Athens, the southernmost capital on the European mainland, is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years.

According to Greek mythology the city was named after Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Classical Athens was one of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. It was a centre for democracy, the arts, education and philosophy, and was highly influential throughout the European continent, particularly in Ancient Rome. For this reason it is often regarded as the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens.

It was built in AD 161 by orator Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Aspasia Annia Regilla, and created as a gift to the city. The theater seated 5,000 spectators and originally had wooden roof made of cedar of Lebanon timber. In 267, the Germanic tribe of the Heruli plundered the theater and destroyed the roof, which was never rebuilt. Extensive excavations took place in the 19th century.

The seating areas were restored between 1952 and 1953 to enable theatrical performances. Since then, the venue has served as the main stage for the Athens Festival, which offers a diverse program of Greek and international performances. Maria Callas performed here, Frank Sinatra gave concerts, and Nana Mouskouri, Luciano Pavarotti, Mikis Theodorakis, and many others also appeared on stage here.