Olive Tree Symbol Of Athena
Poseidon struck his trident on the rock and produced a salt spring.
Olive tree symbol of athena. Athena offered the first domesticated olive tree. In the v century bc the king xerxes of persia burned athens. In greece the olive tree symbolizes prosperity and peace as well as hope and resurrection. Atop the acropolis of athens stands an olive tree that is a symbol of hundreds of years of dedication and reverence.
Metis means wisdom or thought so athena should be called the daughter of wisdom not goddess of wisdom. When athena and poseidon were competing to be the patron of athens they both had to give one gift. It was a gift from goddess athena the wisest daughter of zeus and metis. As a result the families who looked to gain fertility in their soils looked to this tree.
Athena and poseidon were fighting over who got to name the city and a more. Standing on the site of the acropolis the two were asked to offer the people of athens a gift. Cecrops accepted this gift and declared athena the patron goddess of athens. The olive tree planted by athena was respected for centuries in the acropolis symbolizing the victory.
Athena forever became the protector of the city named after her athens. Her symbol was an olive tree because that is what she gave to the greek s in order for athens to be named after her. The olive tree is one of athena s symbols. Poseidon gave the city a spring of water and athena.
The olive tree is the symbol of wisdom. A tem ple to athena polias of the city was built c 525bc hous ing a xoanon cult statue inside itself made from olive wood and a precinct cre ated for athena s sacred olive tree. Athena was goddess of fertility and as has been previously mentioned her symbol was the olive tree which was one of the trees most cultivated in greece and its fruit fed the hellenes for centuries. But the olive tree on the athen ian acrop o lis held extra impor tance com pared to all oth ers due to its divine prove nance.