Athena

 Athena: Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Crafts

Athena Statue (8)

This goddess was an important figure in many cities in Greece. Her symbol and knowledge reign through these cities' literature, art, and celebrations. Although, not many people outside the cities of Greece have heard of Athena. Even though we have heard of the many Greek Heroes, where did they get their skills and knowledge? We can thank Athena for her guidance.

Athena's story

The origin begins with a prophecy that said Metis, the goddess of wisdom, prudence, and deep thought, would conceive two children. The first child would be a daughter and the second a son. This son was known to overrule his father, Zeus, and take over the kingdom. Zeus was so concerned that he

The Birth of Athena by Mihail Brunea, 2018 (2)

swallowed Metis while she was with child (3). Zeus began to experience pain in his head, so he asked Hephaistos, god of blacksmithing, to split open his head with an axe. After splitting his head, a goddess appeared fully developed and later to be known as Athena (11). Zeus was very intrigued by Athena, and she became one of his favorite children.  

She was known for being one of three virgin goddesses also known as Parthenos. Athena was connected to the strategic and defensive side of Promachos or war (3). The goddess would create household crafts such as spinning and weaving to share them with the mortals (11). Her wisdom was symbolically connected to the owl and olive tree (3). She was seen as a mentor and helped Greek warriors through their journeys by giving them guidance and wisdom. According to Cartwright, the main warriors included Heracles, Perseus, Achilles, and Odysseus (3). Many places worshipped Athena such as Sparta, Thebes, Corinth, and most importantly Athens which was named after her (3). She is always depicted with armor, a golden helmet, a shield, and a spear (3).  

Resources 

Statue of Athena (4)

Athena was known for helping Odysseus, Perseus, Achilles, and Heracles during their journeys. But what exactly did she provide to these heroes? Soulard took a deep dive into each encounter with the goddess and what she did to help give the advantage to her chosen warriors. Let's begin with Perseus who was sent off to retrieve a Gorgon's head. Athena helps guide Perseus and advises him on finding and defeating the Gorgon. Next is Heracles who was sent to Twelve Labors. She gave him a golden breastplate which helped him defeat his first task and a bronze castanet to help complete his sixth task. Achilles' goal was to destroy Hector during the Trojan War. He chased Hector but he couldn't keep up. Athena appeared to Hector but not in her regular form. She appeared to him as his brother and convinced him to fight which ended with Hector being slayed by Achilles (10). Although Soulard didn't cover Odysseus, the topic was given to Cartwright to continue. Odysseus fought in the Trojan War besides Achilles, but he was given more of Athena's wits and knowledge. Athena did protect him on his way back home, but the most important benefit was that she disguised him as a beggar. She does this so he can get into the palace easier and when he fights the suitors, Athena protects him from their arrows (3). This showed how she benefitted each hero and what she did to help them succeed in their quest. 

Popular Culture

Annabeth Chase by Viktoria Ridzel (1) 

Popular culture can relate to art, music, and literature, but how can our goddess relate to this? Athena is represented in many different ways through music and books. The most known series is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. This book retells Perseus, but we follow a teenager named Percy who discovers he is a demi-god and goes on journeys to defeat ongoing battles. Athena's talents and knowledge are portrayed in Annabeth, who is her daughter. Both Annabeth and Athena were born from thought (6). Another connection is a song called Feminine Rage, which looked at feminine empowerment and anger in response to gender expectations and injustice throughout history. The song begins with Athena turning Medusa into a Gorgon. This shows how women were often punished because of men's actions. The song continues with other Greek mythology and even mentions the story of Romeo and Juliet (7). The newest and biggest connection to Athena is a musical called Epic: The Musical, which follows the storyline of Homer's, The Odysseys. Epic: The Musical portrays Athena as a strong and wise goddess who picked Odysseus to show the goddess's power through his actions during war and ruling. Six main songs show the power and wisdom Athena has during the musical. You can listen to them here (9). 

A Collage of Epic's Albums by Zwist, 2022 (5) 

Conclusion

Athena was a large figure throughout Greek history. She was known for her wisdom and protection during times of struggle. She benefitted many warriors and was even named after a city known as Athens. Her strength and knowledge are carried out through many different types of popular culture. Although, she is seen as stern and heartless in many books. Could this be because of her father's influence since she had no mother, or could she have preferred to keep limited connections between herself and others? I would like you to determine whether it was on purpose or if was just the environment she was raised in. 

Works Cited

1. “Annabeth Chase.” Rick Riordan | Welcome to the Online World of Rick Riordan [Artwork], rickriordan.com/character/annabeth-chase/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
2. Brunea, Mihail. “The Birth of Athena.” Fineartamerica [Painting], 24 June 2018, https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-birth-of-athena-mihail-brunea.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=DSA%20-%20Shop%20Pages&utm_content=All%20Pages&msclkid=5940bbcbb8ca10dff449dc600d591778&utm_term=fineartamerica. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
3.  Cartwright, Mark. “Athena.” World History Encyclopedia, Athena - World History Encyclopedia. Accessed 13 February 2025.
4. Crabben, Jan van der. “Statue of Athena.” World History Encyclopedia [Sculpture], Statue of Athena (Illustration) - World History Encyclopedia. Accessed 13 February 2025.
5. “Epic: The Musical.” EpicTheMusical Wiki [Album Cover Collage], Fandom, Inc., 25 Dec. 2022, epicthemusical.fandom.com/wiki/EPIC:_The_Musical.
6. “Greek Mythology behind Percy Jackson: All the Connections.” Greek Travel Tellers, 5 July 2023, https://greektraveltellers.com/blog/greek-mythology-percy-jackson-connections. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
7. “Meaning of ‘Feminine Rage’ by Peggy.” Songtell, 18 Jan. 2025, www.songtell.com/peggy/feminine-rage.
8. Raddato, Carole. Athena Statue [Sculpture]. 12 Dec. 2014. Athena Statue (Illustration) - World History Encyclopedia. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
9. Rivera-Herrans, Jorge. “All of Athena’s Songs- Epic The Musical.” Edited by MackSteve, YouTube, YouTube, 17 July 2024, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxpe-QWBsoAO_YRjebBKnUxmYYmzcav9V.
10. Soulard, Daniel. “10 Myths about the Greek Goddess Athena.” The Collector, 10 Myths About the Greek Goddess Athena. Accessed 12 February 2025.
11. Taft, Michael W. Greek Gods & Goddesses. Britannica Educational Publishing in Association with Rosen Educational Services, 2013.