Definition of athena Athena

/ʌθiˈnʌ/ - [utheenu] - A•the•na

We found 3 definitions of athena from 3 different sources.

What does athena mean?

Noun
athena - (Greek mythology) goddess of wisdom and useful arts and prudent warfare; guardian of Athens; identified with Roman Minerva
		Athene, Pallas, Pallas Athena, Pallas Athene

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Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, strategy, and war. She is one of the Twelve Olympians. Athena has a pet owl, and wears a breastplate, called Aegis, which was a present given to her by Zeus. She is often shown with her helmet on and with her shield, which has Medusa's head on it. This was a present to her from Perseus.

Athena is the protector of Athens, Greece, a city named after her. The Parthenon, which is on the Acropolis in Athens, is her most famous temple. She also helped many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus, and is always seen with Nike, the goddess of victory.

Birth.

There are many stories about Athena's birth. In Hesiod's "Theogony", Zeus had sexual intercourse with Metis, but was then scared of her having a child because a prophecy had said that a son born to Metis would overthrow Zeus as he had done to his father. To try and stop Metis having a child, Zeus changed her into a fly and then swallowed her. However, Zeus was too late. Metis was already pregnant.

While she was inside Zeus, Metis made a helmet and a robe for her baby. The hammering noise caused Zeus to have a headache. To try and help Zeus with the pain, Prometheus, Hephaestus, Hermes or Palaemon cut his head open with a Minoan axe. Athena then came out of Zeus's head. She was fully grown and had her armor on.