AT'TICA (Gk. 'Arruch, At like, earlier, 'AKTLIC7t, Aktike, from aKTi, akte, headland, promontory, coastland). The eastern extremity of the mainland of Greece. It forms a triangu lar peninsula extending to the southeast into the -Egean Sea, washed on the southwest by the Saronic Gulf, and on the northeast by the strait separating it from Eubma. On the north it is separated from Bmotia by Mount Cithieron (4620 feet) and its eastern continuation, and on the west from Megaris by a low range of hills. The soil of Attica is poor and the supply of water scanty, while the character of the coast tended to attract the inhabitants to the sea. But though Attica was always dependent on imported grain. the natural resources were considerable. Mount Pentelicon yielded an abundant supply of fine white marble, and the silver mines of Laurium, at the southern end of the peninsula, were a valuable property of the Athenian State, and can still be worked at a profit, the most valuable part of the yield now being, however, lead. Attica is much broken up by mountain ridges, and there are only two large plains, the Athenian, surrounded by Mounts Hymettus (3370 feet), Pentelicon (3640 feet), Parnes (4634 feet), and .,Egaleos; and the Thriasian, around Eleusis, in the southwestern portion. The principal rivers, the Cephissus and llissus, both in the Athenian plain, are mere winter tor rents, dry in .5ummer, when no rain falls for four months. In the modern administration, Attica forms one of the nomes of Greece.
The ancient Athenians claimed that their an cestors were autochthones, 'sprung from the soil.'
and it is certain that Attica does not show the same evidences of invasion that are found in other Greek States. It is also certain that the Athenians were a branch of the Ionic division of Greek-speaking peoples; but there is no general agreement among scholars as to the time or man ner of their occupation of the country. It seems clear that originally Attica was inhabited by a number of independent clans, bound together in a loose confederacy, which was changed either by a gradual process, or more probably by an Athe nian king, into a real unity under the lead of Athens. This union was attributed in Athenian legend to Theseus (q.v.), and was so thoroughly accomplished that the history of Attica is only that of Athens, while the only name for the in habitants is Athenians. Eleusis alone seems to have preserved an independent position until a comparatively late date. The villages, or denies, which were scattered through the country, were reorganized by Clisthenes (n.c. 509), who di vided them among his ten tribes so that each tribe contained denies from the plains, the moun tains, and the coast, thus destroying the last traces of local parties, and completing the cen tralization of the Athenian State. The remain ing history of Attica is that of Athens. Consult: Curtius and Kaupert, Karten von Attila; (Ber lin, 1881-97) ; and W. M. Leake, The Topogra phy of Athens and the Demi of Attica (London, 1841). See .ATIIENS.