Thousands of years ago, the gods Poseidon and Athena battled for the favor of Athens. According to legend, Poseidon smashed his trident upon the land to create a salt spring, while the wise Athena offered a more productive gift: She planted an olive tree atop the Acropolis. The city’s denizens chose Athena, and you can still find an olive tree in the same spot today. Regardless of how the olive tree originated, one has grown there since ancient times, when the state considered it the chief moria, or a tree…
