Athens

No other city has contributed more to mankind than Athens. It is where Socrates, Plato, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and many others were born. It is also the place where democracy was born. The original name for Athens was Akte or Aktike after the first Athenian king Aestos. It's second name was Kekropia after the king Kekrops, who also succeeded Aestos by marrying his daughter. The revolt of the Ionic cities was caused by the tyrant Miletos, Aristagoras, who also tried to capture the island of Naxos with the help of Artafernes. When the expedition finally failed, Aristagoras in order to avoid punishment for his promises not kept from Miletos, he initiated the revolt to the unhappy Ionic cities.