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| Olive (Olea europea ) |
Once built the city would become universally known as Athens, raised the question of the attribution of a name. Assuming the importance it had in history, confronted two of Olympus, Poseidon, god of the sea, and Athena, goddess of wisdom ( but also of war), who both aspired to be its patron. The gods that he decided then that the two had made to Athenians the best gift, he would win the dispute, and imposed his own name. Poseidon struck his trident on the ground, and then came the horse (other version says that a spring gushed from the ground, but brackish water, which was not appreciated by the citizens), Athena struck the ground with his spear, making the birth of the first olive tree. The Athenians consider the olive tree is a most useful gift of the horse of Poseidon, and then put the city the name of the goddess.
I believe that people have chosen also because the olive tree, symbol of peace, as opposed to the horse, then primarily a tool of war. But, as history teaches us, nutro forti dubbi che la ragione della scelta sia stata proprio quella.
In Greek legend, Poseidon and Athene disputed after whom the nameless, newly founded city of Athens should be named. The gods decided that the one who gave the best gift to mankind, should have this honor. Poseidon struck the seashore with his trident and there sprang forth the horse; Athene smote the ground with her spear and the olive tree arose. The gods decreed the Athene's gift, the olive as a symbol of peace, was infinitely better for humanity than Poseidon's horse, an emblem of war, and the new city was named Athens.