Athena
The name Athena likely comes from the city of Athens, which in ancient Greek is called Athenai. This plural toponym designates the place where she presided over a sisterhood devoted to her worship. Scholars now generally agree that the goddess takes her name from the city rather than the other way around. The ending -ene is common in names of locations but rare for personal names. Testimonies from different cities in ancient Greece show similar city goddesses were worshipped elsewhere. In Mycenae there was a goddess called Mykene whose sisterhood was known as Mykenai. At Thebes an analogous deity was called Thebe while the city was known under the plural form Thebai. The name Athenai is likely of pre-Greek origin because it contains the presumably pre-Greek morpheme *-ān-. Plato believed that Athena's name was derived from Greek terms meaning mind and thought. He argued this based on theories of the ancient Athenians and his own etymological speculations. A second-century AD orator named Aelius Aristides attempted to derive natural symbols from the etymological roots of Athena's names. He suggested these included aether, air, earth, and moon.
In Hesiod's Theogony, Zeus swallowed his consort Metis while she was pregnant with Athena. After learning that Metis was pregnant, he became afraid that the unborn offspring would try to overthrow him. Gaia and Ouranos had prophesied that Metis would bear a son wiser and more powerful than his father who would overthrow him. Zeus tricked Metis into letting him swallow her but it was too late because she had already conceived. Soon after giving birth to their daughter Athena, Metis raised her inside of his mind where she continues to give him advice as a ruler. When Athena grew up, Metis forged robes, armor, a shield and a spear for her daughter. Zeus experienced an enormous headache so severe that he ordered someone to cleave his head open with the labrys double-headed Minoan axe. Athena leaped from Zeus's head often fully grown and armed. The First Homeric Hymn to Athena states in lines 9, 16 that the gods were awestruck by Athena's appearance. Even Helios the god of the sun stopped his chariot in the sky. Pindar stated that she cried aloud with a mighty shout and that the Sky and mother Earth shuddered before her.
In Athens the Plynteria or Feast of the Bath was observed every year at the end of the month of Thargelion. The festival lasted for five days during which priestesses of Athena performed a cleansing ritual within the Erechtheion sanctuary devoted to Athena and Poseidon. During this period Athena's statue was undressed her clothes washed and body purified. Athena was worshipped at festivals such as Chalceia as Athena Ergane patroness of various crafts especially weaving. She was also the patron of metalworkers and believed to aid in forging armor and weapons. During the late fifth century BC the role of goddess of philosophy became a major aspect of Athena's cult. Her most famous temple the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis takes its name from her title Parthenos meaning virgin. According to scholar Karl Kerényi the name Parthenos is not merely an observation of Athena's virginity but recognition of her role as enforcer of rules of sexual modesty and ritual mystery. Even beyond recognition the Athenians allotted the goddess value based on this pureness of virginity which they upheld as rudiment of female behavior.
In Homer's Iliad Athena inspired and fought alongside Greek heroes while her aid was synonymous with military prowess. Zeus specifically assigned the sphere of war to Ares god of war and Athena. Athena's moral and military superiority derived partly from fact that she represented intellectual and civilized side of war virtues of justice and skill whereas Ares represented mere blood lust. In the Iliad Athena was divine form of heroic martial ideal personifying excellence in close combat and glory personally attended by Nike goddess of victory. Pseudo-Apollodorus records that Athena guided hero Perseus quest to behead Medusa. She and Hermes appeared to Perseus after he set off on his quest gifting him tools needed to kill Gorgon. Athena lent Perseus polished bronze shield to view Medusa's reflection without becoming petrified himself. When Perseus swung blade to behead Medusa Athena guided it allowing blade to cut Gorgon head clean off. In The Odyssey Odysseus cunning and shrewd nature quickly won Athena favor for first part poem largely confined to aiding him only from afar mainly implanting thoughts in his head during journey home from Troy.
Athena appears frequently in classical Greek art including on coins and paintings on ceramics especially prominent works produced in Athens. In classical depictions Athena usually portrayed standing upright wearing full-length chiton most often represented dressed armor like male soldier wearing Corinthian helmet raised high atop forehead. Her shield bears at center aegis with head of gorgon gorgoneion in center snakes around edge sometimes shown wearing aegis as cloak. As Athena Promachos she is shown brandishing spear. Scenes where Athena represented include birth from head of Zeus battle with Gigantes birth of Erichthonius Judgement of Paris. Most famous classical depiction was Athena Parthenos now-lost gold ivory statue created by Athenian sculptor Phidias. Copies reveal this statue depicted Athena holding shield left hand Nike winged goddess victory standing right. Mourning Athena or Athena Meditating famous relief sculpture dating around 470, 460 BC interpreted represent Athena Polias. Roman goddess Minerva adopted most Athena's Greek iconographical associations integrated into Capitoline Triad.
Early Christian writers such as Clement of Alexandria and Firmicus denigrated Athena representative all things detestable about paganism condemned her immodest immoral. During Middle Ages many attributes of Athena given Virgin Mary fourth-century portrayals often depicted wearing gorgoneion. Some viewed Virgin Mary warrior maiden much like Athena Parthenos one anecdote tells Virgin Mary once appeared upon walls Constantinople when under siege Avars clutching spear urging people fight. During Renaissance Athena donned mantle patron arts human endeavor allegorical paintings involving Athena favorite Italian Renaissance painters. Sandro Botticelli painting Pallas and Centaur probably painted sometime 1480s shows Athena personification chastity grasping forelock centaur representing lust. Andrea Mantegna 1502 painting Minerva Expelling Vices from Garden Virtue uses Athena personification Graeco-Roman learning chasing vices medievalism garden modern scholarship. In sixteenth seventeenth centuries Athena used symbol female rulers Thomas Blennerhassett book Revelation True Minerva 1582 portrays Queen Elizabeth I England new Minerva greatest goddesse now earth. Statue Athena stands directly front Austrian Parliament Building Vienna depictions influenced other symbols Western freedom including Statue Liberty Britannia.
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Common questions
Where does the name Athena come from?
The name Athena likely comes from the city of Athens, which in ancient Greek is called Athenai. Scholars now generally agree that the goddess takes her name from the city rather than the other way around.
How was Athena born according to Hesiod's Theogony?
Zeus swallowed his consort Metis while she was pregnant with Athena because Gaia and Ouranos had prophesied that Metis would bear a son wiser and more powerful than his father who would overthrow him. Zeus ordered someone to cleave his head open with the labrys double-headed Minoan axe so that Athena could leap out fully grown and armed.
When did the role of goddess of philosophy become a major aspect of Athena's cult?
During the late fifth century BC the role of goddess of philosophy became a major aspect of Athena's cult. Her most famous temple the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis takes its name from her title Parthenos meaning virgin.
What tools did Athena give Perseus for his quest to behead Medusa?
Athena lent Perseus polished bronze shield to view Medusa's reflection without becoming petrified himself. She guided his blade allowing it to cut Gorgon head clean off when he swung it to behead Medusa.
Who created the most famous classical depiction of Athena known as Athena Parthenos?
The most famous classical depiction was Athena Parthenos now-lost gold ivory statue created by Athenian sculptor Phidias. Copies reveal this statue depicted Athena holding shield left hand Nike winged goddess victory standing right.