Athena

Though a warrior Goddess, Athena was not a violent or aggressive Goddess. She was wise, calm and fair. In artwork, Athena was usually armed with a spear, helmet and aegis (a breastplate). As with other virgin Goddesses, Athena stood for strength and independence for women. Besides her protectress role, Athena also rules over crafts (such as spinning, weaving, pottery, ship-building and smiths), wisdom, diplomacy, justice, arts and sciences, and architecture.

Athena was born, fully-grown and ready for battle, from the forehead of her father, Zeus. When Zeus impregnated Metis, he was afraid that she would give birth to a son to overthrow him (much as he overthrew his own father, Cronus). So he promptly swallowed her, and when Athena was born, she was freed through Zeus' head by a well-placed axe strike by Hephaestus. Some myths recount her birth from Zeus, but do not attribute Athena with having a mother at all.

Athena was a very popular Goddess among the Greeks, and the great city of Athens was named for her. She was honoured at the Lesser Panathenaea festival in March, as well as the Day of the Geniae in December. Athena is sometimes referred to as Pallas Athena, as she is said to have taken the name of her childhood friend, who was killed during play-fighting with Athena.

In the Roman pantheon, Athena was known as Minerva.