On This Day·Ancient Greece·Classical Greece
On This Day: Athens Shrugs Off the Summer
Mid-September in Athens: the sun finally loosens its grip. Olive presses creak to life, and children chase the first cool breeze.
Chakalte' — "Relief with enthroned ruler" (770 CE), public domain
The hills of Athens stir after the heat.
By mid-September, the air cools just enough for Athenians to venture outside. Olive groves hum with voices. Children dart between trees; parents eye the sky, praying the first autumn rains will break the dust.
Olive oil—the city’s lifeblood—starts to flow.
For many Athenian families, September means work. The first olives are pressed by hand and by foot, sending a sharp, green scent through the air. Oil will fill lamps and flavor every meal for the coming year.
September in Attica meant olives, prayers for rain, and a city slowly waking up after the long, hot lull of summer.
