Athens
Athens is the most powerful and glorious town of ancient Greece. About 2000 years ago, the people there worshipped the goddess of wisdom and courage, Athena. They wanted to please Athena, so they built temples for her in the centre of their city. This area was called the “Acropolis” which means “high city”. The grandest temple on the Acropolis was the Parthenon. Many of its columns still stand today.
In Greece, people do not go inside the temples to worship. They prayed outside. Inside was simply a statue of Athena made of Gold and Ivory.
The acropolis was also a place for everyone to meet and enjoy themselves. There were many festivals and people would come in their best clothes. Sacrifices were held, which meant everyone had free meat to eat. This was a luxury then, because people in Greece did not keep farm animals as there was little space for animal rearing.
The dispute of Gods –
Cecrops, a strange creature, half man and half snake, was the founder of a city which would develop to be very beautiful. Cecrops named his city after him – Cecropia.
However, the Gods of Olympus wanted to name it after them and become its partons. The most persistent rivals were Poseidon, the sea god and Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
To solve their dispute, Zeus decided that each of them would make a gift to the city. Cecrops would decide which gift was best and therefore which god would be patron of the ciry.
Poseidon struck a rock with his trident and caused a spring to gush forth from the ground. He assured the citizens with water and therefore they wouldn’t face any time of drought. However the water from the spring tasted salty.
Athena planted a seed in the ground, which grew up to become a lovely olive tree. The citizens found this gift better because it would give them food, oil and firewood. This is how Athena got the honor of the naming the city after her.
