Athena's Impact on the Lives of Ancient Greeks Essay

In Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, gods and goddesses play an important role in influencing the lives of humans, and Athena is an important part of the war. The goddess Athena is written mostly as a mortal, where she signifies the personification of war. Both sides of the war know that with Athena, they will not lose. This is probably why she is the most significant minor character. Athena is the most significant minor character because she is brave, wise, and she is a warrior. Athena plays a significant role in the unfolding drama, because both the Greeks and the Trojans know that her favor, they cannot be defeated.

Divine intervention is often an integral part of ancient epic poetry as seen in Homer's The Odyssey. The role of the goddess Athena was an essential part of Odysseus's journey back to Ithaka. Athena also played a vital part in Telemakhos's life before the return of his father. Even Penelope is impacted by the help of the "grey-eyed" goddess, often inspiring Penelope to hold off the suitors as well as putting her to sleep when a situation became too difficult. Athena demonstrates that she is a critical component of development within the father Odysseus and his son Telemakhos as well as guiding Penelope as a beautiful mother waiting for the return of her husband.

Throughout ancient Greco-Roman history, the Olympian Gods had very different roles in mythology. Athena and Artemis were two of the twelve gods who ruled Olympus. The goddesses portrayed many different religious aspects of this culture and played a large role in mythology. Both goddesses were believed to be virgin goddesses but still represent the ideas of growing into a woman, childbearing, and matronly duties. Throughout this paper the reader will find examples of similarities and differences between two virgin goddesses and how they represented the cultures of women, purity, and womanly duties.

In ancient Greece, around 500 B.C.E, the culture was revolving around gods and goddesses. The lifestyles and actions of the people of Greece had an interdependence with the common belief of Hellenism. By understanding that many Greeks looked to their gods and goddesses in most aspects of their life, we can better understand how Greek culture worked as a whole. This can be seen specifically in Athens Greece. In Athens they looked to the Goddess Athena in particular because she was their patron Goddess. During this time a sculptor, named Phidias, sculpted a grand statue called the Athena Parthenos. The Athena Parthenos was viewed as an actual incarnation of the Goddess Athena, and symbolize victory in wars that ultimately create peace and harmony.

In Greco-Roman Culture, humans imagine the deities of mythology to be and act certain ways, due to the needs they must fill. People invented certain deities for reasons that align with what they needed from them. To examine how a deity has a certain purpose, one must first examine what they are like. Athena and Ares are examples of deities invented for very specific purposes. One must first look at Athena and Ares’ similarities and differences in relation to their characteristics, their sexuality and physical appearances, as well as their different powers and how they are worshipped, to discover why they were created.

Gender inequality has been a controversial topic for numerous religions and cultures throughout history. Women were commonly regarded as the subservient gender, an idea that was no different in Ancient Greece. Throughout Greek mythology, women were considered inferior and troublesome symbols, while men were known for courage, leadership, and strength. While there is no argument of the flagrant sexism that is illustrated in Greek mythology, it can also be claimed that women were given a situated position of freedom, necessity, and power as well. Many popular Greek plays and myths contain several complexes and well described female characters. These goddesses themselves, partook the role of victim, heroine, and villain as it illustrated the diversity of characters in which women were portrayed and seen in both Ancient Greek society and mythology, allowing us to question “Were the women of Ancient Greek mythology equally represented as free and superior?” The creation of the Greek mythological universe, the creation of multi-gendered goddesses or deities, and the free and superior personalities accredited to women in Ancient Greek mythology to answer the question that women were fairly represented as powerful in Ancient Greek mythology.

The goddess also kept those people strong and faithful to the success of our hero even if they had heavy doubts. In the very beginning, Athena disguised herself as a prince in order to gather crewmen for his ship. She also provided hope when it was needed for characters around Odysseus and Telemachus. For instance, when Penelope learned of her son’s absence she cried at the thought of losing yet another loved one. Athena helps Penelope by presenting herself as the phantom of Iphtime, Penelope’s sister and tells her, “Courage! Don’t be overwhelmed by all your direst fears. He travels with such an escort, one that others would pray to stand beside them.”

Athena was fierce and brave in battle. She was Zeus’ favorite child. She was not born of a mother rather sprang full grown and clad in armour from Zeus’ forehead. She was the goddess of reason, arts, literature, and intelligent activity.

Women’s role in Greece can be seen when one first begins to do research on the subject. The subject of women in Greece is coupled with the subject of slaves. This is the earliest classification of women in Greek society. Although women were treated differently from city to city the basic premise of that treatment never changed. Women were only useful for establishing a bloodline that could carry on the family name and give the proper last rites to the husband. However, women did form life long bonds with their husbands and found love in arranged marriages. Women in Athenian Society Women are “defined as near slaves, or as perpetual minors” in Athenian society (The Greek World, pg. 200). For women life didn’t

Athena and Aphrodite, two of the most well-known goddess’ from Ancient Greek mythology. Athena is the goddess of war strategy and wisdom, she never married or had relationships. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, she had a lot of relationships and had several children. Besides both of them being extremely popular and worshiped goddess’ it seems like these two goddess’ have nothing else in common. However, Athena and Aphrodite have a lot of similarities between the two of them. Some similarities are their early lives, they constantly interfered with the lives of others, and the wraiths they took on those who disrespected them. Although they bear some minor differences, the similarities between Athena and Aphrodite are pronounced.

Athena, to the Greeks, was the goddess of wisdom, war, and the crafts. She was the wisest, most courageous, and certainly the most resourceful of the Olympian gods. Athena was also known for her association

The novel Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan is about seven teen demigods that must stop the destruction of Rome, the end of the world. This is an action packed story that allows one to better understand Greek Mythology. When reading this book, the author is trying to make the reader realize that there is a hero in all of us, whatever we set our minds to do, and we can accomplish it no matter what obstacles are put in front of us. One quote from the book that is quite iconic is “Being a hero doesn’t mean you’re invincible. It just means that you’re brave enough to stand up and do what’s needed.”(Riordan, pg. 475) Anything is possible if you just give it a chance. The theme throughout this series is that with teamwork much can be accomplished.

The Birth of Athena represents one of the most stunning births of Olympian deities, being immortalized on countless pottery objects. Athena’s status of goddess protector of Athens certainly provides an explanation for the numerous vases dedicated to her. The Yale amphora is not an exception. This Group E black-figure amphora is among the works of the greatest black-figure vase painter, Exekias, and its two panels vividly tell the story of Athena’s birth. While divine births are spectacular ipso facto, the birth of the goddess of wisdom is remarkable in that she emerged from the head of Zeus. Unlike Dionysus’s birth from the thigh of Zeus, which lead to the death of Semele, a mortal woman, Athena’s unusual birth came as a result of the swallowing of

Athena is closely associated with glory and is the one who gives the most powerful gifts in the Iliad. She gives Diomedes the ability to see and attack the gods, and feeds Achilles “nectar and sweet ambrosia” (Il. 19.418). She is called upon in battle numerous times, sometimes simply to help, “Bring that man into range and let me spear him!” (Il. 5. 130), and sometimes is even said to strike the blow: “Athena will kill you with my spear in just a moment” (Il.

When I was a little girl many of my friends wanted to be rainbow bright or a spice girl; whereas I wanted to be the Greek Goddess Athena. Pallas Athena also known as Minerva is a mythological Goddess in Greek and Roman mythology. Athena was the epitome of feminine strength. Athena is the Goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and crafts. Like many of the Greek and Roman Gods Athena has been the subject of many artists. Even well-known artists such as Rembrandt often known as the “greatest of the great” (Getlein, pg. 399), Benoît Suvée, Buchel, and Parmigianino have brought Athena to life. Each artists’ depiction of Athena have similarities and differences. From their use of color to the contouring of