Muny̆chia

(and æ), a port of Attica, between the Piræus and the promontory of Sunium, called after king Munychus , who built there a temple to Diana, and in whose honour he instituted festivals called Munychia . The temple was held so sacred that whatever criminals fled there for refuge were pardoned. During the festivals they offered small cakes which they called amphiphontes , ἀπο τον ἁμφιφαειν , from shining all round , because there were lighted torches hung round when they were carried to the temple, or because they were offered at the full moon, at which time the solemnity was observed. It was particularly in honour of Diana, who is the same as the moon, because it was full moon when Them is toc les conquered the Persian fleet at Salamis. The port of Munychia was well fortified and of great consequence; therefore the Lacedæmonians, when sovereigns of Greece, always kept a regular garrison there. Plutarch. — Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 2 , li. 709 .— Strabo , bk. 2 .— Pausanias , bk. 1 , ch. 1 .