---
title: Athena
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2025-02-04
---
# Athena
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Athena was the goddess of wisdom, [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/), and the [crafts](https://www.worldhistory.org/crafts/). She was the favourite daughter of [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) and was, perhaps, the wisest, most courageous, and certainly the most resourceful of the Olympian gods.
Zeus was told that his son would take his throne from him, just as he had taken power from his father [Cronus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cronus/). Accordingly, when Metis was pregnant, he swallowed her and Athena was born from Zeus' head, wearing armour and fully grown. A popular theme in ancient [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) art, [Hephaistos](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hephaistos/) is often depicted in the role of midwife, splitting Zeus' head with an axe. Athena is often cited as Zeus' favourite child.
### Athena's Epithets
Epithets of Athena include *Pallas* (girl) and *Parthenos* (virgin), living up to which, she is conspicuous amongst the gods of [Greek mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/) for not indulging in illicit relationships with other divinities, demigods, or mortals. Other epithets were *Promachos* (of war) - perhaps referring to more patriotic, defensive, and strategic [warfare](https://www.worldhistory.org/warfare/), rather than attacking warfare, in contrast to her more aggressive, conflict-loving brother [Ares](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ares/), *Ergane* (of the crafts), and *[Nike](https://www.worldhistory.org/nike/)* (victory). Nevertheless, the goddess was noted for her military prowess.
The goddess was not to be trifled with as her transformation of Medusa into a Gorgon demonstrates, and her sense of justice was such that acts of impiety were swiftly avenged, as with the Achaean heroes following their capture of [Troy](https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/) and desecration of the goddess' sanctuary.
Athena is also the patron goddess of household crafts, giving mortals the gifts of cooking and sewing. She is said to have invented the *[aulos](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aulos/)* but on seeing her reflection and her puffed cheeks when playing these pipes, she threw them away, to be picked up by the [satyr](https://www.worldhistory.org/satyr/) [Marsyas](https://www.worldhistory.org/Marsyas/).
### Athena & [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/)
She is closely associated with Athens, the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) named in her honour after the people of Attica chose her as their patron following her gift of the olive tree, symbol of peace and plenty. The 5th century BCE [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/), which continues to this day to dominate the [acropolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Acropolis/) of the city, was built in her honour. Her adopted son Erichthonios, one of the first kings of Athens, is traditionally credited with inaugurating the Panathenaic festival, held every four years to honour the goddess. The festival included a magnificent procession through the city, the presentation to Athena of a specially woven *peplos* (depicting the Gigantomachy), and athletic games. Prizes for the games were [amphorae](https://www.worldhistory.org/Amphora/) painted with a figure of Athena and contained prime olive oil. In her role as protector, she was also revered in many other major [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/), notably as patron of [Sparta](https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/), as the founder of [Thebes](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Thebes/) in Boeotia, and at [Corinth](https://www.worldhistory.org/corinth/) where she appeared on the city's coins.
[  Athena Parthenos Reconstruction Mary Harrsch (Photographed at the Nashville Parthenon, Tennessee) (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/907/athena-parthenos-reconstruction/ "Athena Parthenos Reconstruction")### Athena & the Greek Heroes
In the Greek myths, she is the protector of [Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/hercules/) and Athena often aids him in his twelve labours, for example, by helping him hold the world as [Atlas](https://www.worldhistory.org/Atlas/) searches for the sacred apples of the [Hesperides](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hesperides/). [Perseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Perseus/) was another favourite and was given a shield to protect himself in his quest to kill Medusa. [Achilles](https://www.worldhistory.org/achilles/) is helped to kill Hector, and [Odysseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/odysseus/) too was often given the benefit of Athena's wisdom, for example the idea to dress as a beggar on his return to Ithaca, and he is also protected from the arrows of his rivals when he clears the [palace](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/palace/) of the interlopers. Jason was yet another hero who benefitted from Athena's resourcefulness when she encouraged Argo to build the first Greek longship which would carry his name and the fame of the Argonauts.
Athena was a major protagonist in [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/)'s account of the [Trojan War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Trojan_War/) in the *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)* where she supports the Achaeans and their heroes, especially Achilles, to whom she gives encouragement and wise counsel, [Menelaos](https://www.worldhistory.org/Menelaus/), who is saved from the arrow of Pandaros, and [Diomedes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Diomedes/), whose spear, in one notable episode, is diverted to injure Ares himself. [Aphrodite](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aphrodite/) was another divinity who came off second best when she clashed with Athena. She also gave protection to Odysseus and is credited with giving him the idea of the Wooden Horse. Both Homer and [Hesiod](https://www.worldhistory.org/hesiod/) refer to Athena as 'bright-eyed' and 'Tritogeneia'. She is also frequently called 'goddess of spoil', the 'lovely-haired goddess', and 'Alalkomenaian Athena'.
### What Objects Are Associated with Athena?
Objects associated with the goddess include an owl - symbol of wisdom - and the olive tree. She is often depicted in art with armour, a golden helmet, a shield, and holding a spear. Her armour is the aegis made, in some accounts, from the skin of a [Giant](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/), hung with tassels of [gold](https://www.worldhistory.org/gold/), and featuring the head of the Gorgon given to her by Perseus. The most famous representation of Athena in the ancient world was undoubtedly the monumental gold and ivory statue of the goddess by Pheidias which resided in the Parthenon of Athens and was over 12 m high. The statue has been lost but survives in the form of smaller [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) copies and shows Athena standing majestic, fully armed, holding Nike in her right hand and with a shield in her left depicting scenes from the Battles of the [Amazons](https://www.worldhistory.org/amazon/) and the [Giants](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/). On her helmet were a [sphinx](https://www.worldhistory.org/sphinx/) and two griffins. Celebrated surviving depictions of Athena include friezes from the Parthenon and metopes from the temple of Zeus at [Olympia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Olympia/).
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- Carabatea, M. *Greek Mythology.* Penguin, London, 2007
- [Carpenter, T.H. *Art and Myth in Ancient Greece.* Thames & Hudson, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B000EQ2DA0/)
- [Hesiod. *Hesiod.* Loeb Classical Library, 2007.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0674996224/)
- [Homer. *The Iliad.* Penguin Classics, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140275363/)
- Hope Moncrieff, A.R. *Classical Mythology.* Senate, London, 1994
- [National Geographic. *National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology.* National Geographic, 2008.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/142620373X/)
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Timeline
- **1510 BCE**: The traditional date Danaos builds a [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) Lindia at Lindus on [Rhodes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rhodes/).
- **c. 700 BCE**: [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) poet [Hesiod](https://www.worldhistory.org/hesiod/) writes his *[Theogony](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theogony/)* and *[Works and Days](https://www.worldhistory.org/Works_and_Days/)*.
- **c. 510 BCE**: The [Temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) is built at [Paestum](https://www.worldhistory.org/Paestum/).
- **449 BCE**: The Hephaisteion, [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) & [Hephaistos](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hephaistos/), built in [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **447 BCE - 432 BCE**: The construction of the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/) in [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates under the direction of [Phidias](https://www.worldhistory.org/Phidias/).
- **438 BCE**: The cult statue of [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) Parthenos is dedicated in the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/) of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **c. 425 BCE - c. 420 BCE**: The [Temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) dedicated to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) [Nike](https://www.worldhistory.org/nike/) is constructed on the [acropolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Acropolis/) of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **c. 301 BCE - c. 320 BCE**: Doric [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) and fortifications of [Lysimachus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lysimachus/) built at [Troy](https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/).
## Questions & Answers
### What is Athena a goddess of?
Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and the crafts.
### Why is Athena so famous?
Athean is one of the most famous Greek goddesses because she was the favourite daughter of Zeus and patron of one its greatest cities, Athens.
### Who is Athena in love with?
The goddess Athena was famous for not being in love with any other god or hero.
### Is Athena the goddess good or bad?
Athena is generally a good goddess as a source of wisdom and patron of crafts. Even her association with warfare is usually the aspects related to patriotism, defence, and strategy. Athena could punish people, most famously Medusa was turned into a Gorgon.
## External Links
- [The myth of Arachne - Iseult Gillespie](https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-myth-of-arachne-and-athena-iseult-gillespie)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2012, May 24). Athena. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Athena." *World History Encyclopedia*, May 24, 2012. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Athena." *World History Encyclopedia*, 24 May 2012, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 24 May 2012. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.