According to a myth the city owes her name to her protector goddess Athena (Athina). When the time came for the people to name their city, two of the Olympian Gods Poseidon and Athena wanted to be the protector of the city (and therefore most honored and mainly worshiped by its people). The decision was left to the people of Athens and was made by their king Cecrops (Kekrops) with a gift contest in which the winner would be the god who offered the most valuable gift to the city. First Poseidon stroke his trident (triaina) on the ground of the hill of the Acropolis and so created a spring. Then goddess Athena gave to the people of Athens an olive tree to be planted there and with this gift won the competition. Indeed from that time on olive trees was an impor-tant source of income for Athenians. (It is

also said that pottery art with which many Athenians made their living was also invented by goddess Athena). Later on the top of the Acropolis (acropolis=akro+polis,
edge+city=edge city) a temple was build to honor and as a main place of worship of the protector goddess the Temple of Athena better known as Parthenon (the goddess was a virgin Athena). The foundation of Athens started about 5000 years ago by the first inhabitants a primitive tribe, the Pelasgians. In the second millennium (b.c.) tribes from Western Russia and little Asia moved into Attica and other parts of Greece. They formed the first Greek speaking inhabitants, the Achaeans. They developed the Mycenae culture and during centuries they had build impressive construc- tions like a fortification and a palace on the Acropolis. About 1100 (b.c.) the Dorians entered the area, armed with iron spears and shields and whipped out the Myceans. Three dark Centuries followed but Athens escaped from the calamity. Athens the biggest state covered the Attic peninsula; several cities joined the city of Athens for protection, civil rights and some positions in the government. In 594 (b.c.) General Solon created a constitution;