Ancient Greek Olives: Economic Impact, Uses, and Trade Legacy

Olives and their products became a major staple for the ancient Greeks, used as food, fuel, and soap. The harvesting of olives had existed in Greece since at least the Neolithic Age. The olive tree was revered by the Greeks, and during a contest between Poseidon and Athena over the city of Athens, the goddess won by striking a rock on the Acropolis, where an olive tree sprung up. This type of tree is slow growing, with deep roots, and for this reason, olive trees were usually spared during war since it took so long for them to mature. Olive trees can live for long periods of time, even centuries, producing fruit, far longer than most fruit trees.

There are a variety of olives, with some better for eating and others for producing oil. The fruit contains a glucoside, which makes it bitter; as such, it cannot be eaten raw. Olives must be prepared by soaking them in brine or saltwater and then in vinegar for a few hours to eliminate the bitterness. They can then be stored for later use. There are a variety of edible olives, such as thlastae, usually from the rustic areas, which were crushed and cured in salt, but they were not able to last long. The halmades and kolymbades were green olives, which were often preserved in brine for extended periods. The wrinkled drypepeis and gergerimoi were black olives commonly used for consumption, while the cheapest was the pityrin.

Pressing olives naturally allowed the glucoside to separate during the extraction of the oil. The oil was the main product of the olive, making it more profitable than wheat. For pressing, the skin of the olive had to be broken and the flesh crushed.

Care had to be taken not to crush the stone, or pit, as this would add impurities. The pulp was then crushed, typically with an olive press, allowing the amurca to flow out and the water to be separated. The oil was then stored in the dark, usually in amphorae, which were sealed to ensure quality control. So long as the oil was preserved in airtight containers, it could last for extended periods of time. Once the containers were opened, however, the oil needed to be used quickly. The oil could be used for marinating food, as cooking oil, and in dressings. It could also be used for preserving foods. As a cooking oil, it was not only healthy, but its high boiling point allowed it to be used without burning the food that was soaked in it.

Olive oil could also be used for fuel in lamps. Since the ancients did not use petroleum-based products, this oil allowed individuals to function at night and indoors. In addition, it could be used as soap, where an individual would put it on the body and either wash it off or scrape it off with a strigil, an especially common practice with athletes. It was used for cosmetics as well. Additional items could be added to the oil so that when burned or applied, it gave off a pleasant smell.

The tree was actively cultivated during the Minoan period on Crete, and by 2000, it was being exported to the islands, mainland Greece, and Asia Minor. On the mainland, its economic value increased under the Mycenaean kingdoms, as seen in Linear B tablets. In Athens, the reformer Solon ordered in the sixth century that the trees there must not be cut down because of their value. Olympic athletes were given an olive branch to symbolize peace. During the Panathenaic Games at Athens, the winners received high-quality oil, valued at over 700 amphorae, which they sold at a huge profit, often abroad. This was an exception to a law prohibiting oil from being sold abroad by Athenians.

The olive, with its many uses, became a valuable trade commodity and currency in the Greek world. They were transported in amphorae, usually at a volume of about 40 liters. The amphorae usually had pointed bottoms that allowed them to be stuck in the ground if needed and to be easily grasped. The transport of oil allowed it to reach areas of the world where the olive tree was not cultivated, giving it an important value to all regions of antiquity.