Athena

Goddess of wisdom and craftmanship


 * __Symbol__: owl
 * __Patron of__: Attica and later Athens
 * __Meaning behind__ __patronage__: guardian of Athens, the city named for her
 * __Creation story__: Zeus was afraid that his first wife Metis's son would be greater than him so he swallowed Metis in an attempt to stop it. Mietis gave birth to Athena inside Zeus's head. Later Zeus complained of head aches and called for Hephaestus (god of metal work). He split open Zeus’s head. Out came Athena his daughter, fully clothed and armed with weapons given to her by her mother. Athena became Zeus’s favorite daughter.
 * __Role in Greek life__: War queen, similar to Ares
 * __Craft/job/idea associated with Athena__: She protected cities from their enemies
 * __Association with other cultures__: In other cultures that used her, she was known as a protector
 * __Rituals associated with Athena__: The Festival of Minerva (Athena) was a Roman celebration to the Goddess Minerva. At Tibur there was a certain man who had been a slave, but had long been free, a man worthy of any rank. In his country place he made ready a banquet and invited the tuneful throng; they gathered to the festal board.
 * __Connection to modern world:__ Athena has survived to today's cultures in many modern art paintings and sculptures.