Athena

1
Athena

• Goddess of Intelligence, Warfare, and Womens
  Crafts

2
I begin to sing about Pallas Athena,
city-guardian, who with Ares is concerned about
the deeds of war the din of fighting and
battles and the sacking of cities she also
protects the people as they leave and
return. Homeric Hymn to Athena
3
Athenas mother is Metis, a Titan, whose name
means Cleverness or Wisdom.Metis is a special
kind of intelligence, sometimes defined as
cunning intelligence. It was prophesied that
Metis would give birth to a son mightier than his
father. But Zeus had already gotten her pregnant
by then. So, he swallowed her.
In contrast to Cronus or Uranus, Zeuss attempt
to hold back progress worked out. He incorporated
Cunning Intelligence into his own personality,
and Athena was born from his head.
4
Athenas birth from Zeuss head represents her
association with wisdom and intellect.
Her armor shows her association with warfare as
essential to her character. Athenas birth from
the threatening Metis symbolized the end of
challenges to Zeuss rule. The favorite daughter
is the perfect support for a powerful father.
5
(No Transcript)
6
Zeus with his thunderbolt is the epitome of
strength and authority
The iconography of Athena and her spear (now
missing) shows echoes of Zeuss position and
power.
bronze dedication from Athens
bronze dedication from Dodona
7
As holder of the aegis, Athena shared Zeuss
power and was a fearsome enforcer of divine
right. (Here she uses it to threaten a giant in
an gigantomachy.)
I am wholly for the male . . . and entirely on
the fathers side. Athena, in Aeschylus Oresteia
8
Athena, Zeuss favorite
Athenas special powers of military prowess and
wisdom derived from her special relationship to
Zeus, and symbolize the magnitude and beneficence
of female potency when submitted to benign male
control. (Marilyn A. Katz)
9
Warrior goddess
This temple pediment from the island of Aegina
shows Athena overseeing a battle.
10
Patron deity of Athens
As Athena Parthenos (the virgin Athena), the
goddess was worshipped at the citys greatest
temple, the Parthenon, and at the Panathenaic
festival every four years.
As Athena Polias (the City goddess) she
represented the cool-headed counsel and warfare
that defended the city.
11
The Mourning Athena
Athena stands before a stele commemorating the
war dead of Athens. She represents the thoughtful
side of warfare reasoned decisions made in the
interest of justice, willingness to risk ones
life or die for ones country. Ares combines
warfare and brutality, Athena combines warfare
and consciousness of its necessities and
consequences.
12
The Acropolis of Athens

• Parthenon (with decorative friezes)
• Altar for sacrifice
• Erechtheum (with the primal olive tree)
• Statue of Athena Promachos
• Temple of Athena Nike

13
The Cult Statue at Athens
For the acropolis at Athens, the sculptor
Pheidias built a chryselephantine statue which
almost rivaled the one of Zeus at Olympia. It was
famous throughout the ancient world and was often
copied by sculptors for private buyers (as here).

• Attributes
• armor
• Nike
• aegis

• chthonic serpent
• representations of battles real and symbolic
  victories

14
Parthenon Frieze
The Parthenon Frieze shows the robe woven by
Athenian women dedicated to the goddess at the
Panathenaia
15
Parthenon Frieze
Women carry stools in the procession
16
Parthenon Frieze
Marshals direct young girls in the ceremonial
procession (emphasizing male supervision of
female symbolic roles)
17
Parthenon Frieze
Girls carry vessels to aid in the ritual libations
18
Panathenaic Games
The Panathenaia was also celebrated, every four
years, with athletic games. The winners received
vases full of olive oil as one of their
prizes. This vase shows a wrestling scene, and
Victory (Nike) crowning one of the athletes.
19
Athenas Owl
Athena was assocaited with owls. As in our
culture, owls were regarded as wise, as well as
otherworldly and a little frightening. Athenas
owl connection may hearken back to the days of a
more unified goddess with power over life and
death, or to Minoan goddesses.
20
Coins
As a city patron, Athena was commemorated on many
coins.
Athenian drachmae
Coin of Julius Caesar, showing the palladium
Coin of Athens enemy, Syracuse
21
Womens Crafts

• Strangely for such a male-centered deity, Athena
  was goddess of womens crafts. Or was it
  strange?
• Womens intelligence was symbolized by the craft
  and intricacy of weaving
• Penelope deceiving the suitors
• Philomela tells Procne her plight
• Women spoke through their crafts . . .

22
Feminine representations
This Roman Minerva from the 1st c. CE shows a
softer side of the goddess, appropriate for
womens crafts. Even the aegis looks like a
pretty mellow garment!
23
Arachne
Ovid tells the story of Athena and Arachne. It is
the old folklore motif of humans challenging the
gods. The Greek word is hubris. Athena punishes
Arachne by turning her into a spider. The myth
has moral and etiological lessons, and a focus on
the problem of feminine pride.
24
Companion of Heroes
Athenian vase, 5c BCE Etruscan mirror, 4 c BCE
She is friend and helper to Heracles
25
She offers a sacrificing hero wine for his
libation She helps Perseus kill Medusa
26
She helps Jason build the Argo
27
I sing of Pallas Athena . . . Hail, goddess, and
grant to us happiness and good fortune! Homeric
Hymn to Athena
finis
28
(No Transcript)