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Place Names
Cities
Athine
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{Αθήναι}. It was named thus in honour of the goddess Athena {Αθηνά} [100 Drachmas] [€1.00c], who leaped from the head of her father, Zeus {Zefs ~ Ζεύς}, already adult and dressed with her armor. She was the goddess of wisdom and was loved very much by the Greeks whom she helped during the Trojan War {Troikos Polemos ~ Τρωϊκός Πόλεμος} [Troy]. As the well known myth goes, regarding the dispute between Athena and Poseidon {Ποσειδών}, with king Kekrops {Κέκροψ} as an arbitrator, Athena won and thus, the city of Kekrops, the "Kekropia" {Κεκροπία}, was renamed to "Athenae".
The plural in the name (Athens) denotes the total merging of the territories in Attica {Attiki ~ Αττική} (the area surrounding Athenae) with Athenae, which happened in roughly 1400 B.C. This merging is reflected in the myths of Theseus {Thisefs ~ Θησεύς}.
"Athini" {Αθήνη} according to Homer. "Athanae" {Αθάναι} according to the Dorians {Doriis ~ Δωριείς}. "Setina" {Σετίνα} according to the Venetians during the Middle Ages. "Atina" {Ατίνα}, or "Sentina" {Σεντίνα}, according to the Ottomans.
The myth of Athens begins with Athena (goddess of wisdom) and Poseidon (god of the seas). Athena and Poseidon wanted to be the protectors of the city. To keep the two from arguing, Kekrops was pronounced as an arbitrator. The two gods, Athena and Poseidon, had to create something valuable for the city. Poseidon created a well (though some sources say he gave the city a horse) and Athena created the olive tree. In the end it was the olive tree which won out as a symbol of peace and prosperity and the city was thenceforth named in honour of the goddess Athena and Kekrops became the first king of Athens. Athens was also blessed with the vine tree, given by the god Dionysus {Dionisos ~ Διόνυσος}. Wine, being integral to trade and life in Athens, was not native to mainland Greece, but migrated originally from Crete {Kriti ~ Κρήτη}. Wine was used in many religious ceremonies and was integral to many of the wine cults which formed throughout Greece.
Athens in 1896.
02-22-2004