Athens, the Greek capital, ascended cultural status and peaked in the 5th and 6th century. The territory of Attica, near the Saronic Gulf, became a hub of literature, culture, and politics.
Athenian Boasts:
1. Autocthonous (auto "self" + cthon "land): claimed they were the true original inhabitants form the earth itself. Athenian heroes have a certain "snaky" characteristic to them, as snakes were believed to have been born from the earth.
2. Descendants from Cecrops: A mortal half-king half-serpent responsible for delivering civilization (city building, arts, burial, monogamy, eradication of human sacrifice) to the citizens of Cecropia.
3. Descendants from Athena: claimed that the contest between Athena and Poseidon somehow integrated Athena's bloodline into their lineages.
Ericthonius (Eri "very" + chthon "earthy"), son of Hephaestus and Athena (Wait... wasn't she a virgin? Well apparently Hephaestus pursued her to no avail, but managed to ejaculate on her leg which, once wiped off, grew into Ericthonius) was given to the Cecropids with the warning not to look at him. Naturally, their curiosity gets the best of them are driven mad at the site of the snaky thing. They manage to throw themselves off the Acropolis, leaving Erichtonius as the only heir.
He is recovered by Athena and raised by the Goddess to ascend the throne at manhood. During his rule, he set up the cult image of Athena on the Acropolis by installing the Panthenaea. Ericthonius has a grandson, Erechtheus (same etymology) who is the third king to ascend the throne.
The lineage of Athenian Kings are rumoured to be avatars of Poseidon, a manifestation of the god in human form, hence the prevalence of hybrid worship between Athena and Poseidon, earth and sea.
- The temple adjacent to the Parthanon, the Erectheum, holds the Panthenaia, a wooden status
of Athena, as well as the tomb of Erectheus, and a salt spring.
- Historically, the location was site of bull worship, a common sea-god sacrifice, but was in
part dedicated to Athena Polias, "she of the city".
