, many visitors visit Cape Sounion to witness the sun setting over the Aegean Sea from the temple's vantage point. According to Greek mythology, the temple was also associated with the myth of King Aegeus, who leapt to his death from the cliffs of Cape Sounion, giving his name to the Aegean Sea. Today, the Temple of Poseidon is a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors from around the world who are interested in ancient Greek history and architecture. Efforts have been made to preserve and protect the Temple of Poseidon, and it is now a designated archaeological site that will continue to be renovated, although none of us will ever be able to witness its completion.

As we think about visiting this historical place, we must consider the symbols and rituals associated with the worship of Poseidon and how they offer opportunities for reflection on the role of symbolism and ritual in religious practices. The myths, ceremonies, and artifacts related to Poseidon's worship may prompt consideration of how symbols and rituals contribute to the spiritual experience in different religious traditions. The Temple of Poseidon stands as a testament to the evolution of religious beliefs over time. Considering its historical context and subsequent changes in religious practices, one can reflect on the nature of spirituality and how belief systems transform over the centuries. Visiting the Temple of Poseidon or learning about it allowed our group to continue to explore and reflect upon religious diversity, historical perspectives on spirituality, and the ways in which human societies have expressed their understanding of the divine. This experience has really opened my eyes, as I have a newfound appreciation for learning about all religions and not just one. We must have an appreciation and understanding of all of our differences in the world.

Upon departing the Temple of Poseidon, we stopped in a small town for lunch at a local restaurant called XIMA. It was really fitting, as it had an educational theme, with science equations and pictures of Albert Einstein on the wall, among other scientists. We had a large meal consisting of 5-6 meats, a multitude of breads in different forms, and many other local Greek cuisines. We ate so much that the majority of the group took a nap as we headed back to Athens. That evening, since it was our last night, we were given some free to time explore the city of Athens. We visited many small local shops in the flea market and even big name brand stores many of us would recognize. This was a great time to secure souvenirs for family and friends and also some gifts for ourselves. Athens is a really big city, and there were so many people out for us to observe. After shopping, we were hosted by a restaurant called Chabad House, which is a Jewish restaurant serving Kosher meals. The goal in this restaurant is to establish a welcoming and warm center for each and every Jew, as well as travelers. We can all attest that all of us felt extremely welcome in this space, and the meal was an amazing capstone to follow up where we began. Our first night in Thessaloniki, we partook in a Shabbat dinner, and on our last night, we observed the set up for the Shabbat dinner that would occur in this space. It was really a full circle moment for us all. To top things off, we were also joined by two Greek athletes, Loukas and Stella. One is a member of the Baseball National Team, and the other plays Tennis for Greece. It was great to see how Harrison, Jordan, and Polina interacted with Loukas and Stella as they play the same sports. The conversation, hearing about their experiences as athletes here in Greece, certainly make us appreciate their experiences as well as makes us thankful of our time as student-athletes at the University of Richmond.

We all can't express enough how thankful we are to have the opportunity to engage with and learn from other communities while meeting new people. We've learned so much along this journey, too much to ever express in any one setting. I know I can attest to how the rest of the group feels – this is one experience we would not trade for anything in the world. Thank you to everyone who made this possible for the eight of us. We hope more student-athletes have experiences such as this at some point in their career at the University of Richmond. It has changed our way of thinking about the world around us, as we have a new appreciation for world religions, and humankind.

I guess it is goodbye for now – we hope you've enjoyed our blog posts. Thank you all for reading!

Fonnae Webb
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Spiders in Greece: Cape Sounion

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