Athens of the West
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Cordoba in Spain, was so called in the Middle Ages. The Modern Athens. Edinburgh.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Athens of the West” mean?
Cordoba in Spain, was so called in the Middle Ages. The Modern Athens. Edinburgh.
Is “Athens of the West” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.