The Chalkidiki is a large peninsula in the northwestern Aigean (Aegean) Sea, resembling a hand with three fingers stretching south into the sea. Mount Athos is distinctive and used as a landmark in the Iliad as the goddess Hera was winging her way from Mount Olympos (Olympus) to the island of Lemnos.
Hera was on her way to meet Hypnos, god of sleep, so the two of them could waylay Zeus on Mount Ida. Their plan was for Hera to distract Zeus to allow Hypnos to cast a spell of sleep. While Zeus was sleeping, Poseidon, lord of the sea, intended to rouse the Achaian (Achaean) army to counter the recent Trojan advances.
Approximate Geographic Center
Latitude North, Longitude East
40.4784, 23.4021
| References: Homer, Iliad book 14, line 229 |