Entity
Athena
A reference page linking a name, group, or concept to the materials that discuss it.
Greek goddess associated in Hesiod with Zeus, Metis and birth from the head.
Text
Athena is a goddess in Greek narratives. The TheogonyHesiod’s TheogonyGreek poem on divine generations and Zeus’s kingship; its surviving form does not identify all of Hesiod’s sources.Glossary · Click to read the explanation describes her birth from ZeusZeusZeus is the sky god and leading deity in many Greek traditions. In the Iliad he presides over divine gatherings while others can still speak and object.Glossary · Click to read the explanation’s head in a story involving Metis, wisdom and rule. Scholars compare this scene with unusual births in Greek poetry and the Hittite text. [1][2]
Ancient Greek images also show her emerging from the head, as on the vessel presented here. This definition concerns the goddess; Athens is the city. [3]
References and notes
- Hesiod, Theogony Lines886–899: Metis and Athena. Return to the text ↑
- Hesiod, Theogony Lines924–929: birth from the head. Return to the text ↑
- Musée du Louvre — CA616 Object identity, date and birth-scene description. Return to the text ↑
Research history
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Cite this record
IL Archive, «Athena», Edition 3, https://ilarchive.com/en/entities/athena-greek-goddess