Erechtheion: Athena's Olive Tree (Athens, Greece)

Erechtheion: Athena's Olive Tree (Athens, Greece)

Erechtheion (Athens, Greece)

Athena (Greek deity)

Acropolis (Athens, Greece)

Temples, Greek--Greece

Ancient Greek religion

Athens (Greece)

Attikē (Greece)

Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.

Age of Pericles

Pericles, 495-429 B.C.

This photograph captures the western wall of the Erectheion. Dedicated to the gods Athena and Poseidon, and named after the legendary king of Athens, Erectheus, this temple commemorated the mythic battle for patronage of the city. According to myth, both Athena and Poseidon wanted to claim the city, so a contest was held to determine which of the two gods would be victorious. Each god had to give a gift to the people, and after careful considering, the people, themselves, would choose their own patron. Poseidon famously provided the people with a saltwater pool, while Athena gave the people what would become the basis of their commercial economy, the olive tree. Athena was chosen as the winner and the city named after her. It was supposedly on this spot where this contest took place, the tree depicted here is believed by Athenians to be the descendant of the original olive tree given by their patron goddess.

Proctor, Christopher

29-May-2007

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72 PPI

English

Still Image

CG0011

Attikē (Greece)

Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.