The History of the Olive Tree in Greece

A Symbol of Greece for Thousands of Years

The olive tree has shaped Mediterranean landscapes, food, trade, and culture for thousands of years.

Archaeological evidence traces the use of olives in the eastern Mediterranean back to the Neolithic period, with cultivation and olive oil production becoming increasingly important during the Bronze Age. In Greece and the Aegean, the olive developed into far more than an agricultural crop — it became part of everyday life, commerce, religion, medicine, and identity.

Olive Oil in Ancient Greece

For the ancient Greeks, olive oil was one of the most valuable products of the land.

It was used for cooking and food preparation, lighting, religious rituals, personal care, medicine, and athletics. Ancient Greek athletes famously applied olive oil to their bodies during training and competition, illustrating just how deeply it was woven into Greek daily life.

Olive oil was also a prestigious prize. At the Panathenaic Games in Athens, victorious athletes received decorated amphorae filled with olive oil harvested from sacred groves associated with Athena.

Athena and the Sacred Olive Tree

One of Greece’s most enduring myths connects the olive tree directly with the birth of Athens.

According to ancient tradition, Athena and Poseidon competed to become the divine protector of the city. Poseidon offered salt water, while Athena presented an olive tree.

The people chose Athena’s gift, and the olive became one of her defining symbols — representing nourishment, prosperity, wisdom, and peace. The contest between Athena and Poseidon was famously represented on the west pediment of the Parthenon.

The sacred olive tree remained deeply connected with the worship of Athena on the Acropolis and with the identity of Athens itself.

The Olive and the Ancient Olympic Games

The olive also held a special place in ancient Greek athletics.

At Olympia, Olympic victors were traditionally crowned with the kotinos, a wreath made from wild olive branches — a simple but deeply symbolic prize representing honor and achievement.

The connection between the olive and Greek athletics extended beyond the wreath itself: olive oil was an essential part of athletic training and competition throughout the ancient Greek world.

From Antiquity to the Mediterranean Table

Through the Classical, Roman, and Byzantine periods, olive cultivation and olive oil remained central to Mediterranean life.

Olive oil continued to serve multiple roles — as food, a source of light, a trade commodity, and an important element of religious and cultural practice. Across centuries of political and social change, the olive tree endured as one of the defining features of the Greek landscape.

Today, Greece remains inseparable from the culture of the olive.

From ancient groves to modern olive mills, varieties such as Koroneiki continue a tradition shaped over generations — producing Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil with distinctive aromas, flavors, and regional character.

GAEA — Mother Earth

The name GAEA comes from Gaia, or Gaea, the primordial Mother Earth of Greek mythology.

She represents the fertile land from which life emerges — a fitting symbol for a brand rooted in Greek agriculture, olive trees, and the relationship between people and nature.

For GAEA, the olive connects past and present: ancient Greek tradition, the knowledge of today’s growers, and the continuing pursuit of exceptional Greek olive oil.

From the roots of Greek history to the table today, the olive remains one of Greece’s most enduring gifts to the world.