Why is the olive a symbol of Athena?
Athena, of which the name Athens comes from, was the Goddess of the city. She was chosen over Poseidon for her gift-the olive branch- was considered much more valued than Poseidon’s gift of a saltwater spout(note that when Poseidon lost he ravaged the land, until he calmed down). As respect to the winners of and Olympic event that were given a wreath made from an olive branch for it symbolized the highest achievement. Winners were honored in this way and were, in many cases, fed for the rest of their lives at the expense of their city. The olive was of huge economic value to the Ancient Greeks for its oil helped encourage trade and export the Greek culture to furthest parts of the then known world.
