ATHENA - GREEK GODDESS OF WISDOM, STRATEGY AND WAR

 

ATHENA  - GREEK GODDESS OF WISDOM, STRATEGY AND WAR



                                         

Athena is the Greek God Zeus's daughter. Zeus is the supreme God of the Olympians, who dwell on Mount Olympus. Athena is famous for her wisdom, craftsmanship and war.




Athena, also known as Athene, is one of the twelve Olympians in Greek mythology. The Greeks had a vast number of gods and goddesses, each responsible for a different aspect of life. The Olympians were the most important of those gods. They sat at the palace atop Mount Olympus and lorded over the mortals.

                                        Athena - The Virgin Greek Goddess



Athena was also one of three virgin goddesses, the other two being Artemis and Hestia. A common epithet for her, and the facet of her worshipped on the Acropolis, was Parthenos, meaning “maiden.” She was worshipped throughout the Greek world, but her primary cult centre was in Athens, the only city that bore her name.




According to Greek Mythology, Zeus gave birth to Athena from his head.



Athena's origin story in Greek mythology is of particular interest. Before Zeus became the ruler of Olympus, he had to overthrow the Titans, who were led by his father Kronos. During this war, he was advised by a Titan named Metis, who sided with Zeus over her siblings. She became Zeus's first wife. After Metis became pregnant, it was prophesied that she would one day give birth to a son who would overthrow Zeus. To prevent this outcome, Zeus swallowed Metis. While in his belly, Metis crafted armor and a shield for her daughter. She then gave birth to Athena while still inside Zeus. Zeus would later birth Athena directly from his head. 




Athena is the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, handicraft, and reason, known as the patron of Athens. Born fully armored from Zeus’s head, she symbolises intelligence and justice, often depicted with an owl, olive tree, or shield. She is a key counsellor to heroes in mythology, representing calculated, defensive war rather than wanton violence.

Athena - The Warrior



One of Athena's most important roles in Greek mythology was that of patron and namesake of Athens. To earn this title, she had to compete with her uncle Poseidon, god of the sea. Poseidon struck a rock to create a salt spring, which he gave to the city. Athena planted the first olive tree. Her gift was considered the greater, and she was deemed the winner of the contest.



The name "Athena" is closely tied to the city of Athens, which was named in her honor after she gifted the olive tree to the city, winning the patronage contest against Poseidon.

Athena is the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, handicraft, and reason, known as the patroness of Athens and a key Olympian deity. Symbolised by the owl and olive tree, she represents calculated, prudent action rather than blind rage in battle.


Her Roman counterpart was Minerva.



Panathenaea - Athena's Birthday Festival:

The Panathenaea (or Panathenaia) was the most important, multi-day religious festival in ancient Athens, celebrated annually on Athena's birthday to honour the city's patron goddess. It featured a grand procession, sacrifices, and musical/athletic contests, with a "Great Panathenaea" held every four years with increased splendour and competition.


Unlike Ares, who represented the brutality of war, Athena was connected with military tactics, strategy, and the defence of cities.Athena was one of the twelve Olympian deities the Greeks believed ruled over the cosmos. She was the goddess of wisdom and war, but also of crafts and weaving. As a patron of heroes, such as Odysseus and Perseus, she played an important role in Greek heroic tradition and featured heavily in the 7th-century epics the Iliad and the Odyssey. A common epithet for her, and the facet of her worshipped on the Acropolis, was Parthenos, meaning “maiden.” She was worshipped all over the Greek world, but her primary cult center was in Athens, the only city that bore her name.



Athena, was the goddess of wisdom, courage and inspiration.

The Guardian says Pallas, the Queen of Spades, can be identified with the Greek goddess Athena, who was also sometimes called Pallas.




In Greek religion, Palladium was the image of the goddess Pallas (Athena), especially the archaic wooden statue of the goddess, which was preserved in the citadel of Troy as a pledge of the city's safety. As long as the statue was kept safe within Troy, the city could not be conquered. It was said that Zeus, the king of the gods, threw the statue down from heaven when the city of Ilium (Troy) was founded and that the Greek warriors Odysseus and Diomedes carried it off from the temple of Athena in Troy, thus making the Greek capture of Troy possible. Many cities in Greece and Italy claimed to possess the genuine Trojan Palladium, which was particularly identified with the statue brought to Italy by the hero Aeneas after Troy’s destruction and preserved in the shrine of the goddess Vesta at Rome. The Palladium was a common subject in Greek art, as was its theft in literature.



In the Iliad, she fought alongside the Greek heroes and embodied the virtues of justice and skill in warfare, in contrast to Ares's bloodlust.


 

Key Aspects of Athena -

• Goddess of Wisdom & War: Athena represents strategic intelligence, intellect, and courage. Unlike Ares, who represents the brutality of war, Athena is associated with the tactical and disciplined aspect of battle.
• Patron of Arts & Crafts: She is a goddess of civilization, known for guiding artisans, weavers, and craftsmen
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Birth & Origin: In mythology, she was the favorite child of Zeus, springing fully grown and in armor from his forehead.
Symbols & Attributes: Her symbols include the owl (representing wisdom), the olive tree (a gift to Athens), and the gorgoneion (her shield/breastplate).
Role in Mythology: She acted as a mentor to heroes such as Odysseus, Perseus, and Heracles.



Athena was crucial to the gods’ victory over the race of Giants in a battle for supremacy known as the Gigantomachy. She was instrumental in Heracles’s defeat of the Giant Alcyoneus, who could not die as long as he was in his hometown of Pallene. Athena was directly responsible for the death of the Giant Enceladus, whom she threw onto the island of Sicily, burying him. In some versions, Athena or Zeus turned the Giants into rocks, hills, and mountains.



Athena’s presence in Greek mythology is as commanding as it is fascinating.