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 were employed. She was the inventor and master of weaving, sewing, basket making and pottery among many other domestic arts. She was the patron of goldsmiths, weavers, potters, sculptors, musicians and horsemen.
Another role of Athena was that of mediator and dealer of justice. As a patron goddess of statehood and all it represents, she is believed to have invented the court system and maintained the authority of law, justice and order in the court of the people. She was the goddess whom protected public government and institutional buildings. Her role as a protector of the state is what thrust her into her more predominately known role as that of a goddess of war.
Though known as a "war" goddess, she is not a goddess of war and destruction in the traditional sense. Rather she is a goddess or war counsel and strategy. Having logic at the forefront of her character, Athena is often evoked to counsels of war, treaty signing and strategy planning sessions. She takes a particular interest in heroes of wars that demonstrate their valor, prudence and strength and is believed to protect them with her favor during wartime.
Athena is usually depicted as fully clothed, sometimes in complete body armor. She wears a crested helm, is usually armed with a spear and a shield and wears a special cloak called the aegis cloak trimmed with snakes and fastened with the head of a gorgon. Other than her helmet she owned no armor of her own and borrowed the magic shield of Zeus her father when the need demanded it.
Things that are considered sacred to Athena include the owl, serpent, cock, olive tree, dove, geranium, tiger lily, oak, cypress, musk, indigo, orange blossom, cinnamon, onyx, ruby, turquoise, gold, and ivory. The colors royal blue, gold, orange, yellow and emerald green are known to be associated with worship of the goddess.
The roots of worship of the goddess Athena can be traced back to at least 3000 B.C. and can be followed from ancient Africa through Libya into Create to throughout the ancient Mediterranean. She has been identified with the Roman goddess Minerva as well as several other more ancient Mesopotamian deities. The most famously known place of her cult worship is in Athens, a city named after her which retains to this day many signs of her reverence. The Parthenon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world was built here and dedicated to her worship. There are many temples, shrines and places of oracles throughout the ancient Grecian world dedicated to her devotion.
Cult worshipers sacrificed female rams and sheep and bulls to her. An ancient festival known as the "feast of adorning" was celebrated at the Parthenon around May lasting for 5 days. During this time the priestesses of Athena would ritually cleanse the personal sanctuary within the temple of Athena and undress, bathe and redress her statue. Another well known festival celebrating the relationship between Athena and the state is the Athenian festival of Prokaristeria or the feast of Thanksgiving. Celebrated at the beginning of the growing season, pubic officials would make sacrifices to Athena in thanks for her blessing and protection of the fields.