Athena

Athena was the daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology. She was born from his skull and dressed in complete armor at her birth. With such an unusual birth, it is no wonder this goddess was known as the goddess of war. Athena also had other attributes. She was known for her arts and crafts and for her great wisdom. Because of her wisdom, there were times when the goddess preferred peace over war.

As a goddess, she guarded over certain ancient cities. One city she looked after was Athens. The Parthenon was built in the city as a temple to Athena. A replica of the temple can be found today in Nashville, Tennessee, at Centennial Park. The Parthenon in Nashville also houses a statue of Athena that is based on the original and is forty-two feet tall. Both the replicas of the Parthenon and the statue are amazing architectural accomplishments.

The Greeks celebrated their great admiration of the goddess Athena by holding a huge festival known as the Panathenaea. This was an annual celebration that took place in Athens. At the celebration, there were many activities including both athletic and musical events. Sacrifices were also offered up to the goddess during the festival. All the events surrounding the celebration were to honor the goddess of war and wisdom, a deity seemingly admired by most of the ancient Greeks.