The Greek virgin goddess Athena, who was later known as Minerva by the Romans, was revered as the goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, crafts, and cities. Athena held a significant position within the Olympic Pantheon and was born fully armed from the forehead of Zeus, the chief god. Zeus favored Athena as his favorite child and entrusted her with his breastplate, known as the Aegis, and his thunderbolt. Athena fulfilled various roles as a goddess, being a prominent warrior who engaged in numerous intense battles. She was renowned for her wisdom, thus explaining her strong association with the owl, an ancient symbol of wisdom and rationality. Despite her proficiency in warfare, Athena held a deeper desire for peace and wisdom rather than conflict.
Athena, the daughter of Zeus and Metis, was conceived in an unconventional manner as Zeus swallowed his wife to avert the possibility of being overthrown. Athena developed within Zeus’s head instead of being delivered in the traditional sense. To release Athena, Prometheus, Zeus’s step-son, struck him in the head with an axe. Fully armed, Athena emerged from Zeu’s head. It is worth noting that in ancient Greece, each city had its own guardian god.
The Athenians in Athens couldn’t reach a decision regarding the choice of their dominant deity, whether it should be Athena or Poseidon. Athena proposed a brilliant solution that each god should offer a gift to the city, allowing the inhabitants to determine which god would be most suitable to protect them. Demonstrating her powers, Athena caused an olive tree to sprout, while Poseidon presented the town with their first horse. The townspeople ultimately agreed that Athena would be the better god, which is how the city acquired the name Athens. In tribute to her, the city constructed a magnificent temple and statue atop Acropolis hill, known today as the Parthenon. Athena, who is a chaste goddess, surprisingly has a son.
She is both the mother of Erichthonius and a victim of an attempted rape by Hephaestus. During the incident, Hephaestus’s seed spilled on her leg, and Athena wiped it off. The seed then fell to Gaia, who also became part mother of Erichthonius. Hephaestus’s attempted rape on Athena was driven by his inability to control himself due to her beauty. Gaia had no interest in raising Erichthonius, so Athena took on the responsibility herself. To keep Erichthonius a secret from Poseidon, Athena hid him away and entrusted him to Aglauros, the daughter of King Cecrops. Both Aglauros and Athena vowed to keep their involvement a secret.
