ATHENA (Athene) - Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War & Crafts (Roman Minerva) Athena, Athenian red-figure lekythos C5th B.C., Museum of Fine Arts Boston ATHENE (Athena) was the Olympian goddess of wisdom and good counsel, war, the defence of towns, heroic endeavour, weaving, pottery and various other crafts. She was depicted as a stately woman armed with a shield and spear, and wearing a long robe, crested helm, and the famed aigis--a snake-trimmed cape adorned with the monstrous visage of the Gorgon Medousa (Medusa). MYTHS The more famous myths featuring the goddess Athene include:-- Her birth from the head of Zeus, fully-grown and arrayed in arms. << More >> Her contest with Poseidon for dominion of Athens in which she produced the first olive tree and he the first horse. << More >> The War of the Giants in which she buried Enkelados (Enceladus) beneath Mount Etna and made her aigis from the skin of Pallas.

<< More >> The attempted violation of the goddess by Hephaistos (Hephaestus), who spilled his seed upon the earth and produced Erikhthonios (Erichthonius), who she then adopted as her own son. << More >> The assisting of Perseus in his quest to slay the Gorgon and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. << More >> The assisting of Herakles (Heracles) with his twelve labours. << More >> The weaving contest with Arakhne (Arachne) who was transformed by the goddess into a spider . << More >> The blinding of Teiresias (Tiresias) for seeing her naked while bathing. << More >> The Judgement of Paris in which she competed with Hera and Aphrodite for the prize of the golden apple. << More >> The Trojan War where she sided with the Greeks in battle, but attacked their ships with a storm when they failed to punish Oilean Aias (Ajax) for violating her Trojan shrine. << More >> Many other myths are detailed over the following pages.

ATHENA PAGES ON THEOI.COM This site contains a total of 9 pages describing the goddess, including general descriptions, mythology, and cult. The content is outlined in the Index of Athena Pages (left column or below). FAMILY OF ATHENA [1.1] ZEUS & METIS (Hesiod Theogony 887, 924; Apollodorus 1.20) [1.2] Born from the head of ZEUS (Hesiod Theogony 887, 924; Apollodorus 1.20, others) OFFSPRING NONE (she was a virgin goddess) CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS Homeric Hymn 11 to Athena (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.) : "Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves the deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go to war and come back.

Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune and happiness!" Homeric Hymn 39 to Athena : "I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympos began to reel horribly at the might of the grey-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright Son of Hyperion [Helios the Sun] stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad. Hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aigis!" II) THE ORPHIC HYMNS Orphic Hymn 32 to Athena (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C.

to 2nd A.D.) : "Only-begotten, noble race of Zeus, blessed and fierce, who joyest in caves to rove: O warlike Pallas, whose illustrious kind, ineffable, and effable we find : magnanimous and famed, the rocky height, and groves, and shady mountains thee delight: in arms rejoicing, who with furies dire and wild the souls of mortals dost inspire. Gymnastic virgin of terrific mind, dire Gorgon's bane, unmarried, blessed, kind: mother of arts, impetuous; understood as fury by the bad, but wisdom by the good. Female and male, the arts of war are thine, O much-formed, Drakaina (She-Dragon), inspired divine: over the Phlegraion Gigantes (Phlegraean Giants), roused to ire, thy coursers driving with destructive dire. Tritogeneia, of splendid mien, purger of evils, all-victorious queen.

Hear me, O Goddess, when to thee I pray, with supplicating voice both night and day, and in my latest hour give peace and health, propitious times, and necessary wealth, and ever present be thy votaries aid, O much implored, art's parent, blue-eyed maid." DESCRIPTIONS OF ATHENA Athena, Athenian red-figure nolan amphora C5th B.C., University of Pennsylvania Museum Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 14. 6 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "I saw that the statue of Athena had blue eyes . . . For the Libyans have a saying that the goddess is the daughter of Poseidon . . . and for this reason has blue eyes like Poseidon." Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 8. 350 ff (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) : "Athena from Olympos swooped to forest-mantled Ida. Quaked the earth and Xanthos' murmuring streams; so mightily she shook them . . .

From her immortal armour flashed around the hovering lightnings; fearful serpents breathed fire from her shield invincible; the crest of her great helmet swept the clouds." Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 12. 167 ff : "Ares to the fray rose first, and on Athena rushed. Thereat fell each on other: clashed around their limbs the golden arms celestial as they charged. round them the wide sea thundered, the dark earth quaked 'neath immortal feet. Rang from them all far-pealing battle-shouts; that awful cry rolled up to the broad-arching heaven, and down even to Hades' fathomless abyss." Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 14. 386 ff : "She [Athena] donned the stormy Aigis flashing far, adamantine, massy, a marvel to the Gods, whereon was wrought Medousa's (Medusa's) ghastly head, fearful: strong serpents breathing forth the blast of ravening fire were on the face thereof. Crashed on the Queen's breast all the Aigis-links, as after lightning crashes the firmament.

Then grasped she her father's weapons, which no God save Zeus can lift, and wide Olympos shook. Then swept she clouds and mist together on high; night over earth was poured, haze o'er the sea. Zeus watched, and was right glad as broad heaven's floor rocked 'neath the Goddess's feet, and crashed the sky, as though invincible Zeus rushed forth to war." Philostratus the Younger, Imagines 8 (trans. Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C3rd A.D.) : "[From a description of a Greek painting :] Three goddesses standing near them--they need no interpreter to tell who they are; for Athena is recognized at a glance, clothed as she is in what the poets call the ‘panoply of her race,’ casting a ‘bright glance’ from under her helmet, and ruddy of face as well as masculine in general appearance." Ovid, Metamorphoses 6. 70 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C.

to C1st A.D.) : "[The artist] gives her [Athena] a shield, she gives a spear sharp-tipped, she gives a helmet for her head; the aegis guards her breast." Apuleius, The Golden Ass 10. 30 ff (trans. Walsh) (Roman novel C2nd A.D.) : "[From a description of an ancient Greek play portraying the Judgement of Paris:] A second girl then burst in, whom you would have recognized as Minerva [Athene]. Her head was covered with a gleaming helmet which was itself crowned with an olive-wreath; she bore a shield and brandished a spear, simulating the goddess' fighting role . . . Each maiden representing a goddess was accompanied by her own escort . . . The girl whose appearance in arms had revealed her as Minerva [Athene] was protected by two boys who were the comrades in arms of the battle-goddess, Terror [Deimos, Terror] and Metus [Phobos, Fear]; they pranced about with swords unsheathed, and behind her back a flutist played a battle-tune in the Dorian mode.

He mingled shrill whistling notes with deep droning chords like a trumpet-blast, stirring the performers to lively and supple dancing." ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART ENCYCLOPEDIA Pallas Athena, Greco-Roman marble statue C2nd A.D., Musée du Louvre ATHE′NA (Athênê or Athêna), one of the great divinities of the Greeks. Homer Il. v. 880) calls her a daughter of Zeus, without any allusion to her mother or to the manner in which she was called into existence, while most of the later traditions agree in stating that she was born from the head of Zeus. According to Hesiod (Theog. 886, &c.), Metis, the first wife of Zeus, was the mother of Athena, but when Metis was pregnant with her, Zeus, on the advice of Gaea and Uranus, swallowed Metis up, and afterwards gave birth himself to Athena, who sprang from his head. (Hesiod, l. c. 924.) Pindar (Ol. vii.

35, &c.) adds, that Hephaestus split the head of Zeus with his axe, and that Athena sprang forth with a mighty war-shout. Others relate, that Prometheus or Hermes or Palamaon assisted Zeus in giving birth to Athena, and mentioned the river Triton as the place where the event took place. (Apollod. i. 4. § 6; Schol. ad Pind. Ol. vii. 66.) Other traditions again relate, that Athena sprang from the head of Zeus in full armour, a statement for which Stesichorus is said to have been the most ancient authority. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355; Philostr. Icon. ii. 27; Schol. ad Apollon. iv. 1310.) All these traditions, however, agree in making Athena a daughter of Zeus; but a second set regard her as the daughter of Pallas, the winged giant, whom she afterwards killed on account of his attempting to violate her chastity, whose skin she used as her aegis, and whose wings she fastened to her own feet. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. l. c.; Cic.

de Nat. Deor. iii. 23.) A third tradition carries us to Libya, and calls Athena a daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis. Athena, says Herodotus (iv. 180), on one occasion became angry with her father and went to Zeus, who made her his own daughter. This passage shows more clearly than any other the manner in which genuine and ancient Hellenic myths were transplanted to Libya, where they were afterwards regarded as the sources of Hellenic ones. Respecting this Libyan Athena, it is farther related, that she was educated by the rivergod Triton, together with his own daughter Pallas. (Apollod. iii. 12. § 3.) In Libya she was also said to have invented the flute; for when Perseus had cut off the head of Medusa, and Stheno and Euryale, the sisters of Medusa, lamented her death, while plaintive sounds issued from the mouths of the serpents which surrounded their heads, Athena is said to have imitated these sounds on a reed. (Pind. Pyth. xii. 19, &c.; compare the other accounts in Hygin. Fab.

165; Apollod. i. 4. § 2 ; Paus. i. 24. § 1.) The connexion of Athena with Triton and Tritonis caused afterwards the various traditions about her birth-place, so that wherever there was a river or a well of that name, as in Crete, Thessaly, Boeotia, Arcadia, and Egypt, the inhabitants of those districts asserted that Athena was born there. It is from such birth-places on a river Triton that she seems to have been called Tritonis or Tritogeneia (Paus. ix. 33. § 5), though it should be observed that this surname is also explained in other ways; for some derive it from an ancient Cretan, Aeolic, or Boeotian word, tritô, signifying "head," so that it would mean " the goddess born from the head," and others think that it was intended to commemorate the circumstance of her being born on the third day of the month. (Tztez. ad Lycoph.

519.) The connexion of Athena with Triton naturally suggests, that we have to look for the most ancient seat of her worship in Greece to the banks of the river Triton in Boeotia, which emptied itself into lake Copais, and on which there were two ancient Pelasgian towns, Athenae and Eleusis, which were according to tradition swallowed up by the lake. From thence her worship was carried by the Minyans into Attica, Libya, and other countries. (Müller, Orchom. p. 355.) We must lastly notice one tradition, which made Athena a daughter of Itonius and sister of Iodama, who was killed by Athena (Paus. ix. 34. § 1; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355), and another according to which she was the daughter of Hephaestus. These various traditions about Athena arose, as in most other cases, from local legends and from identifications of the Greek Athena with other divinities.

The common notion which the Greeks entertained about her, and which was most widely spread in the ancient world, is, that she was the daughter of Zeus, and if we take Metis to have been her mother, we have at once the clue to the character which she bears in the religion of Greece ; for, as her father was the most powerful and her mother the wisest among the gods, so Athena was a combination of the two, that is, a goddess in whom power and wisdom were harmoniously blended. From this fundamental idea may be derived the various aspects under which she appears in the ancient writers. She seems to have been a divinity of a purely ethical character, and not the representative of any particular physical power manifested in nature; her power and wisdom appear in her being the protectress and preserver of the state and of social institutions. Everything, therefore, which gives to the state strength and prosperity, such as agriculture, inventions, and industry, as well as everything which preserves and protects it from injurious influence from without, such as the defence of the walls, fortresses, and harbours, is under her immediate care.

As the protectress of agriculture, Athena is represented as the inventor of the plough and rake: she created the olive tree, the greatest blessing of Attica, taught the people to yoke oxen to the plough, took care of the breeding of horses, and instructed men how to tame them by the bridle, her own invention. Allusions to this feature of her character are contained in the epithets boudeia, boarmia, agripha, hippia, or chalinitis. (Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1076; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 520; Hesych. s. v. Hippia; Serv. ad Aen. iv. 402; Pind. Ol. xiii. 79.) At the beginning of spring thanks were offered to her in advance (procharistêria, Suid. s. v.) for the protection she was to afford to the fields. Besides the inventions relating to agriculture, others also connected with various kinds of science, industry, and art, are ascribed to her, and all her inventions are not of the kind which men make by chance or accident, but such as require thought and meditation.

We may notice the invention of numbers (Liv. vii. 3), of the trumpet (Böckh, ad Pind. p. 344), the chariot, and navigation. [Aethyia.] In regard to all kinds of useful arts, she was believed to have made men acquainted with the means and instruments which are necessary for practising them, such as the art of producing fire. She was further believed to have invented nearly every kind of work in which women were employed, and she herself was skilled in such work : in short Athena and Hephaestus were the great patrons both of the useful and elegant arts. Hence she is called erganê (Paus. i. 24. § 3), and later writers make her the goddess of all widom, knowledge, and art, and represent her as sitting on the right hand side of her father Zeus, and supporting him with her counsel. (Hom. Od. xxiii 160, xviii. 190; Hymn. in Ven. 4, 7, &c.; Plut. Cim. 10; Ovid, Fast. iii. 833; Orph. Hymn. xxxi.

8; Spanh. ad Callim. p. 643; Horat. Carm. i. 12. 19; comp. Dict. of Ant. under Athênaia and Chalkeia.) As the goddess who made so many inventions necessary and useful in civilized life, she is characterized by various epithets and surnames, expressing the keenness of her sight or the power of her intellect, such as optiletis, ophthalmitis, oxuderkês, glaukôpis, poluboulos, polumêtis, and mêchanitis. As the patron divinity of the state, she was at Athens the protectress of the phratries and houses which formed the basis of the state. The festival of the Apaturia had a direct reference to this particular point in the character of the goddess. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. Apaturia.) She also maintained the authority of the law, and justice, and order, in the courts and the assembly of the people. This notion was as ancient as the Homeric poems, in which she is described as assisting Odysseus against the lawless conduct of the suitors. (Od. xiii.

394.) She was believed to have instituted the ancient court of the Areiopagus, and in cases where the votes of the judges were equally diviled, she gave the casting one in favour of the accused. (Aeschyl. Eum. 753; comp. Paus. i. 28. § 5.) The epithets which have reference to this part of the goddess's character are axiopoinos, the avenger (Paus. iii. 15. § 4), Boulaia, and aguraia. (iii. 11. § 8.) As Athena promoted the internal prosperity of the state, by encouraging agriculture and industry, and by maintaining law and order in all public transactions, so also she protected the state from outward enemies, and thus assumes the character of a warlike divinity, though in a very different sense from Ares, Eris, or Enyo. According to Homer (Il. v. 736, &c.), she does not even bear arms, but borrows them from Zeus; she keeps men from slaughter when prudence demands it (Il. i.

199, &c.), and repels Ares's savage love of war, and conquers him. (v. 840, &c., xxi. 406.) She does not love war for its own sake, but simply on account of the advantages which the state gains in engaging in it; and she therefore supports only such warlike undertakings as are begun with prudence, and are likely to be followed by favourable results. (x. 244, &c.) The epithets which she derives from her warlike character are ageleia, laphria, alkimachê, laossoos, and others. In times of war, towns, fortresses, and harbours are under her especial care, whence she is designated as erusiptolis, alalkomenêïs, polias, poliouchos, akraia, akria, klêdouchos, pulaitis, promachorma, and the like.

As the prudent goddess of war, she is also the protectress of all heroes who are distinguished for prudence and good counsel, as well as for their strength and valour, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophontes, Achilles, Diomedes, and Odysseus. In the war of Zeus against the giants, she assisted her father and Heracles with her counsel, and also took an active part in it, for she buried Enceladus under the island of Sicily, and slew Pallas. (Apollod. i. 6. § 1, &c.; comp. Spanheim, ad Callim. p. 643; Horat. Carm. i. 12. 19.) In the Trojan war she sided with the more civilised Greeks, though on their return home she visited them with storms, on account of the manner in which the Locrian Ajax had treated Cassandra in her temple. As a goddess of war and the protectress of heroes, Athena usually appears in armour, with the aegis and a golden staff, with which she bestows on her favourites youth and majesty. (Hom. Od. xvi.

172.) The character of Athena, as we have here traced it, holds a middle place between the male and female, whence she is called in an Orphic hymn (xxxi. 10) arsên kai thêlus, and hence also she is a virgin divinity (Hom. Hymn. ix. 3), whose heart is inaccessible to the passion of love, and who shuns matrimonial connexion. Teiresias was deprived of his sight for having seen her in the bath (Callim. Hymn. pp. 546,589), and Hephaestus, who made an attempt upon her chastity, was obliged to flee. (Apollod. iii. 6. § 7, 14. § 6; Hom. Il. ii. 547, &c.; comp. Tzetz. ad Lycophr. 111.) For this reason, the ancient traditions always describe the goddess as dressed; and when Ovid (Heroid. v. 36) makes her appear naked before Paris, he abandons the genuine old story.

Her statue also was always dressed, and when it was carried about at the Attic festivals, it was entirely covered. But, notwithstanding the common opinion of her virgin character, there are some traditions of late origin which describe her as a mother. Thus, Apollo is called a son of Hephaestus and Athena -- a legend which may have arisen at the time when the Ionians introduced the worship of Apollo into Attica, and when this new divinity was placed in some family connexion with the ancient goddess of the country. (Müller, Dor. ii. 2. § 13.) Lychnus also is called a son of Hephaestus and Athena. (Spanheim, ad Callim. p. 644.) Athena was worshipped in all parts of Greece, and from the ancient towns on the lake Copais her worship was nitroduced at a very early period into Attica, where she became the great national divinity of the city and the country. Here she was afterwards regarded as the thea sôteira, ugieia, and paiônia, and the serpent, the symbol of perpetual renovation, was sacred to her. (Paus. i. 23. § 5, 31.

§ 3, 2. § 4.) At Lindus in Rhodes her worship was likewise very ancient. Among the things sacred to her we may mention the owl, serpent, cock, and olive-tree, which she was said to have created in her contest with Poseidon about the possession of Attica. (Plut. de Is. et Os.; Paus. vi. 26. § 2, i. 24. § 3; Hygin. Fab. 164.) At Corone in Messenia her statue bore a crow in its hand. (Paus. iv. 34. § 3.) The sacrifices offered to her consisted of bulls, whence she probably derived the surname of taurobolos (Suid. s. v.), rams, and cows. (Horn. Il. ii. 550; Ov. Met. iv. 754.) Eustathius (ad Hom. l. c.) remarks, that only female animals were sacrificed to her, but no female lambs.

In Ilion, Locrian maidens or children are said to have been sacrificed to her every year as an atonement for the crime committed by the Locrian Ajax upon Cassandra; and Suidas (s. v. poinê) states, that these human sacrifices continued to be offered to her down to B. C. 346. Respecting the great festivals of Athena at Athens, see Dict. of Ant. s. vv. Panathenaea and Arrhephoria. Athena was frequently represented in works of art; but those in which her figure reached the highest ideal of perfection were the three statues by Pheidias. The first was the celebrated colossal statue of the goddess, of gold and ivory, which was erected on the acropolis of Athens; the second was a still greater bronze statue, made out of the spoils taken by the Athenians in the battle of Marathon; the third was a small bronze statue called the beautiful or the Lemnian Athena, because it had been dedicated at Athens by the Lemnians. The first of these statues represented the goddess in a standing position, bearing in her hand a Nike four cubits in height.

The shield stood by her feet; her robe came down to her feet, on her breast was the head of Medusa, in her right hand she bore a lance, and at her feet there lay a serpent. (Paus. i. 24. § 7, 28. § 2.) We still possess a great number of representations of Athena in statues, colossal busts, reliefs, coins, and in vase-paintings. Among the attributes which characterise the goddess in these works of art, we mention -- 1. The helmet, which she usually wears on her head, but in a few instances carries in her hand. It is usually ornamented in the most beautiful manner with griffins, heads of rams, horses, and sphinxes. (Comp. Horn. Il. v. 743.) 2. The aegis. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. Aegis.) 3. The round Argolic shield. in the centre of which is represented the head of Medusa. 4. Objects sacred to her, such as an olive branch, a serpent, an owl, a cock, and a lance.

Her garment is usually the Spartan tunic without sleeves, and over it she wears a cloak, the peplus, or, though rarely, the chlamys. The general expression of her figure is thoughtfulness and earnestness; her face is rather oval than round, the hair is rich and generally combed backwards over the temples, and floats freely down behind. The whole figure is majestic, and rather strong built than slender: the hips are small and the shoulders broad, so that the whole somewhat resembles a male figure. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. SOURCES (ALL ATHENA PAGES) Statius, Achilleid - Latin Epic C1st A.D. Statius, Silvae - Latin Poetry C1st A.D. Apuleius, The Golden Ass - Latin Novel C2nd A.D. BYZANTINE Photius, Myriobiblon - Byzantine Greek Scholar C9th A.D. Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D. OTHER SOURCES Source status of Athena pages:- 1.

Fully quoted: Hesiod; Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle & Homerica, Apollodorus, Pausanias, Strabo, Orphic Hymns, Quintus Smyrnaeus, Parthenius, Aelian (On Animals),; Ovid (Metamorphoses), Hyginus (Fabulae), Apuleius, Aesop; 2. Partially or not quoted (Greek): Homer (Iliad & Odyssey), Pindar, Greek Lyric (Fragments), Greek Elegaic (Fragments), Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, Herodotus, Apollonius Rhodius, Callimachus, Diodorus Siculus, Antoninus Liberalis, Theocritus, Lycophron, Plutarch, Philostratus & Callistratus, Nonnus, Oppian; Tryphiodorus, et. al.; 3. Partially or not quoted (Latin): Hyginus (Astronomica), Ovid (Fasti), Cicero, Statius, Colluthus, Propertius, Valerius Flaccus, et. al.

Minerva - Ancient History Encyclopedia Minerva by Mark Cartwright published on 07 January 2014 Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, medicine, commerce, handicrafts, poetry, the arts in general, and later, war . In many ways similar to the Greek goddess Athena , she had important temples in Rome and was patron of the Quinquatras festival. Originally, Minerva was an Italian goddess of handicrafts closely associated to the Greek goddess Athena. The scholarly consensus, however, is that Minerva was indigenous, passing to the Romans from the Etruscan goddess Menrva, and that her name derives from meminisse, meaning 'to remember'. Considered the daughter of Jupiter , from whose head she was born, the goddess was first worshipped in Rome as one of the Capitoline Triad along with Jupiter and Juno . In legend, the great hero Aeneas, who escaped from fallen Troy , brought a cult statue of the goddess to Rome. Residing within the Temple of Vesta it was believed that the city would be safe from harm as long as the statue was preserved.

Like Athena, the goddess was renowned for her chastity, and she once famously refused the amorous advances of Mars , the god of war. Remove Ads Advertisement Minerva is the protagonist in one of the most famous stories presented in Ovid's Metamorphoses. In the myth, a Lydian girl named Arachne unwisely boasts that her weaving skills are even better than Minerva's. The great goddess was not best pleased to hear such claims and she promptly challenged the presumptuous Arachne to a weaving competition. Settling down at their respective looms the two ladies each set about creating a wonderful tapestry that would outshine their rival's best efforts. Minerva's masterpiece showed all the great gods and had Minerva herself taking centre-stage in the act of winning the competition with Poseidon to become patron of Athens . Even more ominously for Arachne the edges of the tapestry depicted all those mortals who had infamously challenged the gods and come a serious cropper. Meanwhile, Arachne's less pious work displayed various gods taking on different forms so that they could seduce unsuspecting mortals.

The work itself was a truly magnificent piece of weaving but, perhaps predictably, Minerva, nevertheless, declared herself the winner and punished Arachne for her audacity by hitting her on the head three times and changing her into a spider. It is another cautionary tale, so common in Greek and Roman mythology , of how unwise it is for mortals to consider themselves the equals of the gods. Perhaps the most important site of worship of Minerva was on the Aventine where a shrine was built in either 263 or 262 BCE. This particular incarnation of the goddess - Aventine Minerva - was of Greek origin and the site was also the location of a writers and actors guild and an important centre for craftsmen. The goddess also had a shrine on mons Caelius, one of the seven hills of Rome. Over time, Minerva grew in stature within the Roman pantheon and she took over as the most important focus of the Quinquatrus festival, previously the domain of Mars. The five-day festival began on the 19th of March and marked the beginning of the campaign season for the Roman army .

The goddess also became associated with victory, as illustrated by Pompey 's dedication of a temple to the goddess following his successful campaigns in the east. The emperor Domitian also claimed the goddess was his special protectress and he commissioned a temple to her in the Nerva Forum in Rome in the second half of the 1st century CE. MINERVA - the Roman Goddess of Wisdom (Roman mythology) MINERVA Also known as MINERVA-MEDICA Goddess of Wisdom and Creativity She is more than just a brand name replacement for the Greek ATHENA . In fact she was around under the Etruscans who knew her as MENRVA . Amazingly intelligent, she is credited with many creative ideas such as the invention of numbers (patent still pending) — and also musical instruments and medicine. She was especially beloved by Roman doctors for her medical knowledge, hence her nickname Minerva-Medica. We feel she still has a lot of offer in that — and many other — regards.

MINERVA FACTS AND FIGURES Location : Italy and Roman Europe Gender : Female Celebration or Feast Day : Unknown at present Good/Evil Rating : NEUTRAL, may not care Popularity index : 11868 Cite this Link to this page HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the text below into your blog, web page or email. <a href="">Godchecker entry on MINERVA, the Roman Goddess of Wisdom</a> BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the text below: [url= entry on MINERVA, the Roman Goddess of Wisdom[/url] Cite this article Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below. Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds. "MINERVA - the Roman Goddess of Wisdom (Roman mythology)." <em>Godchecker</em>. Godchecker.com / CID, 11 Aug. 2015. Web. 14 January 2017. . 11 August 2015 by Rowan Allen. Editors: Peter J Allen, Chas Saunders References: Coming soon.

Minerva Goddess of Wisdom Minerva Roman Goddess of Wisdom Areas of Influence: Minerva was the Goddess of wisdom and crafts. Only in Rome was she worshipped as the Goddess of war. This Goddess represented the application of intellect to everyday tasks. As the Goddess of wisdom she was accredited with inventing spinning, weaving, numbers and music. Her attributes were so numerous that Ovid described her as the "Goddess of a thousand works." She is also the patron of Goddess of medicine. Origins and Genealogy: The name of this Goddess is said to be of Etruscan origin. Her parents were Jupiter and Métis. Elements of the myths surrounding her birth however have been poached from Greek Goddess Athena, as she too is born fully grown, from her father's head. She was considered third among the Gods and Goddesses and was part of the Capitolian triad alongside Juna and Jupiter. Strengths: Wisdom, creativity and strength. Weaknesses: Out of touch with emotions. Minerva's Symbolism The Roman Goddess of wisdom is depicted in full battle dress with a coat of mail, a helmet and a spear. Sacred Animal/Insect: Owl and the spider.

Sacred Plants: Her sacred plants were the olive, mulberry and alder trees. Festivals: The main festival celebrating this Goddess took place March 19th - 23rd. A smaller festival occurred later in the year on the 13th of June. The Teacher/ Inventor The Teacher and Inventor communicates knowledge, experience and wisdom. In it's shadow aspect, the Teacher may manipulate and mislead their students by indoctrinating them with negative beliefs and destructive behaviours. This is Minerva's primary Archetype as she teaches humans how to spin and weave. She is also accredited in Roman mythology for inventing numbers and medicine. The Warrior Archetype represents physical strength, and the ability to protect and fight for your rights and those of of others. The shadow side of the Warrior reflects the need to win at all costs, abandoning ethical principles to prove your supremacy. Although Roman mythology borrows heavily from it's Greek counterparts, it is only in Rome that Minerva is worshipped as the Goddess of war, despite always being depicted in full battle dress. This is why I have ranked this Archetype as only of secondary importance for this Goddess.

How To Work With These Archetypes The Teacher/Inventor This Archetype may suggest a love of passing on wisdom and learning to others. This Goddess wise counsel can also be called upon to help you see a way through any present difficulties or to help you to master a new skill. The shadow aspect of this stereo type is also a reminder that whenever we find ourselves in a teaching or mentoring role we must aim to be a positive role model, encouraging others to reach their full potential. The Warrior If you are drawn to work with this Goddess you may require her Warrior spirit to help you to stand up for your rights and set firm personnel boundaries. This Goddess can be a great stereotype to work with if you want to take control in your life, and wish to no longer play the role of the victim. You may also wish to call upon this Goddess to champion the cause of others. Conversely this Goddess may appeal to you if you have a very strong sense of self and are proud of the victories you have achieved. The shadow side may be asking you to reflect honestly on the cost of these victories. Have they been at the expense of others or your principals? Athena (Minerva) – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War.

| Greek Mythology Pantheon Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by chatgr Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by chatgr Athena (Roman equivalent is Minerva) was the goddess who symbolized wisdom. She was also the goddess of war. The Greeks were the first people who achieved logical thinking and formulated global laws for the operation of the universe. It was natural to coin a goddess who personified the wit and wisdom. Besides, even the way of the birth of the goddess was such that testified her properties. The grey-eyed daughter sprang from the head of omnipotent and omniscient Zeus. The nymphs of the mountain and the Oceanids in Crete, without the knowledge of Cronus, raised Zeus, the father of gods and men. By that time, he chose to fall in love with Metis. She was the most prudent of all her sisters. With her advices, she decisively helped Zeus to get the final victory. She gave Zeus the magical herb, which forced the terrible child-eater Cronus to pull out of his stomach all the gods he had swallowed. Metis was the first wife of Zeus or according to others, the first mistress.

At a feast held in Olympus to formalize their relationship, Uranus and Gaia revealed to their grandson that Metis would give him firstly a daughter and then a son who would become so strong, that he would be the first of the gods. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by GenzoMan Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by GenzoMan The oracle from his ancestors put him into thinking. Therefore, when he saw that Metis was pregnant, he could not settle down. So Zeus asked for an herb from his grandmother Gaia. According to the myth, whoever ate that herb would become as small as the size of a little finger. Gaia did not refuse to the favor he asked and she gave him the herb. Then Zeus ran on Metis and gave it to her to swallow, saying that this herb would help her give birth to strong children. Metis believed him, but shortly after swallowing the herb, she began diminishing. Zeus then opened his huge mouth and swallowed her. He did the same trick as his father, but he quashed both his wife and the child that was in her womb. Once Zeus swallowed Metis, he immediately gained all the wisdom of the world.

He knew every moment what was good and what was bad. After a few days, something began to bother him in his head. He felt like a little sword gently touching his mind. Nevertheless, as time passed the discomfort became more intense and the head ache stronger. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by TaekwondoNJ Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by TaekwondoNJ Zeus was in terrible pain. All goddesses tried to soothe him with magic herbs, but nothing seemed to ease the pain. He screamed and knocked on the ground, so that the whole Olympus echoed and trembled by his harrowing voices. One night, Zeus could not bear it anymore and called Hephaestus to come to his palace with his huge hammer. His son arrived sweaty and grimy. Zeus was in terrible pain. All goddesses tried to soothe him with magic herbs, but nothing seemed to ease the pain. He screamed and knocked on the ground, so that the whole Olympus echoed and trembled by his harrowing voices. One night, Zeus could not bear it anymore and called Hephaestus to come to his palace with his huge hammer. His son arrived sweaty and grimy.

The moment Zeus saw him, he said: "Quickly Hephaestus, give my head a strike with your hammer in order to save me once and for all from this torment." Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by zelda994612 The divine blacksmith paused, rolled his eyes, and refused to do so. However, Zeus was not joking. Enraged, he threatened Hephaestus that he will throw him for the second time from Olympus. The terrified young god said: "Forgive me father, forgive me mother Hera and all you Olympians. But as you also see, I cannot do otherwise." Shortly after, he picked up his huge hammer and hit it with all his strength at the head of his father. Then in front of the amazed eyes of the Olympians sprang from the head of Zeus a beautiful, fully armored, grey-eyed daughter. She was holding shield, wearing a helmet and waved menacingly a spear. It was Athena, goddess of war but also patroness of wisdom. Athena inherited her father's omnipotence and wisdom of her mother, Metis.

Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess at sunset - Art Picture Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess at sunset - Art Picture At the time of her birth, Athena took out a war cry that made whole Olympus to tremble and reached to the ends of the world. The earth shook, the sea was agitated, and huge waves rose menacingly. Helios (Sun) stopped his golden chariot and watched the goddess until she pulls off the armor from her weak body. Shortly after, the commotion caused by the birth of the new goddess stopped. The whole nature calmed. Zeus, relieved by the terrible headaches, saw his new daughter and smiled. Athena, in a short time, grew and gained his divine glory in its entirety. The gods welcomed their new companion with a glorious feast. Athena was the first to start their dance. According to another myth from Crete, the goddess was born on the island from a cloud that Zeus hit with thunderbolt. Others said that Athena was the daughter of the giant Pallas or daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis. Many times, they called her Pallas. Regarding this name, the following myth exists.

Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess at dawn - Art Picture Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess at dawn - Art Picture The first years of her life, Athena grew up with a girl called Pallas. They had become very favorite friends. They learned the martial art together and played quite violent games. One day that they quarreled, Pallas was about to strike Athena. However, Zeus seeing the incident was scared for his little daughter and protected her with his Aegis. The girl was startled when he saw lands in front of the terrible shield. The little goddess took advantage of the turmoil and fatally struck her. When Athena realized that her friend had died, she burst into inconsolable crying. To honor her young friend, she created a statue that looked like her and placed it next to her father. She named the statue, which was made of wood, Palladium. Eventually, however, Zeus threw the statue from Mount Olympus and it fell to Troy at the time the Trojans were building the city. Ever since, this statue was protecting the area. Because it had fallen in the temple of Athena, they called the goddess Athena – Pallas. Many cities in ancient times claimed to have Palladiums and that enjoyed Athena's protection.

Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess resting - Art Picture Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess resting - Art Picture Athena was the favorite child of Zeus and spent her entire life dedicated to her father, whom she loved and adored. Her help at the Giants' War was valuable, where she killed and skinned the giant Pallas and crashed Sicily upon giant Enceladus, burying him underneath. Only Athena stood beside Zeus when the terrible Typhon (Hurricane) swooped on Olympus. Only once, she participated in the conspiracy of Hera, Poseidon, and Apollo versus her father. Then she was the only one who did not experience the wrath of Zeus and so the love and affection continued without any other problems. Athena loved martial arts and she was giving herself constantly to them. She had no love affairs and symbolized the eternal virginity. This is why the Athenians called the temple of the goddess on the Acropolis, Parthenon (parthenos in Greek means virgin). Only once Hephaestus tried to annoy her erotically, but the goddess resisted bravely. From the seed of god, which fell to the earth, Erichthonius was born, a celebrated hero of Athens.

The goddess was behaving as if he was her son. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Alayna Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Alayna Others claim that the Erichthonius was the son of Gaia who confided him to Athena to raise him. They say that the hero established the Panathenaic festival, the largest festival in honor of Athena. They also believed that the goddess taught him to drive the chariot that is pulled by four horses. Her most favorite city is Athens, which got its name from her. A myth says that Poseidon was the first to arrive in Attica. He struck with his trident a rock of the Acropolis and immediately gushed forth a spring of salt water. Then Athena that was also claiming the sovereignty and protection of the area planted an olive tree. Then the other Olympians entered as judges to the conflict of the gods and decided in favor of Athena. According to another myth, an olive tree grew on the Acropolis and a little further gushed a spring. Cecrops was the lord of the area and requested the advice of the oracle. The oracle informed him that the tree represented the Athena and the spring represented Poseidon.

Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Michael C Hayes Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Michael C Hayes Then, Cecrops called a popular assembly of men and women in order to come to a decision. All men voted for Poseidon and all women for Athena. But the women were more than men and so the city was given to Athena. Poseidon was very angry and flooded the area. Men, then, decided to punish women, forbidding them to participate in meetings and vote. However, the most common version of the myth is the following. The gods told the litigants that the one who would earn the city would be he who made the most useful gift to residents. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by J Rickey Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by J Rickey The martial goddess stood alongside many famous heroes of antiquity. Heracles (Hercules) was one of them that Athena was protecting. Athena saw him for first time, when the mortal hero ran into the side of Zeus to face the Giants. She immediately liked him. With her valuable advices he managed to kill Alcyoneus.

Nevertheless, later also, when Eurystheus assigned to Heracles the test of the twelve labors, Athena also helped him. She gave him the cymbals that were the work of the divine artisan Hephaestus. Hitting the cymbals, the hero startled the Stymphalian hens that flew from their hidden nests and thus killed them with his arrows. In order to delight Athena, Heracles devoted to her the golden apples that he had cut from the garden of Esperides. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess marching to war - Art Picture Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess marching to war - Art Picture With the help of the goddess, Perseus managed to kill the Gorgon. She was a monster that had snakes instead for hair and her eyes caused terrible panic or petrify anyone who was facing them. The hero, when he went to face the horrible monster, was equipped with the shiny shield that Athena gave him. Therefore, while he had turned his gaze elsewhere, he was watching the Gorgon's image mirrored onto the shield and managed to fight and behead her. He offered the Gorgon's awesome head to Athena, which was retaining its properties although it was cut off.

The goddess placed the head onto the aegis (shield) she had, her father's gift. She collected the blood that popped from the veins of the monster and gave it to Asclepius, who used it as a medicine. Others say that she had given two drops of blood to Erichthonios. One drop was causing death and the other one had therapeutic properties. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Nero tbs Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Nero tbs A myth says that when Perseus beheaded the Gorgon, her sisters, Stheno (Valence) and Euryale, who were immortal, mourned a lot for her. However, this wailing came from the snakes they had for hair and not by themselves. Athena tried to find a way to imitate this wailing. Therefore, she took the bone of a large deer they had sacrificed to her, opened some holes and blew rhythmically into the new musical instrument that she called flute. Thrilled, Athena ran to Olympus and showed her invention to the other gods. However, Hera and Aphrodite ironically broke out in laughter. Athena could not explain their behavior and was very angry.

Then they explained her that while playing the flute, her cheeks turned red and big, disfiguring her face and it was very funny. The stubborn goddess ran into a creek and mirrored herself in the waters while playing the flute. Athena immediately understood that the other goddesses were right to mock her and furiously threw her music instrument. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess with Nike - Art Picture by Green Cat Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess with Nike - Art Picture by Green Cat Pegasus, the winged horse, was son of Gorgon and Neptune. A hero, Bellerophon, once asked the help of Athena to capture and tame the horse. One night that the hero slept in her temple, she appeared in his dream and gave him a bridle with which he managed to tame it. Athena was very shy with men. Therefore, one day that Tiresias saw her nude, bathing in the waters of a lake with the Nymph Chariklo, she avenged him mercilessly. With a simple touch to his eyes blinded him for his entire life. However, her friend begged her to pity him. Since Athena could not cancel a divine decision, decided to favor Tiresias in a different way.

She cleaned his ears so well, so he could even hear the chirping of the birds and gave him a stick, which helped him to walk as people who were able to see. Since then, Tiresias became the most famous seer of antiquity. The martial goddess was active in the Trojan War, where she was protecting the camp of the Greeks, and that because she was outraged by the judgment of Paris regarding the most beautiful goddess. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Valeskamoura Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Valeskamoura Her favorite warriors were Diomedes, Achilles and Odysseus. Athena stood by their side in all their difficult moments. Especially, when there was a high risk she resorted to miracles to save them. She made divine fire coming out of the Diomedes‘s helmet and covered the head of Achilles with a fiery cloud. Indeed, in the most difficult moments she transformed herself into a Trojan warrior and went to the concentrations of rival generals, giving them wrong advices. Nevertheless, when there were divisions and disagreements within the Greek camp, Athena always managed to prevent the worst from coming.

She does not let Achilles slay Agamemnon although he had severely insulted him. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Rudyao Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Rudyao Athena helped Odysseus both during the war and during his ten-year journey of return. In the Odyssey, Athena intervenes with transformations. She takes the form of Mentor and gives valuable advice and guidance to Telemachus. She also sends dreams. Athena appears in Nausicaa’s sleep and advises her to go to wash her clothes in the river, the day Odysseus was approaching the island of Corfu. She endows her protégé with supernatural beauty to seduce the princess and accommodate him in the palace of her father. Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess under sunlight - Art Picture Athena (Minerva) Greek Goddess under sunlight - Art Picture In other cases, she rouses Zeus to help Odysseus. With Athena’s intervention, Calypso receives orders to leave the hero free and gives him the means to set sail again into the sea.

Orestes, son of Agamemnon, in order to avenge the murder of his father killed his mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. However, Erinyes (Furies), obscure deities who punished the murderers, chased Orestes, who arrived in Athens and took refuge in the temple of the goddess. Then a court took place in the Areopagus (Supreme Court) to judge the young matricide. Athena was the president of the court. The vote ended in a tie, but eventually the court acquitted Orestes because the vote of Athena, which was “Not Guilty”, was counting as double. Since then, there is a law in the court that a tie in the votes counts in favor of the accused. Athena was protecting all artisans and craftsmen. She was also an amazing weaver. Once, Arachni (Spider), a girl from Lydia, who had gained a great reputation in the art of weaving, called the goddess in a competition.

Greek Goddess Athena (Minerva) armored on top of pillar Statue Greek Goddess Athena (Minerva) armored on top of pillar Statue Initially the goddess appeared to the girl transformed into an old woman and advised her to show modesty. However, Arachni was still cocky and Athena got upset, took her normal form and the contest began. The Pallas portrayed on her woven the daily life of the gods. At the edges, she drew scenes that revealed the debacle of mortals when they did not obey the immortals. The young woman from Lydia portrayed in her fabric the sex life of the gods and especially their extramarital relationships. Athena did not find any flaw in the work of Arachni, although she spent her entire time examining it. From anger and jealousy, Athena transformed her to the namesake bug that constantly spins and weaves with the tip of her thread. Greek Goddess Athena (Minerva) Statue Greek Goddess Athena (Minerva) Statue Once, the goddess had a dispute with Apollo on the art of divination. Thries, the winged nymphs of Parnassus, had taught Athena to foretell the future from the stones that the torrents swept away.

However, Apollo complained to Zeus and he decided in favor of his son. Then, the embittered Athena flew the stones in the valley and that area was named Thriassion. Athena – Pallas symbolize some of the most important ideals of the ancient Greek spirit. She combined strength and bravery with prudence and intelligence. Her favorite symbols were the aegis, the spear, the owl and the olive tree. Please leave a comment if you liked this article 🙂 All pictures are also uploaded in Albums on the Greek Mythology Pantheon page on Facebook, visit us at : Ancient Greek Gods for Kids, Athena (Minerva) - Ancient Greek & Roman Gods for Kids Roman Name: Minerva Ancient Greek Myths for Kids Athena was the goddess of wisdom. She could get angry, but more typically, she was wise, and kind, and understanding. Athena was born very oddly. Her father was the mighty Zeus. But she did not have a mother. Instead, as the myth goes, she was born directly out of Zeus' brain. Zeus loved all his children. But one of his favorites was Athena. Athena held a powerful position in the ancient Greek god world.

She was an Olympian, one of the council of 12, who held a seat on Mount Olympus. She also had a home there. Here is a myth about Athena that shows how clever and practical she was. As the story goes ... The Competition, Athena & Poseidon Nearly every town in ancient Greece had a god that looked after the townspeople. Towns rarely had more than one god to keep an eye on their best interests. Most gods did not share well. So usually, it was one town and if the town was lucky, one god to watch over it. Poseidon loved watching over towns. He usually picked coastal towns since he was the Lord of the Sea. Poseidon was a very powerful god. His brothers were Zeus and Hades. Poseidon was a moody fellow, but he loved his wife and children and he loved attention. He liked having people build temples in his honor and bring him gifts. They were not very useful gifts for a god, but he enjoyed getting them anyway. As Greece grew and developed, new towns sprang up all the time. Poseidon was always on the lookout for new coastal towns. He was not the only god who loved to be in charge.

Athena, along with other gods, enjoyed that role as well. One day, both Athena and Poseidon claimed a new village. Most of the time, humans were grateful when they were selected to be under the care of a god. But two gods? That was one too many. Poseidon wanted them to chose which god they wanted. But the people did not want to choose. They could see only trouble ahead if they did. Athena, goddess of wisdom, daughter of Zeus, understood their worry. She challenged her uncle Poseidon to a contest. Both gods would give the town a gift. The townspeople could decide which gift was the more useful. Poseidon slapped his specter against the side of the mountain. A stream appeared. The people were excited. A source of fresh water was so important! But when they tried to drink the water, they discovered it was not fresh at all. It was salt water! Athena waved her arm and an olive tree appeared. The people nibbled at the olives. They were delicious! The people were excited. The olive tree would provide wood for building homes. Branches would provide kindling for kitchen stoves and fireplaces. The olives could be used for food.

The fruit could pressed to release cooking oil. It was wonderful. But theirs was a coastal village. The people could not risk angering the Lord of the Sea, the mighty Poseidon. As it turned out, they did not have to choose. Poseidon chose for them. He laughed his mighty laugh, sending waves crashing against the shoreline. Poseidon proclaimed his niece the winner! That's how a small village gained a most powerful and wise guardian, the goddess Athena, a guardian who helped them rise to fame. In her honor, they named their village Athens. More Myths about Athena Minerva Minerva by Micha F. Lindemans The Roman goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, dyeing, science and trade, but also of war. As Minerva Medica she is the patroness of physicians. She is the daughter of Jupiter . In the temple on the Capitoline Hill she was worshipped together with Jupiter and Juno , with whom she formed a powerful triad of gods. Another temple of her was located on the Aventine Hill. The church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva is built on one of her temples.

Every year from March 19 - 23 the Quinquatria was held, the primary Minerva-festival. This festival was mainly celebrated by artisans but also by students. On June 13 the minor Quinquatrus was observed. Minerva is believed to be the inventor of numbers and musical instruments. She is thought to be of Etruscan origin, as the goddess Menrva or Menerva. Later she was equated with the Greek Athena . Article details: BBC - Primary History - Romans - Religion Primary History Did Romans believe in life after death? What kind of gods did Romans worship? At first, Romans believed in many different gods and goddesses. These gods were like people, but with magical powers. The Roman gods were part of a family. People told stories or myths about them. Each god or goddess looked after different people or things. These are a few of the old Roman gods: Saturn: once king of the gods, his place was taken by his son (Jupiter). Saturn was the god of seed-sowing. A merry Roman holiday or festival, the Saturnalia, was named after him. Jupiter: god of the sky, he was the most important god.

Juno: Jupiter's wife, she looked after women. Neptune: Jupiter's brother, he was the god of the sea. Minerva: goddess of wisdom and women's work, such as weaving cloth. Mars: god of war, though originally god of farming. Venus: goddess of love, she was the lover of Mars. Back to top Why did the Romans borrow new gods? The Romans often borrowed new gods from people they conquered. They hoped these new gods would make them stronger. They borrowed gods from Egypt, for example, such as the goddess Isis. Roman soldiers worshipped Mithras, a god from Iran. A soldier going on a journey might ask Mercury (god of travel) for help, as well as Mithras the soldiers' god and he might also make a sacrifice to Neptune (the sea god) if he had to travel by ship! Back to top What went on a Roman temple? People worshipped the gods in special buildings called temples. Inside the temple was a statue of a god. Priests looked after the temple. People went there to make sacrifices or offerings of food, flowers or money. Sometimes the priest killed an animal, such as a bull, as part of the sacrifice ceremony.

Some Emperors said they were gods too, so everyone had to make a sacrifice to the Emperor. Romans also had gods at home. They believed in household spirits that protected the family. They had miniature temples, or shrines, in their homes. The family would make offerings of food and drink to the household gods, and pray for good luck and protection. Back to top Did Romans believe in life after death? The Romans believed that a person's spirit went to the underworld after the person died. To get there, the dead needed to cross the River Styx. The dead person's family would leave a coin on the dead body, to pay the ferryman, whose name was Charon. Some of these old beliefs changed when Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century AD. Before then, Christians got into trouble because they refused to worship the emperor as a god. Some Christians were arrested and put to death. Fun Facts During the Saturnalia holiday, rich Romans were supposed to wait on their slaves. Janus, the Roman god of doorways, had two faces! One faced forwards, the other backwards. The month January is named after Janus.

Neptune, the sea god, had a son called Triton who was half-man, half-fish. Where did the Romans put a coin so a dead person wouldn't lose it on the way to the underworld? In their mouth, of course! The Romans believed people called soothsayers or augurs could tell what the gods wanted and foretell the future by cutting open dead animals and looking at the insides. Romans believed every boy and girl had a guardian-spirit to watch over them. BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. A to D Acropolis [a-CROP-olis] The Acropolis is a large hill in the centre of Athens. On top of it were many temples and other buildings, the remains of which can be seen today.

amphitheatre A place like a stadium, where Romans went to watch animals and people fighting. aqueduct A system of pipes and channels used to bring water into towns. archaeological site A place such as a ruined fort studied by archaeologists. archaeologists People who study the past by looking at old things, often found underground. archaeology Studying the past by looking at old things, often found underground. Aristophanes [aris-TOF-a-neez] Lived in Athens in the 5th century BC. He wrote comedies for the theatre in Athens. Aspasia [as-PAY-zia] Was a woman to taught public speaking in Athens. She was the partner of the famous general Perikles. Aspasia had much more independence than most women in Athens. barbarian A person who lived outside the Roman Empire, seen by Romans as violent and uncivilized. basilica A large building where town business was carried out (like a modern Town Hall). assembly The Assembly was the public meeting of the giovernment of the city. All citizens could take part and vote there. Athena The patron goddess of Athens. A huge statue of Athena stood outside the Parthenon.

Attica [A-tik-a] A wind instrument with a reed similar to a modern oboe. capital city Main city of a country, the centre of government. catapult A machine that threw rocks or burning tar at the enemies. In Latin it was called an onager. cavalry Soldiers who fight on horseback. chariot Cart with two wheels pulled by horses. Romans raced chariots, and Celtic warriors rode into battle on them. celts People who lived in Europe, including Britain, and who fought the Romans. centurion An officer commanding about 80 legionaries. citizen Person with special rights such as the right to vote and own property in the Roman Empire. Only men could be full Roman citizens. cohort There were ten cohorts in a legion. crossbow Weapon like a bow and arrow, only the string is pulled back by turning a handle and the bow is fired by releasing a trigger. In Latin it was called a ballista druids The priests of the old Celtic religion. E to G Process where people vote to choose the people they want to be in charge. empire A large area with many people ruled by one strong leader, called an emperor.

forum An open space in the middle of a town for markets and meeting people (like a market square). It was the centre of Roman town life. fort A building with walls to keep out enemies, used by soldiers. foundations Firm base for a road or building. general leader of an army, the soldier giving the orders to everyone else. gladiator A person trained to fight other gladiators or animals in amphitheatres. governor The ruler of Roman Britain, who worked for the Roman Emperor. H to L hypocaust Roman central heating. Hot air from a furnace (fire) flowed through gaps between walls and flooring latin The language spoken and written by the Romans legate The officer commanding a whole legion. legion The main battle unit of the Roman army, its soldiers were called legionaries. There were between 4,000 and 6,000 legionaries in a legion. legend A story made up about people in the past M to O A pattern made from coloured pieces of stones and pottery. myth A made-up story, often about gods and spirits, told to explain things such as why the sun rises and sets every day. P to Z Money paid to a retired worker or soldier.

picts people who lived in Scotland republic A country without a king, queen or emperor. The Roman republic was ruled by the elected Senate. Most countries today are republics. sacred Something that is believed to be holy and to have a special connection with a god or gods. scroll Roman book, written on a long strip of paper rolled around a stick. senate The Roman government, made up of senators. senator A person elected to the Roman Senate who helped run the government. Some countries today, like the U.S.A., have senators. sewage Dirty water and toilet waste which flows into sewers from drains and toilets. sewers Pipes or tunnels that carry away sewage. slave Someone who can be sold to another person to work for nothing. A slave is not free and has no rights. slingshot Weapon for throwing stones, made from a long strip of leather and whirled around by the thrower. standard Roman army emblem, a pole with special decorations (such as a metal eagle) carried by a soldier. Each legion had its own standards. stirrups the metal holder for a rider's foot. Attached to a horse's saddle by a leather strap.

strigil A metal object used in Roman baths to scrape sweat, dirt and excess oil off. stylus A metal pen for scratching words into soft wax on wooden tablets. taxes Money or items taken by the government from people, to pay for things like the army, wars, emperor's palaces and building roads. Thatched roofs Roofs of buildings made from bundles of straw or reeds. treadmill Machine like a big wheel inside which slaves walked round, to turn the machine. tribe A group of people who live in one part of a country and are ruled by a chief. tutor A teacher who gives lessons to a student at home. underworld A gloomy place where Romans believed your soul went after you died. villa A large house in the country. Some Roman villas were farmhouses and some were like palaces. warrior A trained soldier, someone used to fighting in wars. wreath

Question: Who was the Roman goddess of wisdom?
Answer: MINERVA