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It is said that Solon, the most revered law-giver of Athens, made cutting an olive tree punishable by death. I've also heard that because of their slow growth,

It is said that Solon, the most revered law-giver of Athens, made cutting an olive tree punishable by death. I've also heard that because of their slow growth, planting an olive tree is something you do not for yourself but for your children. EDIT: one more bit of historical perspective. Myth says that Athena and Poseidon had a contest to see who would be the patron of Athens. Poseidon gave the gift of a saltwater spring (to which I guess the Athenians said, "uhh, thanks, I guess."). Athena gave the gift of the olive tree. Obviously Athens is named after her. So that's how much they valued those trees.

thinkingtoilet 3y ago
My family is Sicilian and I don't think people understand how much olive trees mean to us. We have family in Sicily and if you did something to harm their olive trees it would be one small step below doing something to harm a family member.
- pazimzadeh 3y ago
  That's interesting. What should the modern punishment be for this? Israel’s Campaign Against Palestinian Olive Trees http://yris.yira.org/global-issue/6018 http://yris.yira.org/global-issue/6018 https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-settlers-destroy-350-trees-west-bank-olive-grove https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-settlers-destroy-350-tr... https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/6/our-hearts-burn-gazas-olive-farmers-say-israel-war-destroys-harvest https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/6/our-hearts-burn... https://archive.ph/nkfc3 https://archive.ph/nkfc3
  - ogogmad 3y ago
    Thanks for sharing this. Looking into Kedumim Settlement.
  - r00fus 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - anukin 3y ago
      Pray how is buying land from Palestinians and setting there as a country colonialism?
      - ogogmad 3y ago
        These stories don't fit your description: https://nitter.cz/btselem/status/1719647751573524878#m https://nitter.cz/btselem/status/1719647751573524878#m https://www.timesofisrael.com/settlers-rampage-through-palestinian-olive-grove-harass-activists-in-west-bank/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/settlers-rampage-through-pales... Both Israel and Palestine were founded in 1948 by a UN agreement. That agreement gave Israel the right to exist at the same time as Palestine. Package deal. Without the West Bank there's not enough territory to form a Palestinian state. The Palestinians are owed a state because they are the original inhabitants of the land - yes! they are descended from the ancient Israelities: https://nitter.cz/MiroCyo/status/1712258026881921287#m https://nitter.cz/MiroCyo/status/1712258026881921287#m Additionally, the 1948 agreement gave the WB to Palestine. Any subsequent border changes by Israel or surrounding "Arab" countries that violate that agreement are unacceptable if they're not accepted by both Palestine and Israel. It's true that the Palestinian leadership has been reckless and stupid again and again, but it doesn't justify imperialism over their land. We don't have empires any more and Israel isn't entitled to one.
        shiroiuma 3y ago
        >Without the West Bank there's not enough territory to form a Palestinian state. Monaco would like to have a word with you.
        junofan 3y ago
        > It's true that the Palestinian leadership has been reckless and stupid again and again, but it doesn't justify imperialism over their land. We don't have empires any more and Israel isn't entitled to one. You might want to take a closer look at the propaganda. I believe it’s “white imperialism” or “US imperialism.” Israel isn’t the empire.
        3y ago
ASalazarMX 3y ago
Salt was pretty valuable back then. Poseidon wasn't misguided, but I guess Greeks had enough saltwater around for it to be specially convenient.
selcuka 3y ago
> I've also heard that because of their slow growth, planting an olive tree is something you do not for yourself but for your children. I believe that's said because the olive trees live for a long time (hundreds of years), not because they grow slowly. They reach maturity in less than 10 years, producing around 40 kg of olives, so if you are not very old you would probably see the fruits of the tree you planted.
- sdenton4 3y ago
  Not very old and don't get bombed off the farm...
- supertofu 3y ago
  "The good man plants a tree whose fruit will be tasted by his grandson" is a proverb I came across once about date trees. There are a few varieties of this for various precious trees which can take generations to bear reliable fruit.

thinkingtoilet 3y ago

My family is Sicilian and I don't think people understand how much olive trees mean to us. We have family in Sicily and if you did something to harm their olive trees it would be one small step below doing something to harm a family member.

pazimzadeh 3y ago
That's interesting. What should the modern punishment be for this? Israel’s Campaign Against Palestinian Olive Trees http://yris.yira.org/global-issue/6018 http://yris.yira.org/global-issue/6018 https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-settlers-destroy-350-trees-west-bank-olive-grove https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-settlers-destroy-350-tr... https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/6/our-hearts-burn-gazas-olive-farmers-say-israel-war-destroys-harvest https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/6/our-hearts-burn... https://archive.ph/nkfc3 https://archive.ph/nkfc3
- ogogmad 3y ago
  Thanks for sharing this. Looking into Kedumim Settlement.
- r00fus 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - anukin 3y ago
    Pray how is buying land from Palestinians and setting there as a country colonialism?
    - ogogmad 3y ago
      These stories don't fit your description: https://nitter.cz/btselem/status/1719647751573524878#m https://nitter.cz/btselem/status/1719647751573524878#m https://www.timesofisrael.com/settlers-rampage-through-palestinian-olive-grove-harass-activists-in-west-bank/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/settlers-rampage-through-pales... Both Israel and Palestine were founded in 1948 by a UN agreement. That agreement gave Israel the right to exist at the same time as Palestine. Package deal. Without the West Bank there's not enough territory to form a Palestinian state. The Palestinians are owed a state because they are the original inhabitants of the land - yes! they are descended from the ancient Israelities: https://nitter.cz/MiroCyo/status/1712258026881921287#m https://nitter.cz/MiroCyo/status/1712258026881921287#m Additionally, the 1948 agreement gave the WB to Palestine. Any subsequent border changes by Israel or surrounding "Arab" countries that violate that agreement are unacceptable if they're not accepted by both Palestine and Israel. It's true that the Palestinian leadership has been reckless and stupid again and again, but it doesn't justify imperialism over their land. We don't have empires any more and Israel isn't entitled to one.
      - shiroiuma 3y ago
        >Without the West Bank there's not enough territory to form a Palestinian state. Monaco would like to have a word with you.
      - junofan 3y ago
        > It's true that the Palestinian leadership has been reckless and stupid again and again, but it doesn't justify imperialism over their land. We don't have empires any more and Israel isn't entitled to one. You might want to take a closer look at the propaganda. I believe it’s “white imperialism” or “US imperialism.” Israel isn’t the empire.
      - 3y ago

ASalazarMX 3y ago

Salt was pretty valuable back then. Poseidon wasn't misguided, but I guess Greeks had enough saltwater around for it to be specially convenient.

selcuka 3y ago

> I've also heard that because of their slow growth, planting an olive tree is something you do not for yourself but for your children. I believe that's said because the olive trees live for a long time (hundreds of years), not because they grow slowly. They reach maturity in less than 10 years, producing around 40 kg of olives, so if you are not very old you would probably see the fruits of the tree you planted.

sdenton4 3y ago
Not very old and don't get bombed off the farm...
supertofu 3y ago
"The good man plants a tree whose fruit will be tasted by his grandson" is a proverb I came across once about date trees. There are a few varieties of this for various precious trees which can take generations to bear reliable fruit.