Austrian and Greek archaeologists think they have found the fabled temple of Temple of Samian Poseidon mentioned by an ancient Greek historian in southern Greece. In Geographica, his encyclopedia, Strabo wrote of a sanctuary to the sea god and an important center of identity for the ancient city of Samikon (also known as Samicum), which he said dated from 700 to 480 BCE.
Early in October of 2022 archaeologists located what they believe is the temple foundation which is 31 feet wide. They also found fragments of its laconic roof and a marble perirrhanterion (water basin used for rituals) confirming that the building dates to the archaic period. The team also discovered other architectural features typically found in ancient temples, including a pronaos (vestibule) and two inner rooms—one of which is a cella, filled with “a dense layer of tiles.”
According to Plato, the central temple of Atlantis was also dedicated to Poseidon, albeit, around 9000 years earlier. Although he described the temple in some detail, Plato told of only one ritual activity that took place there with ceremonial regularity. In the Kritias, he wrote that the ten Atlantean rulers, representing various regions within their imperial network, gathered in the Temple of Poseidon alternately every fifth and sixth year—to honor the sacred numerals of male and female energy, respectively—during the late afternoon of a particular holy day. Alone and without the assistance of priests or advisors, they “consulted on matters of mutual interest”; i.e., the diplomatic, commercial and military concerns that concerned the empire primarily.
AR #129
Ancient Temple of the Stars
