The fig has been a staple of the human diet for at least 3,000 years. For the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean it was a necessity and an integral part of the diet, sometimes even replacing bread. It was a favorite fruit and a staple of the Greek diet since ancient times, since it was the main food of the athletes in the Olympic Games, but it was also associated with the worship of Dionysus, Demeter and the Pythagoreans. The fig was not only a nutritious fruit but also had symbolic value as it symbolized prosperity, fertility, knowledge and unity. In ancient Athens, figs were among the first preferences and their cultivation was natural. Exporting was strictly prohibited and whoever exported was punished. He who denounced such an offender had the title of slanderer since he revealed the facts.