ATHENA – GREEK GODDESS OF WISDOM AND WAR

Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes. Gods and goddesses were the most powerful people in Greek mythology.

Athena, also known as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things, such as goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law, and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

Athena was born after Zeus realized that his head was about to explode. Zeus ate his pregnant wife and gave birth to Athena from his head. At the second she was born she was perfectly born as a grown-up woman with armor and weapons. She was a child that is more powerful than him because of a prophecy. She has no mother, but one of the most familiar stories about Metis, her mother inside Zeus body was the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom. One of the biggest mistakes she made was killing Pallas, one of her best friends during the mock fight.  

Athena’s siblings were Artemis, Aphrodite, the Muses, the Graces, Ares, Apollo, Dionysus, Hebe, Hermes, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Minos, Perseus, and Porus. She was Zeus favorite child of all. Athena was allowed to use his weapons including his thunderbolt. Zeus wants her to marry one of the gods, so she could have more power and stronger, but Athena refused and told her father she would never get married.

Athena and Poseidon, the god of the sea found a city and there’s only one of the god can own it. Zeus decided that they should have a competition, the winner own the city. Poseidon used his trident to create a river, but it’s salty. The villagers can’t do anything with salt water. Athena planted olive tree and she told villagers that they can use for food, shelter, firewood, decoration, ect. Villagers love her present much more than salt water, so they chose Athena to be the protectress of the city.

Athena was very smart and powerful when it comes to war. She was the peacemaker, which is weird because it’s connected to war. Her weakness was she didn’t show any emotion and especially around men. Parthenon temple is Athena’s temple, one of the greatest wonders of the world. She also invented flute, trumpet, chariot, bridle, pot, rake, the plow, yoke, and ship.

The symbols of Athena are owls, olive trees, snakes, aegis, armor, helmets, spears, gorgoneion. The owls were Athena symbol because an owl sat on her blind side so that she could see the whole truth. The olive tree or branch is standing for peace. The Aegis is the protective power and the protective shield. Snakes are creative power and wisdom.