Test Your Expertise With This Ancient Athens Quiz

Aeschylus was a soldier in the Greco-Persian wars before turning his attention to writing. He composed over 90 plays, including the famed “Oresteia” trilogy, inspired by both his early experiences and Athens’ political world. He is considered the world’s first great dramatist, and his plays are still performed worldwide.

When we think of the Acropolis in Athens, we think of classic white marble. But when the ancient Greeks lived in the city some 2,000 years ago, they were surrounded by much more colorful architecture. Archaeologists found that Athens’ most famed structure, the Parthenon, was once bright shades of green, blue, and red. The ancient coats of paint were discovered via laser cleaning during temple restorations.

Dubbed the “first citizen of Greece” by the ancient historian Thucydides, Pericles led Athens from 495 to 429 BCE and brought the city to its greatest heights. He led the military in the early years of the Peloponnesian War, supported democratic reform, and was a patron of the arts — and he was a well-regarded orator himself. He began construction of many of Athens’ most notable sites, including the Parthenon.

The Athens Agora (which translates to "marketplace") was the beating heart of the ancient city. It was not only a place to buy and sell goods, but also where political, philosophical, religious, and entertainment gatherings were held. The Agora also played a crucial role in a ceremonial festival, held every four years, honoring the city’s patron saint Athena.

The ancient Olympics were held every four years, between 776 BCE and 393 CE. They were the focal point of Greek cultural life and drew tens of thousands of spectators to Olympia. To allow for the peaceful participation of both athletes and fans, a three-month truce was declared every four years, during which the often-warring city-states laid down their arms.

There were more than 1,000 ancient Greek city-states, also known as “polis”— the origin of the word “politics.” Each had its own form of government and culture, and Athens, Sparta, and Corinth were among the most powerful. They would alternately clash with one another or ally to face a common enemy.

Born in Athens around 470 BCE, Socrates was a scholar and teacher whose work helped form the basis of Western philosophy. Much of what we know about Socrates comes from his student Plato, who wrote a series of “dialogues” outlining Socrates’ beliefs. Plato created an educational academy to honor his mentor, and one of his best students was Aristotle, who in turn tutored Alexander the Great.

While most Greek city-states had their own Acropolis, Athens’ was the most famous. Its name translates to “high city,” and it was built on a series of hills overlooking Athens. The Acropolis was home to a number of significant landmarks, including temples that have since been destroyed, but it is most famous for the legendary Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena.

In 490 BCE, the Greek general Miltiades won an unlikely victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. According to later versions of the legend, a Greek courier named Pheidippides ran 25 miles to Athens to deliver news of the victory. His run inspired the first organized marathon, held at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

Now the capital of Greece, Athens was founded more than 7,000 years ago and named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. According to Greek mythology, Athena became the city’s patron goddess after offering its residents an olive tree, symbolizing prosperity and peace.