Athena the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War and the Crafts

Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, the crafts and weaving, and the defence of towns. She was a resourceful goddess, a favourite of her father Zeus, and often provided good counsel to other gods (including Zeus, the kings of the gods) and numerous Greek heroes. It is generally agreed throughout the ancient sources (although there are always variations), that Athena’s mother was Metis, the titan goddess of wisdom. Zeus swallowed Metis while she was pregnant with Athena, and eventually, Zeus gave birth to Athena when she sprang from the top of his head, fully grown, and often described as being clothed in full armour.

In June, the goddess would be honoured with the Panathenaea festival with the lesser Panathenaic festival happening every year, and the Greater Panathenaic festival happening every four years. It is said that her adopted son Erichthonios, one of the early kings of Greece, was the one who began the festival in her honour. The Panathenaea included a great procession through the city which led up to the ceremonial redressing of the great statue of Athena in the Parthenon with a new, specially woven peplos which is a long garment worn by women in Ancient Greece, crafted by some of the women in the city.

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— CHAPTERS —
0:00​ Introduction
1:03 The Goddess Athena: Epithets and Symbols
3:29 Myths Associated with Athena
5:54 Athena’s Favour: Herakles & Jason and the Argonauts
7:15 Athena’s Wrath: Arachne and Medusa
10:29 Outro

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— ATTRIBUTIONS —

The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:

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User:Bibi Saint-Pol, own work, 2007-02-08

Daderot - own work

World History Encyclopedia

#athena #greekmythology #greekgoddess

[WorldHistoryEncyclopedia]

Why do you think a goddess of wisdom and women’s crafts would so favour Greek male heroes, and bring such force down on women?

[tangatawhenua]

I think you're analyzing ancient stories with a modern lens and it's causing cognitive dissonance.

[andreapandypetrapan]

Dear WHE,

I love this little video essay. Thanks.

The extent to which Wagner drew upon Athena as a source for Brunhilda, whilst seemingly dramatizing only the Norse mythology, is very striking.

Wagner, now there is a decent woman-loving, pro-feminist, emotionally and psychically sophisticated bloke.

An honorary woman, in fact, whom I playfully rename as Rachael von Wagner.


Love andrea

[nalalin]

why she only punishes women harshly? well because of societal expectations throughout history, and because even Goddesses are dreamt up by men.

[wardafournello]

When we deal with Greek mythology, we mention what the Ancient Greeks believed and wrote and not what the Romans wrote a thousand years later. The distortions of the myths by Ovid and other writers of the Roman era are not trustworthy.

[fireblade]

Athena represent caculated cunning, skills that are rooted from war and political interest. Heroes are evaluated by valor, and their exploits are woven into:
tapestry, song, and amphora.

Yet, women are the central retainers of wisdom. Arachne's work, revealed the cruelty of divine power; a truth, in which Athena felt enraged. Because, weaving is a gift to solidify one's memory on earth...

[Tekmirion]

Very good! She has many other names too but yeah it was very informative!

[AOE]

Aries. He was the jealous brother who always wanted to be greater.

Sounds like he rejected her help more than once. So she favors the mortal men to fulfill her roles as a sister of war.

[Indygo]

I found an ancient statue that is blue and it's a female wearing a breast plate like wonder woman and a shield on her right and she's holding a vase or something. Come help me out. click the face.

[Alexander-kjbk]

My favorite greek mythology figure is Zeus and Athena

[Jayblr]

God, help break free whoever reads this. Amen.