In Greek mythology, Athena won Athens as her principal sacred city.
The contest for Athens was traditionally held between Athena and Poseidon. Each deity offered a gift to the city. Poseidon produced a spring or, in some versions, a saltwater source, while Athena caused an olive tree to grow. The city’s people or its king judged Athena’s gift more useful, and the city became associated with her name.
The myth explains the importance of the olive tree in Attica, where olives provided food, oil, wood, and valuable trade goods. Poseidon remained important in Athens, but Athena became the city’s chief divine patron.
The Acropolis housed the Parthenon, a major temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos, meaning “Athena the Virgin.” The contest is mythological rather than a historical record of the city’s foundation, and ancient versions vary over the exact judges and gifts.