History of the Peloponnesian War

And this kind of life had been the characteristic of the Athenians, more than of any other Hellenes, from the very earliest times. For in the time of Cecrops and the earliest kings down to Theseus, Attica had been divided into separate towns, each with its town hall and magistrates, and so long as they had nothing to fear they did not come together to consult with the king, but separately administered their own affairs and took counsel for themselves. Sometimes they even made war upon the king, as, for example, the Eleusinians with Eumolpus did upon Erechtheus.

But when Theseus became king and proved himself a powerful as well as a prudent ruler, he not only re-organized the country in other respects, but abolished the councils and magistracies of the minor towns and brought all their inhabitants into union with what is now the city, establishing a single council and town hall, and compelled them, while continuing to occupy each his own lands as before, to use Athens as the sole capital. This became a great city, since all were now paying their taxes to it,[*](Others render: since all were now counted as belonging to it.) and was such when Theseus handed it down to his successors.

And from his time even to this day the Athenians have celebrated at the public expense a festival called the Synoecia,[*]("Feast of the Union," celebrated on the sixteenth of the month Hecatombaeon.) in honour of the goddess. Before this[*](i.e. before the Synoecismus, or union of Attica under Theseus.) what is now the Acropolis was the city, together with the region at the foot of the Acropolis toward the south.

And the proof of this is as follows: On the Acropolis itself are the sanctuaries[*](It is taken for granted that these temples were ancient foundations.) of the other gods as well as of Athena,[*](A lacuna in the text is generally assumed; Classen would supply καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς after θεῶν ἐστι, and I translate this.) and the sanctuaries which are outside the Acropolis are situated more in that quarter of the city, namely those of Olympian Zeus, of Pythian Apollo, of Earth, and of Dionysus in Limnae, in whose honour are celebrated the more ancient Dionysia[*](The Anthesteria, contrasted with the Lenaea, which was also an ancient festival, but of less antiquity. The city Dionysia was of comparatively recent origin.) the twelfth of the month Anthesterion, just as the Ionian descendants of the Athenians also are wont even now to celebrate it. In that quarter are also situated still other ancient sanctuaries.

And the fountain now called Enneacrunus,[*](Enneacrunus, Nine Conduits; Callirrhoe, Fair Stream.) from the fashion given it by the tyrants, but which anciently, when the springs were uncovered, was named Callirrhoe, was used by people of those days, because it was close by, for the most important ceremonials; and even now, in accordance with the ancient practice, it is still customary to use its waters in the rites preliminary to marriages and other sacred ceremonies.

And, finally, the Acropolis, because the Athenians had there in early times a place of habitation, is still to this day called by them Polis or city.