![]() ![]() Seeing the great benefit of the tree over that of the ocean stream, the people of Attica chose Athena as their patron god and changed the name of the city to "Athens". In response, Athena created an olive tree in the city center, which provided food, wood, and oil in endless supply. First, Poseidon used his mighty trident to create a spring in the middle of the city, which flowed into the sea, giving the Atticans a direct line to the water. They both gave a gift to the city in order to earn its patronage. Originally Athens was founded as "Attica", and both Athena and Poseidon wanted to be the patron gods of the city. It is probably obvious that the name "Athena" is similar to the famous Greek capital city of "Athens". It was her wisdom and strategic planning that often turned the tide of a battle to the victor. In modern language "Athena the Greek goddess of war" is less fitting than "Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom", even in reference to her role in battles. She always took a cunning, strategic point of view, though, making her a powerful ally in any war. The two were not enemies by any means, but warriors would often choose one or the other to pray for their favor depending on their position in battle and the style they chose to fight with.Īthena was very involved in human affairs and often took sides in great battles, such as Greece versus Troy. If Ares represented pure force, Athena represented controlled strength. On the other hand, Athena was the goddess of strategy, organized fighting, advanced weaponry, and skilled manipulation on the battlefield. Ares was the god of chaotic battle, bloodlust, ferocity, courage, and violence. Another son of Zeus was also a God of war- Ares. Yet the term "war" meant two entirely different things to these very different gods. It may seem contradictory for the goddess of art and wisdom to also be a goddess of war, but in this case it made sense. She was well-known to be Zeus's favorite daughter, and was forever loyal to her father, no matter what he got himself into. The multifaceted Athena, the Greek goddess of war, wisdom, poetry, artisans, craftworking, and intellect, was as strong-willed and powerful as her great-grandmother Gaia had predicted. This story of her birth offers a great insight into the goddess herself. Out popped the goddess Athena, fully dressed in armor and ready to do battle. After a bout of terrible headaches Zeus finally begged Hephaestus to split his head open with an axe to relieve the pressure. ![]() His plan worked in that he never had a son by Metis, but what Zeus didn't realize was that his daughter by Metis was more strong-willed than he imagined. Knowing this, Zeus devoured Metis while she was still pregnant with their daughter to avoid this son ever being born. She foretold that his wife, Metis, would first give birth to a powerful daughter then would give birth to a son who would overthrow Zeus the way he overthrew his father. Now, what does this have to do with Athena? Well, it turns out that Gaia had another prophecy once Zeus became an adult. Zeus became King of gods and men and the days where the Titans ruled were done. Eventually Zeus fulfilled the prophecy by overthrowing his father and splitting him open, which is how the rest of Cronus and Rhea's children came spilling out. Eventually his wife, Rhea, couldn't take it anymore and gave him a stone wrapped in a baby blanket, which he promptly swallowed - thus saving her last son, Zeus, from this terrible fate. Cronus decided that the solution to this problem was to devour each and every one of his children after they were born. Cronus's mother, the great earth goddess Gaia, foretold a prophecy in which one of Cronus's children would eventually overthrow him and take control of both gods and men alike. Zeus came to power by overthrowing his father, Cronus. To understand how she could have a mother but be born solely from her father requires a little backtracking into Greek mythology. It is said that her mother was Metis, the Titan goddess of wisdom, and Zeus's original wife. Athena was one of the many daughters of Zeus, but she was the only one that Zeus actually birthed himself! Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom (amongst other things), was one of the most powerful of all of the gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. ![]()
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