Athens was one of the oldest cities in Europe, and indeed the entire world, with a history stretching back more than three thousand years. By 1000 BC, Athens was already a core city of Ancient Greece, its economic, financial, industrial, political, and cultural center, as well as one of the European Alliance's commercial centers. It lay on the central plain of Attica, surrounded by mountains: Mount Aigaleo to the west, Mount Parnitha to the north, Mount Penteli to the northeast, Mount Hymettus to the east, and the Saronic Gulf to the southwest. Since ancient times, it had been a prize every military power sought to seize.
Athens in Forging the Sacred Court had much the same terrain and importance as its counterpart in the Earth World, but its architecture and customs resembled those of Ancient Greece, with even greater emphasis on religious devotion.
"Rumble, rumble..."
The grand, luxurious six-horse carriage rolled along the streets of Athens, drawing plenty of sidelong looks. Its driver, however, was the Mighty God-King, who had taken on a Greek appearance and concealed his aura, while everyone else remained inside. People paid some attention to the unusual carriage, but thought little more of it.
The moment they entered Athens, they felt as though they had stepped into a city of giants. The buildings lining both sides of the streets were towering and imposing, all built from massive stones. They were either square or round, lacking China's painted beams, carved pillars, and craftsmanship worthy of gods. Instead, their roughness conveyed grandeur. The enormous stone columns in front of the buildings, more than a dozen meters tall, formed a particularly distinctive architectural style.
Standing before those buildings made one feel humble and insignificant. That was why their architecture favored such rugged, towering forms.
"This is the Sanctuary renowned