Belfast, the Athens of the north...

[sandyRoe]

I saw a billboard in Belfast this morning proclaiming that Belfast was once known as The Athens of the North.
Was Athens ever known as the Belfast of the south?

[mccfluff]

yes for one day only

[NOX]

It's starting to look like Belfast now lol.

[sandyRoe]

Was that on the day Athens had the earthquake?

[Euphemia]

Edinburgh is known as Athens of the North

[mccfluff]

sandy i was walking down the beach i did not cause the earthquake, iots a vicious rumour

[jno]

might've been, 150 years ago.. Athens was mostly a village in the 19th century, though with a few old temples, whereas Belfast was mighty Linenopolis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linenopolis

I don't know what Greek linen was like.

http://commons.wikime...s_about_1868-1875.jpg

[emmie]

Hardly likely seeing it wasn't thought of when that city was at the height of it's powers, Athens that is.

[DTCwordfan]

Belfast, the Athens of the North - piffle, Edinburgh is.

Athens, the Belfast of the South - piffle and rofl.

However both could interchange their titles as, shortly, it is highly likely that both will be "bombed" out.

By the way, the Athens eartquake caused 20 million Euros of improvements, apparently.