A number of scholars have expressed the view that the synoikismos (political unification) of Attica took place in Mycenaean times. This entails that the region evolved into an early state during the 13th c. BC. Drawing on this hypothesis, I will examine the available archaeological data from a wider (Bronze Age) socio-economic perspective, to explore whether the establishment of a Mycenaean state in Attica was historically feasible and, if yes, in what form. Then, I will examine briefly whether and how conditions of the 13th (and 12th) c. BC may have been reflected in later mythological traditions.