Akropolis Athena is an expansion of the Akropolis base game, set in the Ancient Mediterranean where architects compete to build prestigious cities. The theme revolves around gaining the favor of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, war, and artisans, to earn riches and honor.

In this game, players must use their skills to complete specific Construction cards by building layouts within their cities that match the cards. As players complete these cards, they can acquire parts of the Statue of Athena and gain Mini-tiles to enhance their cities. The goal is to strategically build your city while completing these Construction cards to gain additional points and advantages.

The game integrates the core rules of the AKROPOLIS base game with the added challenge of completing Construction cards. Each architect can complete each Construction card only once and must manage their resources and placements carefully to maximize their points.

The game concludes when there is only one tile left in the Construction Site and all the stacks have been used. Points are counted as usual, but players who have completed the Statue of Athena gain extra points for their Stones, adding a layer of strategic depth to the gameplay. The ultimate goal is to have the most prestigious city by the end of the game, as determined by the accumulated points.