Athena (deity)
Athena is a prominent figure in Greek mythology, revered as the goddess of war, agriculture, and various household crafts, including sewing and pottery. Known for her wisdom, strength, and ethical nature, she stands as a protector of cities and a promoter of justice. Athena is closely associated with the city of Athens, which was named in her honor after she won a contest against Poseidon by offering the gift of the olive tree, symbolizing peace and prosperity. According to myth, she was born from the forehead of Zeus, fully grown and armored, highlighting her unique origin and stature among the gods.
Athena plays significant roles in epic tales such as Homer's *Iliad* and *Odyssey*, where she demonstrates her strategic prowess and aids heroes like Achilles and Odysseus. She is often depicted wearing a helmet and carrying a shield adorned with the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Her temples, including the Parthenon on the Acropolis, are testament to her worship throughout ancient Greece. Today, Athena remains a symbol of wisdom and strength, inspiring various cultural references, from art and literature to corporate branding and educational institutions.
Athena (deity)
Symbols: Owl; olive tree
Culture: Greco-Roman
Mother: Metis
Father: Zeus
Children: Erichthonios (adopted)
Athena was the Greek goddess of war, agriculture, and household crafts such as sewing, cooking, and pottery. Minerva is her Roman equivalent. Athena promotes industry, supports the law and justice, and protects cities and peoples from war. According to myth, Athena’s mother Metis was Zeus’s counselor and one of the Titans who were said to have ruled the universe before the Olympians.
When Zeus impregnated Metis, he learned that she would give birth to a son who would be even more powerful than Zeus himself. After hearing this news, according to some sources, Zeus swallowed Metis. Athena was then born from Zeus’s forehead, fully grown and fully clad in warrior garb. According to some versions, Athena’s mother forged her daughter’s armor while inside Zeus; the noise was such that he asked Hephaestus to split his forehead open in order to release Athena.
Athena was among the most powerful gods in the Greek pantheon. Her temple stood on the Acropolis, and her name was associated with the city of Athens. Athena (sometimes called Pallas Athena) was believed to be chaste, powerful, intelligent, and highly ethical. While she often involved herself in human and Olympian affairs, she never attacked unjustly.
In Mythology
There are many myths that involve Athena. Some of the best known are found in Homer’s Illiad, which is the story of the Trojan War. Athena also figures prominently in two other tales: Jason’s defeat of the Gorgon Medusa and also the contest that made Athena the patron of the city of Athens. Athena also aids Hercules (sometimes spelled Herakles or Heracles) in many of his twelve labors. In addition, she turns Arachne (or Arakhne) into a spider after winning a weaving contest.
Athena figured prominently in Homer’s works. She was sometimes depicted as the goddess of war, but unlike her counterpart Ares (who was known for his bloodlust), she was most concerned with the intellectual aspects of war. Thus, even in battle, Athena espoused such skills as strategy, planning, combat skills, prudence, and valor. According to Homer’s Illiad, Athena fought side by side with the Greeks against the Trojans, supporting the brave and noble Achilles against the less civilized soldiers of Troy.
Athena also appears in Homer’s Odyssey. In this tale of the adventures of the traveler Odysseus, Athena plays a smaller role: She protects Odysseus from Penelope’s suitors.
Athena also figured prominently in the Medusa story. According to myth, Medusa was one of the three beautiful Gorgon sisters. After dedicating herself to chastity, Medusa either gave herself to or was raped by Poseidon. As a punishment for violating her vow, Athena turned Medusa into a hideous monster with snakes for hair. Anyone who looked upon the monster would be turned to stone.
Polydectes wooed Perseus’s mother and tricked the son into undertaking a quest for the head of the terrible Medusa. To kill the monster, the young man used gifts from several gods. Athena’s gift, a highly polished shield, allowed him to view the Gorgon without looking directly at her. Thus, he was able to behead the monster and succeed in his quest.
The story explaining how Athena became the namesake of Athens also figures prominently in Greek myth. According to those myths, various gods were said to have competed for the right to be the patron and protector of the city. Each presented the people of Athens with a gift. Athena’s gift of an olive tree—the symbol of peace and plenty—was deemed the most acceptable, and thus Athena became the patron of Athens.
Origins and Cults
Athena was worshipped throughout the Greek empire; her image appears on pottery, coins, and works of art. Athena generally appears as a tall, strong, attractive woman. She is dressed in a helmet, with a Gorgon’s head (aegis) appears on the shield she is holding. She also carries a spear. Her symbols are the owl (for wisdom) and the olive tree (for peace and plenty).
Athena’s three most important temples were on the Acropolis in Athens: the Parthenon, the temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheum. Several ancient sources describe statues of Athena as being made of ivory and gold. The Acropolis of Sparta was also sacred to Athena. In addition to these major shrines, smaller temples to Athena were built in many smaller cities, including Thebes and Corinth.
The major festivals dedicated to Athena included the Arrephoria, Scirophoria, and Panathenaea. These events included men and women as well as boys and girls. During the Arrephoria, young girls from noble families brought special gifts in a basket; during the Panathenaea, a variety of athletic contests were held, and the festival also included music and dancing. In some cases, female animals were sacrificed to the goddess.
In Popular Culture
Athena is a well-known figure, and her statue and likeness have appeared in art throughout the centuries. Pottery, statues, works of art, and coins all honor the goddess. In France, her statue was erected as a symbol of the French Revolution.
In the United States, Athena appears on coins and on the United States Medal of Honor. She is the patron of many universities, and she is a major figure in the Parthenon of the South, an art museum that is located in Nashville, Tennessee. This building boasts one of the largest indoor sculptures in the world: a statute of Athena. Made of aluminum and steel and gilded with gold, this enormous work of art is 41 feet tall.
The name Pallas Athena, Athena, or Minerva is used for strong, brave female characters in many fantasies. Athena and Pallas Athena are both Marvel comic book heroines; Athena is a character in the science fiction series Battlestar Gallactica, and Minerva is the first name of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series. The goddess also makes an appearance in the Rick Reardon Olympians book series.
Athena’s name is often borrowed by corporations and used in product names. Athena Health, Athena Software, and Athena Power are all businesses that carry the goddess’s name. The Athena Computer, created by Univac, was built to guide the first ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles). Project Athena at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was an early example of distributed computing.
Bibliography
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