Cecrops bears witness to Athena's claim to Athens 410 BCE

November 26, 2019

Cecrops bears witness to Athena's claim to Athens 410 BCE

"Cecrops, a son of the soil, with a body compounded of man and serpent, was the first king of Attica, and the country which was formerly called Acte he named Cecropia after himself. In his time, they say, the Gods resolved to take possession of cities in which each of them should receive his own peculiar worship. So Poseidon was the first that came to Attica, and with a blow of his trident on the middle of the acropolis, he produced a sea which they now call Erechtheis. After him came Athena, and, having called on Cecrops to witness her act of taking possession, she planted an olive tree, which is still shown in the Pandrosium. But when the two strove for possession of the country, Zeus parted them and appointed arbiters, not, as some have affirmed, Cecrops and Cranaus, nor yet Erysichthon, but the twelve Gods. And in accordance with their verdict the country was adjudged to Athena, because Cecrops bore witness that she had been the first to plant the olive. Athena, therefore, called the city Athens after herself, and Poseidon in hot anger flooded the Thriasian plain and laid Attica under the sea."

-Apollodorus, Library, 3.14.1

Cecrops bears witness to Athena's claim to Athens 410 BCE. Current location: Museum Schloss Fasanerie.

Detail

Side A: "ATHENA WITH PHIALE AND KEKROPS WITH SCEPTRE, SHEEP AND PHIALE, DAUGHTERS OF KEKROPS, GODDESS SEATED ON POST WITH HELMET AND SHIELD, DEVICE, GORGONEION, HERMES, WOMEN, SEATED, WITH OINOCHOE, AT VOLUTE KRATER, POSEIDON RECLINING, KING (ERECHTHEUS ?) SEATED ON CHAIR, BASKET OF ERICHTHONIOS, TREE, INCENSE BURNER, TRIPOD, TABLE, EROS AND HIMEROS WITH OINOCHOE AND TRAY WITH FRUITS".

Side B: "HERAKLES AND THE BULL, ATHENA SEATED, HOLDING FRUIT (?), NIKAI, ONE FLYING WITH WREATH, ONE LEANING ON SHIELD, DEVICE, WREATH, APOLLO SEATED WITH LAUREL, WOMAN, TREES".