Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Cave of Schist holds the oldest known human presence in Athens, dated to between the 11th and 7th millennia BC. This deep cave site marks a beginning for continuous habitation that stretches back at least five thousand years before the Common Era.
Athena competed against Poseidon for patronage of the city and offered the domesticated olive tree instead of creating a salt water spring or giving them the first horse. She won the contest by providing something useful rather than destructive while Cecrops served as judge.
By the sixth century BC widespread social unrest led to reforms under Solon paving the way for democracy introduced by Cleisthenes in 508 BC. Athens became a significant naval power with a large fleet helping Ionian cities rebel against Persian rule during subsequent conflicts.
Athens sprawls across central plain Attica often referred Athens Basin or Attica Basin bounded four large mountains Mount Aigaleo west Parnitha north Pentelicus northeast Hymettus east. Beyond Aegaleo lies Thriasian plain forming extension central plain southwest Saronic Gulf south-western side.
The largest country internationally vast collection antiquities covering period more than five thousand years late Neolithic Roman Greece includes the New Acropolis opened two-thousand-nine replacing old museum popular almost million people summer June-October alone.