Athens is the capital of Greece and is one of the most visited city states in Greece - along with Corfu, Rhodes and many more - Athens is the birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilisation.Athens is the capital of Greece. It was also at the heart of Ancient Greece, a powerful civilization and empire. The city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with ancient buildings like the colonnaded Parthenon temple. The Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry and more from Ancient Greece.People have lived in the Athens area for at least 5,000 years. The earliest surviving buildings date from about 1200 bce. Ancient Greece was made up of many independent city-states. Athens reached its peak as one of the most powerful city-states in the 400s bce.