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

THE NAME OF ATHENS
ATHENA, DONOR OF THE OLIVE TREE
ERECTHEUS’ VILLAGE
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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
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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
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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:
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“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
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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!
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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
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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
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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 olivetree 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.
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Consequently, only the Goddess of wisdom, Athena,
could offer such a precious gift to the ones she
protected, the Athenians.