by Nora Carver

Created on: September 22, 2008

Renown for her virginity, logic and craftsmanship, Athena of the Greek Olympian pantheon was a goddess that held her own in a mans world. Her independence and strength without reliance on a male made her in essence the prototype for today's "liberated" woman.

Athena was the personification of logic. At birth she is said to have sprang fully clothed and dressed in battle armor from the head of the supreme Olympian god Zeus. This is the most widely accepted version of her birth though another story places her as the daughter of Poseidon whom Zeus later adopted as his own. Lovers, marriage and children played no important role in her mythology. She never took a lover, never married nor produced offspring. She was one of the three virgin goddesses which played a special role in the Greek pantheon as protectors of women throughout their life journey.

Her various roles in the Greek pantheon seem to have all been interrelated. She was worshipped in many cities and towns as a state patron goddess, protector of the state and social institutions. Activities and ideas that brought prosperity to the state and served in its protection fell into her domain. She was considered the protector of agricultural pursuits, inventions and industry. She also was the goddess of defense of walls, fortresses, gates and harbors. She was the favorite child of Zeus and served as his advisor at counsel and constant ally and companion. She was the only other being who knew the secret of where Zeus kept his magic lightening bolts.

In her role as the goddess of agriculture, she is credited with having created several inventions to advance the field of agriculture for the benefit of man. She is said to have created the yolk and bridle as well as the plough and the rake. She created the olive tree and gave it to man as her gift. She taught men how to farm the fields with her inventions and how to tame work animals to assist them. She protected the fields from drought, crop withering diseases and pests.

As a goddess of logic she was credited with many scientific exploits and inventions. She invented numbers for man to use and taught mankind the principals of mathematics. Other inventions credited to Athena include the trumpet, the chariot and the skills of navigation and boat building. She was credited with having taught men how to produce fire and use it in techniques to create skilled arts in metalworking, steel working and other arts. She also is known for creating every industry in which women

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