This marble Greek copy signed ANTIOCHOS is a first century BC copy of Phidias' fifth-century original that stood on the Acropolis

In Greek mythology, Athena (also called Athene, Attic: Ἀθηνᾶ, Athēnâ, or Ἀθήνη, Athḗnē; Doric: Ἀσάνα, Asána; Latin: Minerva) is the shrewd companion of heroes and the goddess of heroic endeavour. Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek Acropolis (Gr akros akron edge extremity + polis city pl acropoleis Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Attic Greek is the Prestige dialect of Ancient Greece that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. For the modern Doric dialect of Scotland see Doric dialect (Scotland Doric was a dialect of ancient Greek. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The MInisterial NEtwoRk for Valorising Activities in digitisation, or MINERVA, is a European Union organization concerned with the digitisation of cultural and A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities She is the patron of Athens, which built the Parthenon to worship her. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis In a temple at Phrixa in Elis, which was reportedly built by Clymenus, she was known as Cydonia. Elis, or Eleia ( Greek, Modern Ήλιδα Ilida, Ancient Ēlis, Doric: Alis, Elean: Walis) is an ancient ^[1].

Overview

Athena's cult seems to have existed from very early times as the patron of Athens and was so persistent that myths about her were rewritten often to adapt to cultural changes over the multiple eras of Ancient Greek traditions. The Greek philosopher, Plato (429–347 B. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece C. E. ), identified her with the Libyan deity, Neith, who was the war-goddess and huntress deity of the Egyptians since the ancient predynastic period. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab In Egyptian mythology, Neith (also known as Nit, Net, and Neit) was an early goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. She also would come to be known as the goddess of wisdom as philosophy became applied to cult in the later fifth century and Classical Greece. Wisdom is a concept of personal gaining of Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, discretion and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity ^[2] She was the patroness of weaving especially, and other crafts (Athena Ergane), and the more disciplined side of war, where she led the battle (Athena Promachos)^[3]. This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. A craft is a Skill, especially involving practical arts. It may refer to a Trade or particular art War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units The metalwork associated with the creation of weapons fell under her patronage. Athena's wisdom also includes the cunning intelligence (metis) of such figures as Odysseus. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs

Athena, holding an owl, wears the ancient form of the Gorgon head on her aegis, as the huge serpent who guards the golden fleece regurgitates Jason; cup by Douris, Classical Greece, early fifth century BC - Musei Vaticani

She is attended by an owl, and is often accompanied by the goddess of victory, Nike, whom in established icons she offers upon her extended hand. In Greek mythology, a gorgon ( Greek: γοργώ or γοργών transl "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e In Greek mythology, Nike ( Greek Νίκη níːkɛː meaning Victory) was a Goddess who personified Triumph Wearing a breastplate of either goatskin or snake skin called the Aegis, which in late myths is said to have been given to her by her father, Zeus^[4] although she was associated with this long before in other cultural contexts. "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology She often is shown helmeted and with a shield bearing the Gorgon head, the hallmark of the early goddess cult in Greece that was given the highest position in the apex of the front facade of the Parthenon. In Greek mythology, a gorgon ( Greek: γοργώ or γοργών transl Her shield was later said to be a votive gift of Perseus. A votive deposit or votive offering is an object left in a Sacred place for Ritual purposes Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas ( Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας) the Legendary founder A serpent often accompanies this goddess and frequently is depicted at the base of the staff of her lance. The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different Pole weapons based on the Spear. The sea and ships as well as horses and chariots are associated with her, but with less frequency.

Athena is an armed warrior goddess, and appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes, including Odysseus, Jason, and Heracles. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs Jason ( Greek: Ἰάσων, Etruscan: Easun, Laz: Yason) was a late ancient Greek mythological In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or In Classical Greek myths she never had a consort or lover, and thus, often was known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena the virgin"), hence the name of her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city The "Sacred Rock" in the world Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's In a remnant of archaic myth, she was the mother or adoptive mother of Erichthonius by the attempted rape by Hephaestus, which failed. King Erichthonius (also written Erichthonios, Ancient Greek:) an early ruler of Athens, was according to some legends, autochthonous Hephaestus (hɨˈfiːstəs or /hɨˈfɛstəs/ Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. ^[5] Other variants relate that the serpent who accompanied Athena, also called Erichthonius, was born to Gaia, Earth, when the rape failed and the semen landed on Gaia, impregnating her, and that after the birth he was given to Athena by Gaia.

In her role as a protector of the city, Athena was worshiped throughout the Greek world as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). She had a special relationship with Athens, as is shown by the etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's ^[6]

Mythology

Birth

Image from the temple of Athena at Mycenae - circa 625 B. The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis "Lion Gate" redirects here For other uses see Lions' Gate (disambiguation. C. , Museo Arqueológico Nacial de Atenas

In The Greek Myths by Robert Graves (8. a, ff. ) he notes early myths about the birth of Athena, in which she is described as a goddess from Libya whose worship came to the Greeks from Crete after arriving there as early as 4,000 BC. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Graves also states that Hesiod (c. 700 BC) relates that Athena was a parthenogenous daughter of Metis, wisdom or knowledge, a Titan who ruled the fourth day and the planet Mercury. Other variants relate that although Metis was of an earlier generation of the Titans, Zeus became her consort when his cult gained dominance. In order to avoid a prophecy made when that change occurred, that any offspring of his union with Metis would be greater than he—Zeus is said to have swallowed Metis to prevent her from having offspring, but she already was pregnant with Athena. Metis gave birth to her and nurtured her inside Zeus until Athena burst forth from his forehead fully armed with weapons given by her mother.

In the late Classical Greek myths, Athena is most commonly described as the daughter of Zeus, born from his head after he swallowed her pregnant mother. The weapons for which she is most famous are the thunderbolt and the Aegis, which she and Zeus were said to share exclusively. "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus

The Olympian version

After he swallowed her pregnant mother, Metis, Athena is "born" from Zeus' forehead as he grasps the clothing of Eileithyia on the right—black-figured amphora, 550–525 BC, Louvre. Eileithyia (Εἰλείθυια was the Cretan goddess whom Greek mythology adapted as the goddess of childbirth and midwifery The black-figure pottery ( Greek, ' μελανόμορφαmelanomorpha) technique is a style of ancient Greek pottery painting in which the decoration appears An amphora (plural amphorae or amphoras) is a type of Ceramic Vase with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body

Although at Mycenaean Knossos Athena appears before Zeus does—in Linear B, as a-ta-na po-ti-ni-ja, "Mistress Athena"—^[7] in the Classical Olympian pantheon, Athena was remade as the favorite daughter of Zeus, born fully armed from his forehead after he swallowed her mother, Metis. Knossos (alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Greek Κνωσός kno̞ˈso̞s also known as the Knossos Palace is the largest Linear B is a script that was used for writing Mycenaean, an early form of Greek. The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon ( Greek: Δωδεκάθεον In Greek mythology, Metis (Μῆτις was of the Titan generation and like several primordial figures an Oceanid, in the sense that Metis was born of ^[8] The story of her birth comes in several versions. In the one most commonly cited, Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, but he immediately feared the consequences. It had been prophesied that Metis would bear children more powerful than the sire,^[9] even Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire consequences, after lying with Metis, Zeus "put her away inside his own belly;" he "swallowed her down all of a sudden,"^[10] He was too late: Metis had already conceived a child.

Minoan labrys, 2nd millennium BC

Eventually it came to be that Zeus was in great pain; Prometheus, Hephaestus, Hermes, or Palaemon (depending on the sources examined) cleaved Zeus's head with the double-headed Minoan axe, the labrys. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. Labrys is the term for a doubleheaded Axe, known to the Classical Greeks as pelekys ( or Sagaris, and to the Romans as a bipennis The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. In Greek mythology, Prometheus (Προμηθεύς "forethought" is a Titan known for his wily intelligence who stole Fire from Zeus Hephaestus (hɨˈfiːstəs or /hɨˈfɛstəs/ Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape split and cut Wood, Harvest timber, as a Weapon Labrys is the term for a doubleheaded Axe, known to the Classical Greeks as pelekys ( or Sagaris, and to the Romans as a bipennis Athena leaped from Zeus's head, fully grown and armed—with a shout, "and pealed to the broad sky her clarion cry of war. And Ouranos trembled to hear, and Mother Gaia. . . " (Pindar, Seventh Olympian Ode). Pindar (ˈpɪndɚ (or Pindarus, Greek:) (probably born 522 BC in Cynoscephalae a village in Boeotia; died 443 BC in Argos) was an Ancient As noted above the Minonan culture of Crete was thought by Plato to have been a source from which the cult of Athena was introduced from Lybia during the dawn of Greek culture. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the

Classical myths thereafter noted that Hera was so annoyed at Zeus producing a child—apparently on his own—that she caused herself to conceive and bear Hephaestus by herself. In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer Hephaestus (hɨˈfiːstəs or /hɨˈfɛstəs/ Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. Parthenogenesis (from the Greek παρθένος parthenos, "virgin" + γένεσις genesis, "creation" is an asexual form After the appearance of this variant it becomes stated that Metis thereafter never bore any more children and, that Zeus persisted as supreme ruler of Mount Olympus. The Greek myths became static at this point, not changingbefore the ancient culture declined and its religion faded from practice.

Other origin tales

Fragments attributed by the Christian Eusebius of Caesarea to the semi-legendary Phoenician historian Sanchuniathon, which Eusebius thought had been written before the Trojan war, make Athena instead, the daughter of Cronus, a king of Byblos who is said to have visited 'the inhabitable world' and bequeathed Attica to Athena. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Sanchuniathon is the purported Phoenician author of three lost works originally in the Phoenician language, surviving only in partial paraphrase and summary of a In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her Cronus or Kronos, ( Ancient Greek Κρόνος Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants Byblos ( Βύβλος) is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal (earlier Gubla) Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece Sanchuniathon's account would make Athena, as was Hera, the sister of Zeus, not his daughter.

Pallas Athena

The major competing tradition regarding Athena's parentage involves some of her more mysterious epithets: Pallas, as in Ancient Greek Παλλάς Άθήνη (also Pallantias) and Tritogeneia (also Trito, Tritonis, Tritoneia, Tritogenes). An epithet (from Greek ἐπίθετον - epitheton, neut of ἐπίθετος - epithetos, "attributed added" is a A separate entity named Pallas is invoked – whether Athena's father, sister, foster-sister, companion, or opponent in battle. In every case, Athena kills Pallas, accidentally, and thereby gains the name for herself.

When Pallas is Athena's father the events, including her birth, are located near a body of water named Triton or Tritonis, the result of an etymology of Tritogeneia from Tritonis. Lake Tritonis is a Classical-era lake possibly found in southern Tunisia. When Pallas is Athena's sister or foster-sister, Athena's father or foster-father is Triton, the son and herald of Poseidon. Triton (Τρίτων gen Τρίτωνος is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the deep In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" But Athena may be called the daughter of Poseidon and a nymph named Tritonis, without involving Pallas. Likewise, Pallas may be Athena's father or opponent, without involving Triton. ^[11] On this topic, Walter Burkert says "she is the Pallas of Athens, Pallas Athenaie, just as Hera of Argos is Here Argeie. ^[12] For the Athenians, Burkert notes, Athena was simply "the Goddess", he thea, certainly an ancient title.

Athena Parthenos: Virgin Athena

Athena never had a consort or lover and thus, also was known as Athena Parthenos, "Virgin Athena. Athena Parthenos ( Greek: Ἀθηνᾶ Παρθένος literally "Athena the Virgin " was the title of a massive Chryselephantine " Her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens takes its name from this title. The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city The "Sacred Rock" in the world Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's It was not merely an observation of her virginity, but a recognition of her role as enforcer of rules of sexual modesty and ritual mystery. This role is expressed in a number of stories about Athena. Marinus reports that when Christians removed the statue of the Goddess from the Parthenon, a beautiful woman appeared in a dream to Proclus, a devotee of Athena, and announced that the "Athenian Lady" wished to dwell with him. The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis Proclus Lycaeus ( February 8, c 411 &ndash April 17, 485) called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" ( Greek Próklos ^[13]

Erichthonius

Hephaestus attempted to rape Athena, but she eluded him. Hephaestus (hɨˈfiːstəs or /hɨˈfɛstəs/ Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person His semen fell on the ground, and Erichthonius was born from the Earth, Gaia. Physiological aspects Internal and external fertilization Depending on the Species, spermatozoa can fertilize King Erichthonius (also written Erichthonios, Ancient Greek:) an early ruler of Athens, was according to some legends, autochthonous Gaia (ˈgeɪə or /ˈgaɪə/ (" land " or " Earth " from the Ancient Greek Γαîα also Gæa or Gea Athena then raised the baby as a foster mother. ^[14]

Athena put the infant Erichthonius in a small box (cista) which she entrusted to the care of three sisters, Herse, Pandrosus, and Aglaulus of Athens. Herse is a figure in Greek mythology, daughter of Cecrops (or according to Pausanias, of Actaeus) sister to Aglauros and Pandrosus (or Pandrosos; English translation: "the all-dewy one" was a figure in Greek mythology, and a daughter of Cecrops (or according Aglaulus or Agraulos (Ἄγραυλος is a name attributed to three figures in Greek mythology. The goddess didn't tell them what the box contained, but warned them not to open it until she returned. One or two sisters opened the cista to reveal Erichthonius, in the form (or embrace) of a serpent. Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from serpens serpentis "something that creeps snake" that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or The serpent, or insanity induced by the sight, drove Herse and Pandrosus to throw themselves off the Acropolis. The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city The "Sacred Rock" in the world ^[15] Jane Harrison (Prolegomena) finds this to be a simple cautionary tale directed at young girls carrying the cista in the Thesmophoria rituals, to discourage them from opening it outside the proper context. Thesmophoria was a festival held in Greek cities in honor of the goddesses Demeter and her daughter Persephone.

Another version of the myth of the Athenian maidens is told in Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BC – 17 AD); in this late variant Hermes falls in love with Herse. The Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid is a narrative poem Publius Ovidius Naso ( March 20, 43 BC – 17 AD was a Roman poet known to the English -speaking world as Ovid who wrote on many topics including Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and Herse, Aglaulus, and Pandrosus go to the temple to offer sacrifices to Athena. Hermes demands help from Aglaulus to seduce Herse. Aglaulus demands money in exchange. Hermes gives her the money the sisters had already offered to Athena. As punishment for Aglaulus's greed, Athena asks the goddess Envy to make Aglaulus jealous of Herse. When Hermes arrives to seduce Herse, Aglaulus stands in his way instead of helping him as she had agreed. He turns her to stone. ^[16]

With this mythic origin, Erichthonius became the founder-king of Athens, where many beneficial changes to Athenian culture were ascribed to him. Before the Athenian democracy, the Tyrants and the Archons the City-state of Athens was ruled by kings. During this time, Athena frequently protected him.

Medusa and Tiresias

In a late myth, Medusa, unlike her two sister-Gorgons, came to be thought of by the Classical Greeks during the fifth century as, mortal and extremely beautiful, but she had sex with — or was raped by — Poseidon in a temple of Athena. In Greek mythology, Medusa ( Greek: Μέδουσα (Médousa "guardian protectress" was a monstrous Chthonic female character gazing upon Upon discovering the desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes, her lower body was transformed also, and meeting her gaze would turn any living creature to stone. In the earliest of myths there is but one Gorgon and the only snakes were two wrapped around her waist as a belt. In Greek mythology, a gorgon ( Greek: γοργώ or γοργών transl

In one version of the Tiresias myth, Tiresias stumbled upon Athena bathing, and was blinded by her nakedness. Everes redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Everes (genus. ^[17] To compensate him for his loss, she sent serpents to lick his ears, which gave him the gift of prophecy.

Lady of Athens

Athena competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which was yet unnamed, in a version of one founding myth. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" A founding myth (Greek aition) is the etiological myth that explains the origins of a Ritual or the founding of a city group belief philosophy discipline They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and that the Athenians would choose the gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; this gave them a means of trade and water—Athens at its height was a significant sea power, defeating the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis—but the water was salty and not very good for drinking. A trident (ˈtrаɪdənt also called a leister or gig, is a three- pronged Spear. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Battle of Salamis ( Ancient Greek:) was a decisive naval battle between the Greek City-states and Persia in September 480 BC in the (In an alternate version, Poseidon offered the first horse to the citizens, but horses also are associated with Athena in some myths. ) Athena, however, offered them the first domesticated olive tree. The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern The Athenians (or their king, Cecrops) accepted the olive tree and with it the patronage of Athena, for the olive tree brought wood, oil, and food. Robert Graves was of the opinion that "Poseidon's attempts to take possession of certain cities are political myths" which reflect the conflict between matriarchical and patriarchical religions. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. ^[18] Athena also was the patron goddess of several other Greek cities, notably, Sparta. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη

Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type; a Roman copy (first century) of a Greek original by Kresilas, c. The Athena of Velletri or Velletri Pallas is a type of classical marble statue of Athena, wearing a helmet The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times until the present particularly in the areas of Sculpture Kresilas was a Greek sculptor from Kydonia. He lived in the 5th century BC. 430 BC

Athena and Herakles on an Attic red-figure kylix, 480–470 BCE

Counselor

Later myths of the Classical Greeks relate that Athena guided Perseus in his quest to behead Medusa. Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas ( Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας) the Legendary founder In Greek mythology, Medusa ( Greek: Μέδουσα (Médousa "guardian protectress" was a monstrous Chthonic female character gazing upon She instructed Heracles to skin the Nemean Lion by using its own claws to cut through its thick hide. In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or The Nemean lion ( Modern Greek: Λέων της Νεμέας (Léōn tēs Neméas Latin: Leo Nemaeus was a vicious monster in Greek mythology that lived She also helped Heracles to defeat the Stymphalian Birds, and to navigate the underworld so as to capture Cerberos. In Greek mythology, Stymphalian birds were man-eating Birds with wings of Brass and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims and were In Greek mythology, Cerberus or Kerberos ( Greek Κέρβερος Kérberos) the ker or Daimon of

In another late story, it is said that Odysseus' cunning and shrewd nature quickly won Athena's favour. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs In the realistic epic mode, however, she largely is confined to aiding him only from afar, as by implanting thoughts in his head during his journey home from Troy. It is not until he washes up on the shore of an island where Nausicaa is washing her clothes that Athena arrives personally to provide more tangible assistance. She appears in Nausicaa's dreams to ensure that the princess rescues Odysseus and plays a role in his eventual escort to Ithaca.

Athena appears in disguise to Odysseus upon his arrival, initially lying and telling him that Penelope, his wife, has remarried and that he is believed to be dead; but Odysseus lies back to her, employing skillful prevarications to protect himself. ^[19] Impressed by his resolve and shrewdness, she reveals herself and tells him what he needs to know in order to win back his kingdom. She disguises him as an elderly man or beggar so that he cannot be noticed by the suitors or Penelope, and helps him to defeat the suitors. She also plays a role in ending the resultant feud against the suitors' relatives.

Roman fable of Arachne

The fable of Arachne is a late Roman addition to Classical Greek mythology,^[20] that, of course, does not appear in the myth repertory of the Attic vase-painters. A fable is a succinct story in prose or verse that features Animals Plants inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are Arachne was a great mortal weaver She boasted that her skill was greater than that of Athena the goddess of crafts which resulted in a contest between her and the goddess Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Arachne's name simply means spider (αράχνη). Arachne was the daughter of a famous dyer in Tyrian purple in Hypaipa of Lydia. Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy She became so conceited of her skill as a weaver that she began claiming that her skill was greater than that of Athena herself.

Athena gave Arachne a chance to redeem herself by assuming the form of an old woman and warning Arachne not to offend the deities. Arachne scoffed and wished for a weaving contest, so she could prove her skill.

Athena wove the scene of her victory over Poseidon that had inspired her patronage of Athens. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" According to the Latin narrative, Arachne's tapestry featured twenty-one episodes of the infidelity of the deities: Zeus being unfaithful with Leda, with Europa, with Danaë. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology In Greek mythology, Leda ( Λήδα) was daughter of the Aetolian king Thestius, and wife of the king Tyndareus, of Sparta Europa ( Greek Εὐρώπη was a Phoenician woman of high lineage in Greek mythology, from whom the name of the Continent Europe For other uses see Danae (plant and Danaë (painting In Greek mythology, Danaë (Δανάη English translation

Athena admitted that Arachne's work was flawless, but was outraged at Arachne's disrespectful choice of subjects that displayed the failings and transgressions of the deities. ^[21] Finally, losing her temper, Athena destroyed Arachne's tapestry and loom, striking it with her shuttle, Arachne realized her folly and hanged herself. In Ovid's telling, Athena took pity on Arachne who was changed into a spider.

The fable suggests that the origin of weaving lay in imitation of spiders and that it was considered to have been perfected first in Asia Minor. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

Cult and attributes

Helmeted Athena with the cista and Erichthonius in his serpent form. Roman, first century (Louvre Museum)

Athena's epithets include Άτρυτώνη, Atrytone (= the unwearying), Παρθένος, Parthénos (= virgin), and Ή Πρόμαχος, Promachos (the pre-fighter/-tress, i. The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France An epithet (from Greek ἐπίθετον - epitheton, neut of ἐπίθετος - epithetos, "attributed added" is a e. she who fights in front).

In poetry from Homer, an oral tradition of the eighth or seventh century BC, onward, Athena's most common epithet is glaukopis (γλαυκώπις), which usually is translated as, bright-eyed or with gleaming eyes. A characteristic of Homer 's style is the use of recurring Epithets as in "rosy-fingered dawn" or "swift-footed Achilles ^[22] The word is a combination of glaukos (γλαύκος, meaning gleaming, silvery, and later, bluish-green or gray) and ops (ώψ, eye, or sometimes, face). It is interesting to note that glaux (γλαύξ, "owl") is from the same root, presumably because of the bird's own distinctive eyes. The bird which sees well in the night is closely associated with the goddess of wisdom: in archaic images, Athena is frequently depicted with an owl perched on her head. Wisdom is a concept of personal gaining of Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, discretion and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity The olive tree is likewise sacred to her. The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern In earlier times, Athena may well have been a bird goddess, similar to the unknown goddess depicted with owls, wings, and bird talons on the Burney relief, a Mesopotamian terracotta relief of the early second millennium BC. The term Bird Goddess was coined by Marija Gimbutas with relation to Neolithic Europe. The Burney Relief, named after a former owner is the common term for an early 2nd millennium BC (ca

Other epithets include: Aethyta under which she was worshiped in Megara. Megara ( Greek:, "Big Houses" is an ancient city (pop ^[23]. The word aithyia (αίθυια) signifies a diver, and figuratively, a ship, so the name must reference Athena teaching the art of shipbuilding or navigation. ^[24][25]

Epithets

In the Iliad (4. The Iliad ( Greek: Ἰλιάς (Ancient Ιλιάδα (Modern is together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient 514), the Homeric Hymns, and in Hesiod's Theogony, Athena is given the curious epithet Tritogeneia. The thirty-three anonymous Homeric Hymns celebrating individual gods are a collection of ancient Greek Hymns "Homeric" in the sense that they employ the Hesiod ( Greek: Hesiodos) was an early Greek Poet and Rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BCE Theogony ( Greek: Θεογονία theogonia = the birth of God(s is a Poem by Hesiod describing the origins and genealogies The meaning of this term is unclear. It seems to mean "Triton-born," perhaps indicating that the sea-deity was her parent according to some early myths,^[26] or, less likely, that she was born near Lake Triton in Africa. Triton (Τρίτων gen Τρίτωνος is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the deep Lake Tritonis is a Classical-era lake possibly found in southern Tunisia. This is the same location noted in The Greek Myths (8. a ff. ), by Robert Graves as the possible location from which the worship of Neith was imported into Crete and then into Greece as the warrior goddess Athena at a very early date, perhaps as early as 3,500 BC. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. In Egyptian mythology, Neith (also known as Nit, Net, and Neit) was an early goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. Events Civilization of Sumer (? Ggantija, Malta Mnajdra solar temple complex Malta

Another possible meaning may be triple-born or third-born, which may refer to a triad or to her status as the third daughter of Zeus or the fact she was born from Metis, Zeus, and herself; various legends list her as being the first child after Artemis and Apollo, though other legends identify her as Zeus' first child. The later would have to be drawn from Classical myths, however, rather than earlier ones.

In her role as judge at Orestes' trial on the murder of his mother, Clytemnestra (which he won), Athena won the epithet Athena Areia. In Greek mythology, Orestes (in English /ɔ'ɹɛstiːz/ and in Greek,) was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon Clytemnestra (or Clytaemnestra (Eng /klaɪtəm'nɛstɹə/ Greek: Klytaimnéstra, "famed for her suitors" was the wife of Agamemnon, king

A new peplos was woven for Athena and ceremonially brought to dress her cult image (British Museum)

Athena later was associated with the application of philosophy to cult in the fifth century during the Classical period. A peplos (πέπλος is a body-length Greek garment worn by women in the years before 500 BC. In the practice of Religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the Deity, spirit or Daemon that it embodies or represents The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language She remained the patroness of weaving, crafts, and the more disciplined side of war^[3]. This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. A craft is a Skill, especially involving practical arts. It may refer to a Trade or particular art War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Athena's wisdom encompasses the technical knowledge employed in weaving and metal-working, but also includes the cunning intelligence (metis) of such figures as Odysseus. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs

Other epithets were Ageleia and Itonia. Ageleia or Ageleis ( Gr or) was an Epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, of somewhat obscure defintion mostly Itonia, Itonias or Itonis ( Gr, or) was an Epithet of the Greek goddess Athena worshiped

The owl and the olive tree are sacred to her. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern She is attended by an owl, and often is accompanied by the goddess of victory, Nike. In Greek mythology, Nike ( Greek Νίκη níːkɛː meaning Victory) was a Goddess who personified Triumph Although it is sometimes said to be a snake skin, wearing a goatskin breastplate called the Aegis that suggests a Lydian origin. "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus The aegis later is interpreted to have been given to her by her father, Zeus^[4], she often is shown helmeted and with a shield bearing the Gorgon head, again a symbol of earlier themes, later as a votive gift of Perseus. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology In Greek mythology, a gorgon ( Greek: γοργώ or γοργών transl A votive deposit or votive offering is an object left in a Sacred place for Ritual purposes Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas ( Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας) the Legendary founder Athena is an armed warrior goddess and appears in later Greek mythology as the counselor of many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus. In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or Jason ( Greek: Ἰάσων, Etruscan: Easun, Laz: Yason) was a late ancient Greek mythological grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs

The Parthenon, Temple of Athena Parthenos

Athena was given many other cult titles. She had the epithet Athena Ergane as the patron of craftsmen and artisans. With the epithet Athena Parthenos ("virgin"), Athena was worshiped on the Classical period Acropolis, especially in the festival of the Panathenaea. Athena Parthenos ( Greek: Ἀθηνᾶ Παρθένος literally "Athena the Virgin " was the title of a massive Chryselephantine Acropolis (Gr akros akron edge extremity + polis city pl acropoleis The Panathenaea (Παναθήναια "all-Athenian festival" was the most important festival for Athens and one of the grandest in the entire ancient Greek With the epithet Athena Promachos she led in battle. With the epithet Athena Polias ("of the city"), Athena was the protector of Athens and its Acropolis, but also of many other cities, including Argos, Sparta, Gortyn, Lindos, and Larisa. Argos ( Greek: Ἄργος, Árgos ˈaɾɣos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη This article is about the ancient city in Crete another place with the same name is Gortyna Arcadia. Lindos (in Greek, Λίνδος) is a town and an archaeological site on the east coast of the Greek Island of Rhodes Larissa ( Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is the capital city of the Thessaly periphery of Greece, and capital of the

She was given the epithet Athena Hippeia or Athena Hippia, horse as the inventor of the chariot, and was worshipped under this title at Athens, Tegea and Olympia. Hippeia or Hippea is the name of two characters in Greek mythology. The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of Carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples Tegea was a settlement in ancient Greece and it is also a municipality in modern Arcadia, Greece, with its seat in the village Stadio. Olympia ( Greek: Olympí'a or Olýmpia, older transliterations Olimpia, Olimbia) a sanctuary of ancient Greece As Athena Hippeia she was given an alternative parentage: Poseidon and Polyphe, daughter of Oceanus. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" Ocean (Ὠκεανός was believed to be the world-ocean in Classical antiquity, which the ancient Romans and Greeks considered to be ^[27][28]. In each of these cities her temple frequently was the major temple on the acropolis. ^[29]

Athena often was equated with Aphaea, a local goddess of the island of Aegina, located near Athens, once Aegina was under Athenian's power. Aegina ( Greek: Αίγινα ( Egina) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, 17 miles (30 km from Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The Greek historian Plutarch (46 AD–120 AD) also refers to an instance during the Parthenon's construction of her being called Athena Hygieia ("healer"):

A strange accident happened in the course of building, which showed that the goddess was not averse to the work, but was aiding and co-operating to bring it to perfection. Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c In Greek mythology, Hygieia ( or Hygeia ( was a daughter of Asclepius. One of the artificers, the quickest and the handiest workman among them all, with a slip of his foot fell down from a great height, and lay in a miserable condition, the physicians having no hope of his recovery. When Pericles was in distress about this, the goddess [Athena] appeared to him at night in a dream, and ordered a course of treatment, which he applied, and in a short time and with great ease cured the man. Pericles (also spelled Perikles) (c 495 – 429 BC Greek:, meaning "surrounded by glory" was a prominent and influential Statesman, orator And upon this occasion it was that he set up a brass statue of Athena Hygeia, in the citadel near the altar, which they say was there before. But it was Phidias who wrought the goddess's image in gold, and he has his name inscribed on the pedestal as the workman of it. Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek ^[30]

In classical times the Callynteria, or “Feast of Adorning,” was observed every May, it was a festival lasting five days. During this period the Priestesses of Athena, or “Plyntrides,” performed a cleansing ritual within “the Erecththeum,” the personal sanctuary of the goddess. Here Athena's statue was undressed, her clothes washed, and body purified.

In Classical art

The Athena Giustiniani, a Roman copy of a Greek statue of Pallas Athena with her serpent, Erichthonius

Athena depicted on a coin of Attalus I, ruler of Pergamon—c. The Parian marble Athena Giustiniani or Giustiniani Minerva is an Antonine Roman marble copy of a Greek sculpture of Pallas Athena, of the late Attalus I ( surnamed Soter ( "Savior" 269 BC &ndash 197 BC ruled Pergamon, a Greek Polis in what is now Turkey 200 BC.

Classically, Athena is portrayed wearing full armor, with her helmet raised high on the forehead to reveal the image of Nike. In Greek mythology, Nike ( Greek Νίκη níːkɛː meaning Victory) was a Goddess who personified Triumph Her shield bears at its centre the gorgoneion, the head of the gorgon, as does her aegis. In Greek mythology, a gorgon ( Greek: γοργώ or γοργών transl It is in this standing posture that she was depicted in Phidias's famous lost gold and ivory statue of her, 36 m tall, the Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon. Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek Chryselephantine (from Greek χρυσός, chrysós, Gold, and ελεφάντινος, elephántinos, Ivory Athena Parthenos ( Greek: Ἀθηνᾶ Παρθένος literally "Athena the Virgin " was the title of a massive Chryselephantine The Parthenon ( Ancient Greek:) is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Athenian Acropolis Athena also often is depicted with an owl sitting on one of her shoulders. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e ^[31] The Mourning Athena is a relief sculpture that dates around 460 BC and portrays a weary Athena resting on a staff. Mourning Athena is a Greek relief Sculpture dating circa C450 BC. In earlier, archaic portraits of Athena in Black-figure pottery, the goddess retains some of her Minoan-Mycenaean character, such as great bird wings although this is not true of archaic sculpture such as those of Aphaean Athena, where Athena has subsumed an earlier, invisibly numinous—Aphaea— goddess with Cretan connections in her mythos. The black-figure pottery ( Greek, ' μελανόμορφαmelanomorpha) technique is a style of ancient Greek pottery painting in which the decoration appears The Temple of Aphaia (or Aphaea) is located within a sanctuary complex dedicated to the goddess Aphaia on the Greek island of Aigina, which lies in the

Other commonly received and repeated types of Athena in sculpture may be found in this list.

Apart from her attributes, there seems to be a relative consensus in late sculpture from the Classical period, the fifth century onward, as to what Athena looked like. Most noticeable in the face is perhaps the full round strong chin with a high nose that has a high bridge as a natural extension of the forehead. The eyes typically are somewhat deeply set. The unsmiling lips are usually full, but the mouth is fairly narrow, usually just slightly wider than the nose. The neck is somewhat long. The net result is a serene, serious, somewhat aloof beauty.

Name, etymology, and origin

Athena had a special relationship with Athens, as is shown by the etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Athena was said to have won a contest with Poseidon, god of the Sea, over the city of Athens. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker"

In Classical myths Zeus had decided that, in order to settle the feud, whoever gave the city the most useful gift would win ownership and patronage of the city. Poseidon gave the city a fountain of flowing water, but it was salty and was not much help to the people. Athena planted the first olive tree, which provided the people with food, firewood, and shade. She showed how to crush olives to make oil, that could then be used in a variety of ways. Athena's gift was the most useful, and she won patronage of the city. Athens was then named in her honor. ^[32] The citizens of Athens built a statue of Athena as a temple to the goddess, which had piercing eyes, a helmet on her head, attired with a aegis or cuirass, and an extremely long spear. Cuirass ( French cuirasse, Latin coriaceus, made of leather from corium, the original breastplate being of Leather) the It also had a crystal shield with the head of the Gorgon on it. A large snake accompanied her and she held the goddess of victory in her hand.

Bust of Athena in the Munich Glyptothek

Athena is associated with Athens, a plural name because it was the place where she presided over her sisterhood, the Athenai, in earliest times: "[Mycenae] was the city where the Goddess was called Mykene, and Mycenae is named in the plural for the sisterhood of females who tended her there. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. The Glyptothek is a museum in Munich, Germany, which was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I to house his collection of Greek and Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's At Thebes she was called Thebe, and the city again a plural, Thebae (or Thebes, where the 's' is the plural formation). Thebes ( Classic Greek Θῆβαι, Mod Θήβα) is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range which divides Similarly, at Athens she was called Athena, and the city Athenae (or Athens, again a plural). " ^[33] Whether her name is attested in Eteocretan or not will have to wait for decipherment of Linear A. The Minoan language is a Language of ancient Crete. Its relationship to Greek is unknown and it was spoken before the island's civilization was replaced Linear A is one of two linear scripts used in ancient Crete before Greek Mycenaean Linear B.

Günther Neumann has suggested that Athena's name is possibly of Lydian origin;^[34] it may be a compound word derived in part from Tyrrhenian "ati", meaning mother and the name of the Hurrian goddess "Hannahannah" shortened in various places to "Ana". Aegean languages are the language groups spoken around the Aegean Sea area prior to and along with Greek. The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia Hurrian Mother Goddess Hannahannah (from Hittite hannas "grandmother" In Mycenaean Greek, at Knossos a single inscription A-ta-na po-ti-ni-ja /Athana potniya/ appears in the Linear B tablets from the Late Minoan II-era "Room of the Chariot Tablets"; these comprise the earliest Linear B archive anywhere. Mycenaean is the most ancient attested form of the Greek language, spoken on the Greek mainland and on Crete in the 16th to 11th centuries BC, before the Knossos (alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Greek Κνωσός kno̞ˈso̞s also known as the Knossos Palace is the largest Linear B is a script that was used for writing Mycenaean, an early form of Greek. ^[35] Although Athana potniya often is translated Mistress Athena, it literally means "the potnia of At(h)ana", which perhaps, means the Lady of Athens;^[36] Any connection to the city of Athens in the Knossos inscription is uncertain. ^[37] We also find A-ta-no-dju-wa-ja /Athana diwya/, the final part being the Linear B spelling of what we know from ancient Greek as Diwia (Mycenaean di-u-ja or di-wi-ja): divine Athena also was a weaver and the deity of crafts. (see dyeus). * Dyēus (also * Dyēus ph2ter) is the reconstructed chief deity of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon. ^[38]

In his dialogue Cratylus, the Greek philosopher Plato, 428/427 BC – 348/347 BC, gives the etymology of Athena's name, based on the view of the ancient Athenians:

Thus for Plato her name was to be derived from Greek Ἀθεονόα, Atheonóa— which the later Greeks rationalised as from the deity's (theos) mind (nous).

The Greek historian, Herodotus (c. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash 484-425 BC), noted that the Egyptian citizens of Sais in Egypt worshipped a goddess whose Egyptian name was Neith;^[39] and they identified her with Athena. In Egyptian mythology, Neith (also known as Nit, Net, and Neit) was an early goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. (Timaeus 21e), (Histories 2:170–175). Timaeus ( Greek: Τίμαιος, Timaios) is a theoretical treatise of Plato in the form of a Socratic dialogue, written The Histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in Western literature.

Some authors believe that, in early times, Athena was either an owl herself or a bird goddess in general: in Book 3 of the Odyssey, she takes the form of a sea-eagle. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e The term Bird Goddess was coined by Marija Gimbutas with relation to Neolithic Europe. The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. A sea eagle (also called erne or ern) is any of a group of birds of prey in the Genus Haliaeetus in the Bird These authors argue that she dropped her prophylactic owl-mask before she lost her wings. "Athena, by the time she appears in art," Jane Ellen Harrison had remarked, "has completely shed her animal form, has reduced the shapes she once wore of snake and bird to attributes, but occasionally in black-figure vase-paintings she still appears with wings. The black-figure pottery ( Greek, ' μελανόμορφαmelanomorpha) technique is a style of ancient Greek pottery painting in which the decoration appears "^[40] Some authors claim that her tasselled aegis may be the remnants of wings. "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus Others believe that it is scaly, indicating that it is snakeskin.

In post-classical culture

A neoclassical statue of Athena stands in front of the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. The Austrian Parliament Building, ( German: Parlament or Hohes Haus, formerly the Reichsratsgebäude) is where the two Houses of the Parliament

Athena (Minerva) is the subject of the $50 1915-S Panama-Pacific commemorative coin. Commemorative coins are coins that were issued to commemorate some particular event or issue At 2. 5 troy oz (78 g) gold, this is the largest (by weight) coin ever produced by the U.S. Mint. In the Physical sciences weight is a Measurement of the gravitational Force acting on an object The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its Trade and Commerce. This was the first $50 coin issued by the U. S. Mint and no higher was produced until the production of the $100 platinum coins in 1997. Of course, in terms of face-value in adjusted dollars, the 1915 is the highest denomination ever issued by the U. S. Mint.

For over a century a full-scale replica of the Parthenon has stood in Nashville, Tennessee, which is known as the Athens of the South. The Parthenon in Nashville Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. In 1990, a gilded 41 feet (12. 5 m) tall replica of Phidias' statue of Athena Parthenos was added. Athena Parthenos ( Greek: Ἀθηνᾶ Παρθένος literally "Athena the Virgin " was the title of a massive Chryselephantine The state seal of California features an image of Athena (or Minerva) kneeling next to a brown grizzly bear. The Great Seal of the State of California was adopted at the California state Constitutional Convention of 1849 and redesigned in 1937. ^[41]

Athena is the symbol of the Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany. The Darmstadt University of Technology, whose official name (also its official English name) is "Technische Universität Darmstadt" (abbreviated TU Darmstadt) in

She is the symbol of the United States Women's Navy and was depicted on their Unit Crest. A medal awarded to women who served in the Women Army Auxiliary Corps from 10 July 1942 to 31 August 1943, and to the Women Army Corps from 1 September 1943 to 2 September 1945 featured Athena on the front. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar

The statue of Renan in Tréguier.

Athena's Helmet is the central feature on the United States Military Academy crest. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA,

Athena is reported as a source of influence for feminist theologians such as Carol P. Christ. Carol P Christ (born 1945 is a Teacher and Author and holds a Ph

Pallas Athena is the tutelary goddess of the international social fraternity Phi Delta Theta^[42]. History Founding Phi Beta Kappa was the first Greek letter organization founded in the United States when it was created on December 5 1776 at the College Her owl is also a symbol of the fraternity^[42].

The goddess also holds a special place in the traditions at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. Bryn Mawr College ( brin-mar is a highly selective women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion A statue of Athena (a replica of the original bronze one in the archaeology library) resides in the Great Hall. It is traditional at exam time for students to leave offerings to the goddess with a note asking for good luck, or to repent for accidentally breaking any of the college's numerous other traditions. Athena's owl also serves as the mascot of the college.

A statue of the seated skeptical thinker Ernest Renan, shown to the left, caused great controversy when it was installed in Tréguier, Brittany. Ernest Renan ( February 28, 1823 &ndash October 12, 1892) was a French Philosopher and writer deeply attached to his native Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Renan's 1862 biography of Jesus had denied his divinity, and he had written the Prayer on the Acropolis addressed to the goddess Athena. The statue was placed next to the cathedral. Renan's head was turned away from the building, while Athena, beside him, was depicted raising her arm, which has been interpreted by some to indicate a challenge to the church. The installation was accompanied by a mass protest from local Roman Catholics and a religious service against the growth of skepticism and secularism. In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs ^[43]

Footnotes

References

Ancient sources

• Lucan, Bellum civile ix. 350
• Livy, Ad urbe condita libri vii. 3. 7
• Augustine, De civitate dei xviii. 8–9
• Eusebius, Chronicon 30. 21–26, 42. 11–14
• Cicero, De natura deorum iii. 21. 53, 23. 59
• Lactantius, Divinae institutions i. 17. 12–13, 18. 22–23

Modern sources

• Burkert, Walter, 1985. Walter Burkert (born Neuendettelsau, Bavaria, February 2, 1931) a scholar of Greek mythology and cult, is an emeritus Greek Religion (Harvard).
• Telenius, Seppo Sakari, 2005 and 2006. Seppo Sakari Telenius (born on February 16, 1954, in Porvoo, Finland) is a Finnish writer and historian Athena-Artemis.
• Graves, Robert, (1955) 1960. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. The Greek Myths revised edition.
• Kerenyi, Karl, 1951. One of the founders of modern studies in Greek mythology, Károly (Carl Karl Kerényi ( January 19, 1897 &ndash April 14 1973 The Gods of the Greeks (Thames and Hudson).
• Harrison, Jane Ellen, 1903. Jane Ellen Harrison ( September 9, 1850 &ndash April 5, 1928) was a ground-breaking British classical scholar linguist Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion.
• Trahman, C. R. , 1952. "Odysseus' Lies ('Odyssey', Books 13-19)" in Phoenix, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Classical Association of Canada), pp. 31-43.
• Ventris, Michael and John Chadwick, 1973. Michael George Francis Ventris ( July 12, 1922 &ndash September 6, 1956) was an English architect and classical scholar who along John Chadwick ( 21 May 1920 &ndash 24 November 1998) was an English linguist and classical scholar most Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Cambridge).
• Ruck, Carl A. P. and Danny Staples, 1994. The World of Classical Myth: Gods and Goddesses, Heroines and Heroes (Durham, NC).
• Palaima, Thomas, 2004. "Appendix One: Linear B Sources. " In Trzaskoma, Stephen, et al. , eds. , Anthology of Classical Myth: Primary Sources in Translation (Hackett).

See also

60 Years of the Second Republic commemorative coin featuring Athena. Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special Euro coins minted and issued by member states of the Eurozone.

• Athena has been used numerous times as a symbol of a republic by different countries. A recent sample is the 60 Years of the Second Republic commemorative coin issued by Austria in 2005. Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special Euro coins minted and issued by member states of the Eurozone. Athena is depicted in the obverse of the coin, representing the Austrian Republic.
• Palladium (mythology)

External links

• The Nashville Parthenon
• Theoi.com Cult of Athena—Extracts of classical texts
• (Carlos Parada) Athena Album—Repertory of main Athena types and post-Renaissance depictions
• Roy George, "Athena: The sculptures of the goddess"—Another, more extensive repertory of Greek and Roman types