Athens and Its Goddess

By Kayla MaedcheHIS 325

The Birth of a GoddessParents: Zeus and

MetisZeus swallowed his

wifeHephaestus split Zeus’

headFully-grown and

armedWisdom: head of Zeus

Basic Info - Characteristics Origins in Neolithic times Roman equivalent = Minerva Goddess of war, wisdom, the state, weaving, and fertility www.theoi.com/Cult/AthenaTitles.html#Cult War goddess (promachos)

Grants victory in battle as Nike or Nikephoros Aegis was a battle charm Injured Ares in the Trojan War Worshiped in Libya as Neith

Glaukopis: “bright-eyed,” association with owl’s (glaux) eyes Tritogeneia: “water-born” or reared by Triton; also means third-born Pallas Athena

killed Pallas, daughter of Triton, while practicing the art of war Refers to virginity in contrast to her fertility epithets

Potnia: Homer recorded this epithet which means queen

Basic Info – Human InteractionTrojan War & The OdysseyLibya: how to tame horsesAthens: infantry tacticsKing Erichthonius: how to harness a

chariotPresent during the building of Jason’s

ArgoWelcomed Hercules to OlympusGuided Perseus against the GorgonsSaved the heart of DionysusInvented the potter’s wheel and the flute

Patroness of Athens – Contest Chose Attica as her

special placeAthena vs.

Poseidon on the Acropolis

Gifts: olive tree vs. salt spring

Attica becomes Athens

Patroness of Athens – Customs Spousal: Athena’s virginity (pallas) was upheld as proper female

behavior in patriarchal society the maiden’s parents offered a sacrifice for the fruitfulness of

the marriage Fertility: priestess would bear the aegis to a couple’s home

the priestess received a payment for each birth and death of an Athenian

Amphidromia Naming ceremony when it was believed the child would

survive Olive braches = boy garlands of wool = girl Nurse carried the child around the fire

Alliances: a tablet was made with a representation of Athena holding the hand of the other city’s patron god

Military: the aegis was hung over the walls of the city to prevent defeat

Patroness of Athens – Festivals Arrephoria: young, noble girls descended from Athena’s

temple to take sacred objects underground near Aphrodite’s sanctuary

Scirophoria: priests and priestesses form a procession under a large parasol (sciron)

Panathenaea: procession to the Acropolis with the sacred robe (peplos) and olive branches; included many events and ceremoniesGreater Panathenaea was held every 4th year where

other city-states participated at Athens

Athens - Characteristics Plain of Attica Triangular tract in the

Aegean Sea Basin area that is surrounded

by hills and mountains Theater of Dionysus Plato’s Academy; “Athens is

the city hall of Wisdom” Aristotle’s Lyceum Cradle of western civilization

and the birthplace of democracy

Important center of early Hellenistic Greece

Nicknamed “the glorious city”

Athenians were the most pious and religious of all Greeks

Athens – Brief Timeline 3000 BC: first settlement on the Acropolis 566 BC: Panathenaic festival established 534 BC: first tragedy performed at Dionysian festival 508 BC: Became a democracy under Kleisthenes 5th Century BC: Golden Age of Athens under the reign of Pericles 431-404 BC: Peloponnesian War 387 BC: Plato founds the Academy 44 AD: Apostle Paul visits Athens

Acts 17: 21 – locals interested in the latest ideas 132 AD: Emperor Hadrian’s library is built 476 AD: Roman Empire falls; Athens declines 529 AD: became a Byzantine provincial town 13th Century AD: invaded by the Crusaders 15th Century AD: occupied by Turks 1833: became the Greek capital 1896: first modern Olympic games

AcropolisCitadel stands

150ft. above the Athenian plain

Fortified along the Cecropian rock

Strongest area in the city

Persians set it on fire

Parthenon Parthenos: Maiden; also known

as “Virgin’s House” 447 -438 BC: construction time 438-432 BC: Phidias’ creates its’

sculptures Built with 230,000 metric tonnes

of marble from Mt. Pentelicon Architects: Ictinus and

Callicrates Western end: held the bank Eastern end: statue of Athena Emperor Hadrian’s reign:

repaired and beautified Transformed into a church for

Mary 1687- destroyed by a Venetian

battery when used by the Turks

Parthenon

44 AD: Paul in Athens Acts 17:16 – greatly distressed (paroxysm) to see the city full of idols in 44 AD

Paroxysm means sudden, violent emotion Acts 17:18 – spoke with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers

Was called a spermalog (babbler, courtier, or buffoon) Acts 17:22 – saw their religious nature (deisidaimones)

Vague word meaning cowardice towards the divine, or deep superstition Acts 17:24 – Paul preached to the Athenians on Mars Hill (Areopagus)

Civic place to hear new ideas; also used for trials before the Council of the State

Truth that God is not man-made and will raise His believers into everlasting Life

Acts 17:34 – mixed responses, but many accepted the faith

Symbolism – The OwlOwl perched on Zeus’ wristGlaux: a small, strictly nocturnal owlShorthand mark for AthensAgathocles let out owls among his troops so that

they would gain courageRepresentation of wisdom, death, and destructionOwl’s cry: impending doom

Symbolism – The OliveSacred olive tree beside the

temple; represented the fate (moira) of the city

Customary to plant one at the birth of each citizen

Blessings of prosperity and good fortune

Eiresione: olive branch hung annually over every family’s door

Victors at athletic games were crowned with branches

Symbolism – The SpindleSpinning: as early as Homer; “spinner of fate”Protective care over the peaceful arts of the city The Peplos (sacred robe)

Wove one for herself and for HeraGiven in special occasions like the Panathanaea Sign of sovereignty“net of destiny”

Arachne, the princess of Lydia

Symbolism – The SnakeLegendary snake guarded the AcropolisSnake’s absence in the Persian attackErichthonios was the foster son of AthenaSign of agricultural fertilityProphetic animal (Tiresias)Anyone who ate a snake became wise

Representation in ArtTwo general classes: standing with weapons;

sitting without weapons (potnia)Palladium: Standing pose without weapons

originally at the city of Troy; the city could not be defeated while it had the image

Promachos: Standing with feet apart striding forward; dates to the Bronze Age

Modern HomageState seal of CaliforniaUS Women’s NavyUS Military AcademyAthens of the SouthOver 30 USA locations

Modern Homage