Athens
placeAthens 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 Myth
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
Fun Fact
The olive tree on the Acropolis was said to be Athena's original gift — when the Persians burned it in 480 BC, it regrew overnight.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
Athena
godGoddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, born fully armored from the head of Zeus. Patron deity of...
Poseidon
godLord of the seas and brother of Zeus. Poseidon's moods shaped the oceans — calm seas for those who...
Acheron
placeThe Acheron was the River of Woe in the underworld, which the dead had to cross — in some...
Aeaea
placeAeaea was the mythical island home of Circe, the divine sorceress who transformed Odysseus's men...
Arcadia
placeArcadia was both a real mountainous region in the central Peloponnese and an idealised landscape of...
Argo (Ship)
placeThe Argo was the ship built by Argus for Jason's quest — the first long-voyage ship in Greek myth,...