Ἀθηνᾶ (Athēnâ) Athena

By: Casey Early

Who Athena was The goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle

strategy, heroic endeavour, handicrafts and reason. According to most traditions, she was born from Zeus's head fully formed and armored. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield and a spear. Her symbol is the olive tree. She is commonly shown accompanied by her sacred animal, the owl.

What Athena’s Symbols Mean

The owl; Athena chose the owl as a sign of wisdom

Athena's olive tree are one of her symbols and it represents peace and goodwill

Personality traits.

Athena, in the epic poem Odyssey, is very cunning, practical, clever and also a master in disquise.

Curious, seeking information, wants to know how things work, courage, power, intelligence, compassionate and loving.

Athena’s parents and siblings.

Zeus and Metis were athena’s parents.

She had never married She was an only child

A myth about athena

      Athena was born the daughter of Zeus and his first wife, Metos (Wisdom). The myth of her birth is a little unusual in that Zeus had been advised that any children he had by Metos would be very powerful and eventually dethrone him. As Metos was about to give birth, Zeus swallowed her, but was soon tortured by a severe headache. As a cure, Hephaestus split his skull with an ax and from the wound sprang a fully armed Athena.