Cecrops (Ancient Greek: ??????; K閗rops; gen.: ?????p??) was a mythical king of Athens who is said to have reigned for fifty-six years. The name is not of Greek origin according to Strabo; or it might mean 'face with a tail': it is said that; born from the earth itself; he had his top half shaped like a man and the bottom half in serpent or fish-tail form. He was the founder and the first king of Athens itself; though preceded in the region by the earth-born king Actaeus of Attica.