A cape at the southern extremity of Attica, with a temple of Poseidon upon it, which serves as a landmark for all ships approaching Athens from the east. The rocky promontory on which the temple stands was fortified by a wall with towers, in 413 B.c., as a protection against the Spartans in Decelea; but it was soon after seized by a body of fugitive slaves from the Laurium mines. In the 4th century it was still kept up as a fortress. The temple was shown by an inscription found in 1898 to be dedicated to Poseidon, not, as formerly supposed, to Athena, the remains of whose temple are to be seen about a quarter of a mile away to the north-east; they are of a peculiar plan, consisting of a hall with a colonnade on two sides only.
