Athens
Athens was the city sacred to Athena, birthplace of democracy, philosophy, drama, and Western civilisation — named after the goddess who won the city in a contest with Poseidon.
The Story of Athens
Athena and Poseidon competed for patronage of the city. Poseidon struck the Acropolis with his trident, producing a salt spring. Athena planted an olive tree. The citizens chose Athena's gift. The olive tree still grows on the Acropolis. Athens became the cultural and intellectual capital of the ancient world: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, Pericles, Thucydides, and Aristophanes all lived and worked there. The Parthenon was built to house Athena's gold and ivory statue.
Symbols
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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