Athens Athena

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Athena is mentioned so much in conversations here, whether geography, lifestyle, politics, or mythology.Athena is the goddess of many things, wisdom, inspiration, courage, warfare, math, civilization, law and justice, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. That sounds like a big job! But she is most known for her strategic skill in warfare, and is often portrayed as a companion to heroes. Athena was born from Zeus, after he suffered a huge headache, when she sprang from his forehead, fully grown and encased in armor. Interestingly, she has no mother, though the goddess Metis was either about to conceive or Zeus feared she would give birth to a child more powerful than him. Her name is obviously most closely linked to the name of the city of Athens. Historians are still trying to figure out whether she got her name from the city, or perhaps the other way around. Nevertheless, she is the patron god of the city of Athens. And like all Olympians, she was an immortal goddess and could not die. (According to Greek mythology) Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens after winning a contest with the god Poseidon. Each god presented the city with a gift. Poseidon invented the horse and presented it to the city. Athena invented the olive tree and gave it to the city. While both gifts were useful, the people of the city decided the olive tree was more valuable and Athena became their patron.The people of Athens honored Athena by building a large acropolis in the center of the city. At the top of the acropolis they constructed a beautiful temple to Athena called the Parthenon. That is probably more than you want to know about Athena. It is for me! But Dimitri, my driver, pointed out her importance on the ride in from the airport.

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