Athens history

The history of Athens, one of the oldest cities in the world, spans thousands of years and serves as the foundation of Western civilization. The first settlements on this land appeared during the Neolithic era, around 3000 BC, and by 1400 BC, Athens was already an important centre of the Mycenaean civilization.

Foundation and First Mentions

According to ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom, Athena, and the god of the seas, Poseidon, competed for the right of patronage over the city. Poseidon struck a rock with his trident, and a spring of salt water gushed forth, while Athena presented the inhabitants with an olive tree, which was deemed a more valuable gift. Thus, the city received its name and its celestial patroness. Historically, the rise of the polis is linked to the unification of the tribal communities of Attica around a fortified hill — the Acropolis, which served as a fortress as early as the Mycenaean period.

Key Factors of Development

Several key factors contributed to the development of Athens:

• Geographical Location: Its location in the centre of Attica, close to the sea, facilitated the development of both agriculture and maritime trade. Proximity to the port of Piraeus eventually turned Athens into a major trading hub of the Mediterranean.
• Trade and Resources: Silver and marble were mined in Attica, and the production of ceramics, olive oil, and wine flourished. These goods became the basis of the Athenian economy and exports.
• Political Development: Athens saw the formation of a democratic form of government for the first time in history. The reforms of politicians such as Solon and Cleisthenes laid the foundations of a civil society where free citizens could participate in the governance of the state.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

Already in the Archaic period, Athens became a leading cultural and economic centre. The flourishing of crafts and trade ensured the city's prosperity. The 5th century BC went down in history as the "Golden Age of Pericles," when the greatest minds of their time lived and worked in the city: philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; and the historian Herodotus. During this period, the immortal architectural masterpieces of the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, were created. The Attic dialect of the Greek language became the generally accepted literary language for all of Hellas.

Brief Historical Chronology

The history of Athens is a journey through millennia, from the cradle of democracy to a modern metropolis. Below are the key milestones that shaped the appearance and spirit of this great city.

• Around 3000 BC — The first permanent settlements of the Neolithic era appear on the Acropolis hill and surrounding territories.
• 594 BC — The Athenian archon Solon implements crucial legislative reforms that abolish debt slavery and lay the foundations for future democracy.
• 508 BC — The reforms of Cleisthenes complete the formation of the democratic system, making all citizens equal before the law.
• 490 BC — The Athenians achieve a legendary victory over the superior Persian army in the famous Battle of Marathon.
• 447–432 BC — During the "Golden Age of Pericles," the Parthenon is erected on the Acropolis, becoming an immortal symbol of ancient architecture and the grandeur of Athens.
• 431–404 BC — The exhausting Peloponnesian War with Sparta ends in the defeat of Athens, leading to the loss of their political dominance in Greece.
• 338 BC — After the defeat at the Battle of Chaeronea, the city falls under the rule of the Kingdom of Macedonia but retains its cultural status.
• 146 BC — Athens becomes part of the Roman Republic, continuing to be one of the main educational and philosophical centres of the ancient world.
• 395 AD — After the division of the Roman Empire, the city becomes an important centre of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, and ancient temples are gradually converted into Christian churches.
• 1458 AD — The city is conquered by the Ottoman Empire, under whose rule it remains for nearly four centuries.
• 1834 AD — After Greece gains independence, Athens is proclaimed the capital of the new Greek state, beginning a new chapter in its history.
• 1896 AD — Athens hosts the first Olympic Games in modern history with great success, reviving the ancient tradition.
• 2004 AD — Athens once again hosts the Summer Olympic Games, which contributes to a massive modernization of the city's infrastructure.

The modern history of Athens is not just a continuation of ancient tales, but a story of grandiose and sometimes dramatic transformations. After centuries of decline, the city was reborn to once again become a dynamic European hub. Let us consider the key events of the 19th and 20th centuries that shaped its multifaceted appearance today.

Capital in Neoclassical Style (19th Century)

A turning point was the proclamation of Athens as the capital of independent Greece in 1834. From a small settlement of the Ottoman period, the city began to transform into a representative European capital. At the invitation of King Otto I, German and Danish architects, such as Theophil Hansen, created a new city centre in a strict neoclassical style. The brightest example of this period is the so-called "Athens Trilogy" on Panepistimiou Street, comprising the buildings of the University, the Academy, and the National Library. This architectural ensemble became a symbol of the nation's rebirth and its connection to the great ancient past.

Demographic Explosion and City of Refugees (1920s)

One of the most tragic and at the same time fateful events for Athens was the Greco-Turkish population exchange in 1923, following the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands of Greek refugees from Asia Minor flooded into the city and its surroundings. This led to rapid and often chaotic growth. New districts sprang up like mushrooms around the historic centre, the names of which still preserve the memory of the lost homeland: Nea Smyrni (New Smyrna), Nea Ionia, Kaisariani. This demographic explosion forever changed the social and cultural fabric of the city, making it a melting pot of different regional traditions of Hellenism.

Post-War Construction and Olympic Legacy

In the 1950s–1970s, Athens experienced a vigorous construction boom, largely driven by the "antiparochi" system (Greek: αντιπαροχή). Its essence was that a landowner would give their plot to a developer in exchange for several apartments in the constructed multi-story building. This led to the mass demolition of neoclassical buildings and the formation of a modern, densely built urban landscape. A new stage of large-scale modernization began in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games. The city received the modern "Eleftherios Venizelos" airport, new metro and tram lines, as well as a ring road. This powerful infrastructural transformation not only solved many transport problems but also gave Athens the look that travellers see today.

The architectural appearance of Athens is a unique palette in which traces of a thousand-year history are mixed. The city does not just preserve monuments of different eras; it lives within them, creating a unique contrast between ancient grandeur and modern dynamics. A walk through Athens is a journey through time, where every district and building tells its own part of the great story.

Antiquity: Cradle of Classical Architecture

The foundations of European architecture were laid here, in the 5th century BC, during the so-called "Golden Age of Pericles." This period gave the world the classical style, the main embodiment of which became the ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis. The strict and majestic Doric order dominates here, the brightest example of which is the Parthenon — a temple dedicated to the city's patroness, the goddess Athena. Its ideal proportions and optical corrections are still studied by architects. Next to it stands the elegant Erechtheion, famous for its Porch of the Caryatids, which belongs to the refined Ionic order. These buildings, constructed from Pentelic marble, have become eternal symbols of harmony and perfection.

Byzantine Era: Spiritual Transformation

With the transformation of the Roman Empire into the Byzantine Empire and the spread of Christianity, the architectural landscape of Athens began to change. Ancient temples were converted into Christian churches, and small cross-in-square temples characteristic of the Byzantine style began to appear throughout the city. These modest but very picturesque churches, such as Kapnikarea on Ermou Street or the Little Metropolis, can still be found in the historic centre, especially in the Plaka district. They are distinguished by brickwork, often with decorative patterns, and create a cosy, spiritual atmosphere that contrasts with the monumentality of ancient ruins.

19th Century Neoclassicism: Rebirth of the Capital

After Greece gained independence and Athens was proclaimed the capital in 1834, a new grandiose stage of urban planning began. The city, previously a small settlement, had to acquire a capital's polish. The leading style became Neoclassicism, intended to emphasize the continuity of the new Greek state from its great ancient past. The new city centre was built according to the designs of European, mainly German, architects. The most famous ensemble of this period is the so-called "Athens Trilogy" on Panepistimiou Street, consisting of the buildings of the University, the Academy, and the National Library. These strict, symmetrical buildings with porticoes and marble finishes became the symbol of revived Athens.

20th and 21st Centuries: From Modernism to Contemporary

The 20th century radically changed the face of the city. The demographic boom of the 1920s and the post-war construction boom of the 1950s-1970s led to massive and sometimes chaotic development. The dominant type of housing became the "polykatoikia" — a multi-apartment residential building in the style of Modernism, which today forms the main urban landscape of Athens. Preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games triggered a new wave of modernization: a modern airport was built, new metro lines were opened where stations became unique archaeological museums, and iconic objects of contemporary architecture appeared. A striking example of the newest phase is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre — an impressive complex that demonstrates Athens' aspiration for innovation and a new architectural future.

Outstanding Figures Associated with Athens

Throughout its centuries-old history, Athens has been a home and a centre of attraction for a multitude of outstanding thinkers, politicians, artists, and scientists. Their legacy shaped not only the appearance of the city but also the foundations of Western civilization.

• Pericles (c. 494–429 BC) — Statesman, orator, and general. His name is inextricably linked with the "Golden Age of Athens." Under him, Athenian democracy was strengthened, and the city was adorned with masterpieces such as the Parthenon and the Propylaea on the Acropolis. Pericles turned Athens into the most powerful and culturally developed polis of Ancient Greece.
• Socrates (c. 469–399 BC) — Ancient Greek philosopher, considered one of the founders of Western philosophy. He left no written works, but his method of dialogue and focus on questions of ethics and self-knowledge ("Know thyself") had a colossal influence on his students, including Plato. His life and trial became a symbol of the philosophical search for truth.
• Plato (c. 428–348 BC) — Philosopher, student of Socrates, and teacher of Aristotle. In the 380s BC, he founded his own philosophical school in Athens — the Academy, which existed for nearly a thousand years and is considered the prototype of modern universities. His works in the form of dialogues laid the foundation for many directions in philosophy, politics, and science.
• Sophocles (c. 496–406 BC) — Tragic playwright, one of the three greatest poets of Ancient Greece alongside Aeschylus and Euripides. He perfected theatrical technique by introducing a third actor. His tragedies, such as "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone," are still performed on stages around the world and explore eternal questions of fate, duty, and human nature.
• Irene of Athens (c. 752–803 AD) — Byzantine Empress of Athenian origin. She went down in history as the first woman to rule the Byzantine Empire in her own right. Her main achievement was the restoration of the veneration of icons at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, which ended the period of iconoclasm.
• Melina Mercouri (1920–1994) — World-famous actress, singer, and politician. Born in Athens, she became a vivid symbol of 20th-century Greek culture. In 1981, she became the first female Minister of Culture of Greece and initiated the campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.
• Vangelis (Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, 1943–2022) — World-renowned composer and one of the pioneers of electronic music. Although he was not born in Athens, his creative path was closely linked to the Greek capital, where he began his career. Author of the music for films such as "Chariots of Fire" (Academy Award winner) and "Blade Runner," he brought fame to modern Greek music worldwide.