Athena - The Greek Deity

Unlike many current religions, the ancient Greeks invoked numerous deities for different subjects and needs. Athena, the Greek deity, served in the role of war queen similar to Ares.

Among the many deity, deity-like and mythical figures of ancient Greece, males were not the only ones that were revered and seen as important. Often, deities were worshiped even more furiously, because their powers were seen to gift followers with much needed power and talents. One of the most highly regarded and famous of these was Athena, the Greek deity of wisdom, war, weaving and crafts.

Athena's father was Zeus, the king of all the deities, and it is said that she sprang fully formed and completely armed from his forehead. Her mother was said to be Metis, the deity of wisdom and cunning, whom Zeus slept with and then regretted it, fearing that a child begotten of Metis would grow to be more powerful than he was. So he transformed Metis into fly and swallowed her, but it was too late; she was pregnant and began creating a helmet and robe for her daughter while she was inside Zeus. The hammering Metis caused while making the helmet disturbed Zeus, so he had Prometheus cleave his head in two with an axe to stop it, and Athena sprang out.

Athena, the Greek deity, probably came from a deity already worshiped in the area of Greece before they arrived. Her name may mean "the Lady of Athens" or possibly "mother". Most often she is described with the epithet "bright eyed", and in earlier times Athena may have been a bird deity associated with the owl. Many other names were used in conjunction with Athena, some to connote her artistic abilities, others to show her virginity.

Athena is usually pictured in full armor, holding a spear, and she is also seen with an owl perched on her shoulder. Her face is depicted as having a long smooth neck, a strong profile, with a long nose and features. She is seen as being extremely beautiful, but aloof. Athena also plays a major role in many other myths involving major and minor deities and mythical creatures; one of the most known is the story in which she changes a weaver Arachne, into a spider.

As Greek religious figures go, Athena is definitely seen as one of the most important and powerful. Her status as the favorite daughter of Zeus, combined with the fact that she governed an important part of Greek life, war, meant that Athena was one of the most worshiped deity-figures in ancient Greece.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything.