What was poseidons gift to athens

Another essential aspect of Poseidon was his earth-shaking powers. Just like Zeus was seen as the source of thunders, Poseidon was seen as the source of earthquakes, an extremely common and catastrophic phenomenon in the eastern Mediterranean.

In addition, he was the god of horses. Poseidon also appears to have predated the other Greek gods. His cult seems to have been in place since the late Bronze Age and the Myceneans.

His main symbols were the trident, the horse, the dolphin, and the bull. The story begins in a mythical time back when the city had just been founded. Its first king was Cecrops , a man of tremendous interest and importance for the ancient Athenians. A common belief amongst the Greeks was that certain people were autochthones , i. This meant that someone had natural rights to a certain land, and, as such, many Greek city-states boasted that their ancestors were autochthones.

Cecrops was one of these cases. He was a legendary king whose autochthony was so strong that he was half snake and half man. As snakes crawl, they were seen as creatures closer to the earth. In this case, the fact that Cecrops was half-snake indicated that he was inextricably linked to the land on which ancient Athens was built. Cecrops was an amazing ruler. According to Apollodorus , the king had named the city Cecropia after himself, while its previous name was Acte.

Nevertheless, the city had not officially received the protection of a god, and, consequently, its name could still change. Both believed that they had the right to bring the city under their protection, name it after themselves and claim its glory.

The two gods were so determined that Zeus, scared that their disagreement would lead to a fight, decided to intervene. The solution he offered was a contest between Athena and Poseidon with Cecrops other authors say the twelve Olympian Gods or simply Zeus himself as the judge. The prize would be the city. Athena and Poseidon met on the sacred hill of the Acropolis.

Zeus, the Olympian gods, and the people of Athens gathered to witness the spectacle. Poseidon moved first. With one swift move, he struck his trident on the ground.

The earth shook and an underground sea was created. The goddess kneeled and planted something on the ground. Everyone held their breath. Within moments, a fully grown tree rose from the earth.

Chapter Learning Objectives. Myth and Culture. Representations in Art. Audio Flashcards. Classical Mythology in Art. Comparative Myth Bibliography. Primary Source Abbrevations. Contact Your Sales Rep. Higher Education Comment Card. Athens Photos. Where to stay? About Athens. Tours and Activities. Book ferry tickets to the islands. Read articles in our blog. Our community. Athens Travel Guide. Close Modal Search Greeka. Map View. Close Modal. We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience and to analyze site traffic.

By browsing this site you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more about our cookies policy. OK, got it!