The name Cecrops (Greek: Κέκρωψ) means 'face with a tail' and it is said that this mythical Greek king, born from the earth itself, had his top half shaped like a man and the bottom half in serpent or fish-tail form. He was first king and founder of Athens itself, though preceded in the region by earth-born Actaeus, king of Attica. Cecrops was a culture-hero, teaching the Athenians marriage, reading and writing, and ceremonial burial. Actaeus (Actaeüs) was the first king of Athens, father of Agraulus and father-in-law to Cecrops, the second king of Athens. ... Attica (in Greek: Αττική, Attike; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a periphery (subdivision) in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ...

During his reign Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens in a competition with Poseidon which Cecrops judged. They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and Cecrops would choose whichever gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; the water was salty and was not thought very useful, whereas Athena struck the rock with her lance and an olive tree sprung up. Cecrops judged the olive tree to be the superior gift, for the olive tree brought wood, oil and food, and consequently accepted Athena as their patron. Poseidon, in a rare show of magnanimity, decided to grant his gift regardless, although its nature was initially misunderstood: it was meant to represent sea power, which Athens was to exercise gloriously in the future. Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type. ... Neptune reigns in the city centre, Bristol, formerly the largest port in England outside London. ... Trident, Burmese, 18th century A massive sculpture of Lord Shiva holding a trident (Trishula). ... Magnanimity is the generosity of the victor to the defeated. ...

The Acropolis was also known as the Cecropia in his honor. The Acropolis of Athens, seen from the hill of the Pnyx to the west. ...

Cecrops I was the father of three daughters: Herse, Pandrosus and Aglaurus. To them was given a box or jar containing the infant Erichthonius of Athens to guard unseen. They looked, and terrified by the two serpents Athena had set within to guard the child, they fled in terror and lept from the Acropolis to their deaths. Some accounts say one of the sisters was turned to stone instead. This is an article about the Greek mythological figure; for an article on the French bicycle manufacturer, see Herse. ... Pandrosus (the all-dewy one), also spelled Pandrosos, is a figure in Greek mythology, and a daughter of Cecrops. ... Aglaulus is a figure in Greek mythology, daughter of Cecrops. ... King Erichthonius (also called Erechtheus I) was, according to some legends, autochthonous (born of the soil), and in other accounts he was the son of Hephaestus and Gaia or Athena or Atthis. ... Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type. ...

Apparently Cecrops married the daughter of Actaeus (former king of the region). It is unknown if this woman was the mother of Cecrops's son Erysichthon. Erysichthon predeceased him and he was succeeded by Cranaus. Actaeus (Actaeüs) was the first king of Athens, father of Agraulus and father-in-law to Cecrops, the second king of Athens. ... In Greek mythology, Cranaus was the second King of Athens, succeeding Cecrops I. He was autochthonous (born from the earth), like his predecessor. ...