THE NAME OF ATHENS ATHENA, DONOR OF THE OLIVE TREE.

THE NAME OF ATHENS

ATHENA, DONOR OF THE OLIVE TREE

ERECTHEUS’ VILLAGE

• In the old times a small village was built close to the river Ilissos. In the beginning, it had no name and it was unknown. However, its inhabitants were brave and very clever and their leader was Erectheus.

Zeus’ decision• Zeus, omniscient as he was,

knew that some day this small village would become the most glorious city in the whole world and he said so to the rest of the Gods.

• When the Gods heard of this, each of them wanted Erectheus’ village to be named after him or her. Nevertheless, Zeus decided that only two Gods would compete for the name of the new village and this because its citizens mastered two skills, building strong ships in order to travel, and making beautiful pots and statues for the temples.

ATHENA AND POSEIDON

• As a result, the two Gods who would compete were Poseidon, the God of the Sea, and Athena, the Goddess of the Arts.

THE 12 GODS OF OLYMPUS

• On the day Zeus had determined, all of the Gods were present sitting on golden thrones on the rock of the Acropolis. Highest of all was the throne of Zeus, while close to him was sitting Hera, the Great Goddess. Next to her was Apollo with his golden lyre in his hands and close to him his sister Artemis with her bow and arrows ready to hunt.

• Behind them was Aphrodite, Goddess of beauty, Mars, the fearless God of War and Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture who taught humans how to sow and reap wheat. There were also Pluto, God of the Underworld and Hephaestus, God of Fire. Behind Zeus was sitting Hermes, wearing his winged sandals on his feet.

ERECTHEUS’ VILLAGE

• Just then Zeus exclaimed:• “Whoever of the two Gods makes the most useful

present to the inhabitants of Attica spring from the ground, this will be the one to offer his/her name to the village of Erectheus.

POSEIDON-ATHENA-ERECTHEUS

• Poseidon stood up right away and with his trident gave a hard blow on the ground. Immediately the ground trembled and a beautiful horse as white as snow emerged. The rest of the Gods observed the horse in admiration. Its mane fluttered in the air, its eyes shone and its slim feet were ready to gallop and ran away.

ATHENA, DONOR OF THE OLIVE TREE

• Athena was not the least disconcerted but kneeled silently on the ground, dug a little with her left hand and threw into the little hole a small seed which she held in her right hand. She said nothing but only with a delicate smile on her lips she scrutinized the rest of the Gods.

• Right away a small shoot sprouted from the earth which grew, and after a while, it was a big tree with a solid trunk. Branches kept shooting as well as leaves that shone in the sun rays. The tree kept growing and its branches bowed under the burden of its green, juicy fruit.

OLIVE TREE:SYMBOL OF PEACE, SERENITY AND HAPPINESS!

• Just then Athena announced:• “Father Zeus, this is my gift. Poseidon’s horse will make this

people love war and bloodshed. My own gift, the olive tree, will be a symbol of peace, serenity and happiness!”

• Right away all of the immortal Gods exclaimed with one voice:• ‘Athena’s gift is the best and this village which some day will

become the most glorious city in the world will be named after Athena”

THE PARTHENON

• Since then Athena protected her beloved city.The Athenians built for her a most splendid temple, the Parthenon, atop the acropolis and they celebrated Panathenea every year in her honor.

PARTHENON’S WEST PEDIMENT: ATHENAS’ AND POSEIDON’S COMPETITION

THE HISTORY OF THE SACRED TREE OF ATHENA

• The sacred tree of Athena made its own history in Athens. It is alleged that in 480 B.C. when the Persians conquered the Acropolis, they burnt the sacred olive tree of Athena to great grief of the Athenians who considered this a bad omen. However, grief was replaced by optimism, when the next day the burnt trunk had sprouted shoots again. A new, fresh sprout more than a meter long, was the new, sacred olive-tree of Athens.

THE SACRED OLIVE TREE TODAY

• Even today, an olive tree stands where the legend took place in Pnika just on the foothills of Acropolis. The Athenians show with pride the sacred tree and they believe that the cultivation of the olive-tree started with this very tree from which every olive-tree in the world is descended. Pausanias, Herodotus, Claudius Aelian, Sophocles speak about the Athenian origin of the olive-tree.

THE HISTORY OF THE OLIVE TREE• The Greeks were the first to be involved in the full-scale cultivation

of the olive. Between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC ancient philosophers, physicians and historians undertook its botanical classification and referred to the curative properties of olive oil (Dioscorides, Diocles) and its history (Anaxagoras, Empedocles – 5th century), while Aristotle elevated olive cultivation to a science.

• According to Homer, the olive tree has been thriving in Greece for over 10,000 years.

THE OLIVE TREE AS A SYMBOL

• For the Ancient Greeks, the olive tree was a symbol of peace, wisdom and triumph.

• An olive wreath was made, and used to crown the Olympic champions.

THE OLIVE TREE IN ANCIENT GREECE

• Through examination of the archeological evidence regarding the use of the olive tree in Ancient Greece it is confirmed that it was one of the most used and loved trees due to its sacredness, the economic value and the many uses of its products in everyday life.

• Consequently, only the Goddess of wisdom, Athena, could offer such a precious gift to the ones she protected, the Athenians.